"Yes Minister" (1980) TV series 1980-1984

User Rating:

9.1/10   

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3

Release Date:

25 February 1980 (UK)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

James Hacker is the British Minister for Administrative Affairs. He tries to do something and cut government waste...

Plot Keywords:

Career | House Of Commons | Member Of Parliament | Trick | Office

Awards:

6 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Paul Eddington	...	James Hacker (22 episodes, 1980-1984)
Nigel Hawthorne	...	Sir Humphrey Appleby (22 episodes, 1980-1984)
Derek Fowlds	...	Bernard Woolley (22 episodes, 1980-1984)
Diana Hoddinott	...	Annie Hacker (10 episodes, 1980-1984)

Runtime:

30 min (21 episodes) | 60 min (1 episode)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Certification:

Finland:K-3 (2001) | Australia:G | Singapore:PG | UK:PG

Filming Locations:

Westminster, London, England, UK

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Trivia:

Screenwriters Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn avoided all references that could indicate Hacker's political party, though Lynn later admitted they had always imagined him as a centre minded Conservative.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: During the train sequence in "The Official Visit", a close-up shows that the warning notice on the wall is written in gibberish.

Quotes:

Sir Humphrey Appleby: [Talking about Government reports] it could be argued that the Sermon on the Mount, where it a government report would never have been published.
[pause]
Sir Humphrey Appleby: All that nonsense about the meek inheriting the earth.
[pause]
Sir Humphrey Appleby: Could do illrepairble damage to the defence budget

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Tory! Tory! Tory!" (2006)

Witty Political Britcom

"Yes, Minister" was an impeccably written, masterfully witty British political satire.

The late Paul Eddington was very funny as James Hacker, a bumbling minister who is constantly at odds with his civil servant, Sir Humphrey Appleby, played masterfully by Oscar winner Nigel Hawthorne.

This show provided perhaps the most insightful and interesting look behind the scenes of the British, or any political system. This show gives new meaning to the saying, "Red Tape."

It's a shame it's not on in the US much anymore, but it's still available on video.