One of the great classics of British television! I believe it was Paul Eddington’s deteriorating health that curtailed the continuation of the series. But what was left for us is simply magnificent - stylish, witty, and absolutely sharp in its writing and characterizations.
This is real comedy, revealing with irony what is still happening today. But now we have to shut up about it because we could face prison time. Today this kind of amusement would be prohibited. The today world makes me again sad, and then again furious.
Simply the best ever from a BBC thats sadly died. Well written and for anyone wanting to understand the English language. The joys of all the series and its context are so true and relevant today!. The Key episode was my favourite, but everyone of them have had a long lasting impact. RIP guys.. you were amazing.
Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn in my opinion wrote the funniest scripts that I have ever been fortunate to enjoy. How Paul Eddington, Nigel Hawthorne and Derek Fowlds managed to deliver such complex lines with such ease is beyond me. Their impact was enough to make me warm to politicians - well almost!
It's probably the finest, funniest, and most literate BBC comedy ever made. Apparently, it was Maggie Thatcher's favourite show. I never liked Thatcher, but it proves that at least she had a sense of humour. The painful dreck that the BBC "Comedy" department churns out these days is just embarrassing.
"for anyone wanting to understand the English language." I agree that these were among the finest English actors of the day. The problem is, does anyone still speak like this ? A language is only as good as the people who speak it. Yes, Minister / Prime Minister is one of the finest tv series ever made, although when it was on, I rarely saw it. ( I was sort of otherwise engaged. ) Watching it after all this time is a revelation. Of course, it's brilliantly written and very funny, but it's also so elegant and beautifully spoken from a purely linguistic point of view. And there's no foul language, because there is simply no place for it. The writing is elegant, expressive and very tight. When you look at the characters, it is utterly believable they all had the finest education money can buy. And they are still clueless pawns controlled by Sir Humphry. ("Sir Humphry" has now entered the English language as the manipulative devious Macchiavellian backstairs operator. No finer tribute to a television show is possible.)
What helped make these series great was that Eddington, Hawthorne, and Fowlds basically developed each of their characters themselves. Eddington's facial mannerisms for example.
The combination of great character writing, brilliant character acting and enough inside information to weave in just to make situations more real than just some writers with no inside experience going at it. All the main cast play their characters so well it's almost criminal.
Absolutely brilliant script writing and acting😂How Derek,Nigel and Paul didn't totally crack up laughing during many of these scenes is beyond me!!❤RIP you guys,hope you're sharing drinks and laughs in heaven😊
watch the clip when there on about new papers berard says sun readers dont care who runs the place as long as they have big xxxx watch derick folds lower his head while trying not to laugh. great acting and writing
Sir Humphrey: "Prime minister I must warn you of all the difficulties, I foresee all sorts of unforeseen problems" / PM: "Such as..." / Sir Humphrey: "If I could foresee them they wouldn't be unforeseen" 🤣🤣🤣
Looking back, (so silly, useless, misleading, common) one might say (one is) that this is the best of its type in a field of real quality, a golden period of quite relevant, sensible, adult humour. Top class...
Sometimes in sitcoms it’s the one off actor that steals the scene. That tv producer in the first clip is incredible. Amazing acting. Perfect delivery and timing.
This is my favorite British drama! In addition to the wonderful performances of several protagonists! There are also many very brilliant supporting roles! Many TV drama fans in China like this drama very much! Many people even think that after watching this drama, it is no problem to be a politician in the UK...😂😂
It is a great shame that Paul Eddington and Derek Fowlds never won any awards for this! Nigel Hawthorne was brilliant and won many awards, but Paul and Derek should have received more recognition!
Is the guy who plays the minister-&-future-PM the same guy who is in Smiley’s People, the one giving George his Deniable Blessing to carry out the mission?
They should have been given a special award for the three of them. Take one away and you ruin everything. The three of them together is perfect chemistry and timing
More of these I watch the more excellent I realise Paul Eddington was as Hacker. Yes, Sir Humphrey gets the smartest, wordiest stuff and Hawthorne is brilliant at playing him, but some of Eddington's faces and his timing, just great, real classy stuff all around, Derek Foulds too. Ah, Britain... I remember her fondly...
Completely agree. Didnt realise when I watched the series 40 plus years ago just HOW GOOD Paul Eddington was in the role. but watching them again now can appreciate the role was made for him
The issues have not changed. But glaringly, the level of intellect, witty use of language and range of vocabulary have changed much, and not for the better. We never had to use any foul language before.
Never watched when it was first broadcast. Now I understand the whole doings of politics a bit better, this is just bl**dy brilliant! You Brits are the very best at self analysis and laughing about yourselves. Too little changes, but if you're happy with it, so be it...
Indeed, this kind of thing would not be tolerated nowadays. Media narratives require a stupefied population to watch and angrily repeat what they hear about people and places they know and care nothing about, not engage in critical thinking.👍
I don’t think even Sir Humphrey (Humpy) would believe what goes on these days! Great series and RIP to those who’ve passed on. An excellent comedy series 👍🇬🇧
I have read that numerous politicians and civil servants thought this so accurate that they believed that there had been one or more insiders feeding stories to the writers. It's fact now and it was apparently fact then too.
This series gave me so much insight into how governments work. Every government and civil service are doing as much as possible to look good without actually having to do much. Publicity, headlines, avoiding scandals is all they think of. In democracies and autocracies alike. I don't think people, especially in the west, realise how incompetent their governments are. Or at least when compared to their so called enemies
One of the best episodes is the new hospital that can't take patients or hire medical staff - would cost too much to run the equipment and there's only a few hundred administrative staff who are terribly overworked😅😅
Always loved Yes Minister and yes Prime Minister. Took the michael out of the government! Basically the civil servants run the country! No matter the political party!. Certainly something that needs thinking about!
@@ruthcollins2841it’s the same everywhere in Western Europe. Politicians are just actors distracting and entertaining the public. It’s actually a pretty good system!
Paul Eddington was starting to show signs of his illness before the second series. Jonathan Lynn in documentaries of the series said most of his scenes were done with him seated at his desk
Only time I laugh on my own. Who would have thought that s sitcom based around boring politicians and civil servants could be so incredibly funny. There again who would have thought a rather second rate TV comedian could become a leader paralleling Churchill. Its a fascinating world 😀😀
There have been instances when my answer to a client's question during a presentation sounded like Sir Humphrey's arguments. But what saved me was most clients were like Hacker.
PM : "Bernard, this doesn't say anything."
Bernard : "Oh, thank you, Prime Minister."
Brilliant. Simply brilliant
Saying nothing is greatly unappreciated skill
Stellar writing, masterful direction, fantastic performances ... one of the best sitcoms ever shown on tv !
The best by miles!
You mean you’ve lost your key? Gold!
The best series the BBC ever screened. It is still relevant today with the muppets in charge now.
One of the great classics of British television! I believe it was Paul Eddington’s deteriorating health that curtailed the continuation of the series. But what was left for us is simply magnificent - stylish, witty, and absolutely sharp in its writing and characterizations.
Sadly the bbc that made this doesnt exist anymore, im grateful for the memories, writing and delivery at its best.
This is real comedy, revealing with irony what is still happening today. But now we have to shut up about it because we could face prison time. Today this kind of amusement would be prohibited. The today world makes me again sad, and then again furious.
The thick of it was a fair effort, w1a also. But yes, it's rare.
Utopia is pretty good from the Australians.
Simply the best ever from a BBC thats sadly died. Well written and for anyone wanting to understand the English language. The joys of all the series and its context are so true and relevant today!. The Key episode was my favourite, but everyone of them have had a long lasting impact. RIP guys.. you were amazing.
Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn in my opinion wrote the funniest scripts that I have ever been fortunate to enjoy. How Paul Eddington, Nigel Hawthorne and Derek Fowlds managed to deliver such complex lines with such ease is beyond me.
Their impact was enough to make me warm to politicians - well almost!
It's probably the finest, funniest, and most literate BBC comedy ever made. Apparently, it was Maggie Thatcher's favourite show. I never liked Thatcher, but it proves that at least she had a sense of humour. The painful dreck that the BBC "Comedy" department churns out these days is just embarrassing.
"for anyone wanting to understand the English language." I agree that these were among the finest English actors of the day. The problem is, does anyone still speak like this ? A language is only as good as the people who speak it. Yes, Minister / Prime Minister is one of the finest tv series ever made, although when it was on, I rarely saw it. ( I was sort of otherwise engaged. ) Watching it after all this time is a revelation. Of course, it's brilliantly written and very funny, but it's also so elegant and beautifully spoken from a purely linguistic point of view. And there's no foul language, because there is simply no place for it. The writing is elegant, expressive and very tight. When you look at the characters, it is utterly believable they all had the finest education money can buy. And they are still clueless pawns controlled by Sir Humphry. ("Sir Humphry" has now entered the English language as the manipulative devious Macchiavellian backstairs operator. No finer tribute to a television show is possible.)
"Have you ever been surveyed?" 😅😂
"Actually not me just my house...oh I see what you mean!" 😅😅😂
What helped make these series great was that Eddington, Hawthorne, and Fowlds basically developed each of their characters themselves. Eddington's facial mannerisms for example.
Paul was simply out of this world. What a genius actor. I wonder how those around him on the set managed to maintain their composure.
They were all great. But my favourite was Bernard (Derek Fowlds).
@@soniavadnjal7553Derek Fowlds was my favourite too❤❤. They all were brilliant.
This documentary is absolutely hilarious.
This comedy is absolutely fab 😂❤
@@Nahid1347sometimes it’s A comedy, but A documentary more
A Documentary disguised as a comedy 😂
Ah rishi's meeting parodied
Nothing compares to this 😅
‘No Benard, it’s just your boss’ 😂
Arguably, the best sitcom ever made. It is so spontaneous and very clever.😂
And still relevant
@@tusker4954 It will always be relevant.
The combination of great character writing, brilliant character acting and enough inside information to weave in just to make situations more real than just some writers with no inside experience going at it.
All the main cast play their characters so well it's almost criminal.
This and Blackadder.
"The Key" is a magnificent episode,, a classic.
Absolutely adore these men . Absolutely fantastic comedy.
Absolutely brilliant script writing and acting😂How Derek,Nigel and Paul didn't totally crack up laughing during many of these scenes is beyond me!!❤RIP you guys,hope you're sharing drinks and laughs in heaven😊
Amen
🇳🇬
watch the clip when there on about new papers berard says sun readers dont care who runs the place as long as they have big xxxx watch derick folds lower his head while trying not to laugh. great acting and writing
@@thebagfather4633it's not just Derek, watch Nigel move his hand across his mouth, "wiping" away his smirk as it were. Very clever actors.
Sir Humphrey: "Prime minister I must warn you of all the difficulties, I foresee all sorts of unforeseen problems" / PM: "Such as..." / Sir Humphrey: "If I could foresee them they wouldn't be unforeseen" 🤣🤣🤣
Looking back, (so silly, useless, misleading, common) one might say (one is) that this is the best of its type in a field of real quality, a golden period of quite relevant, sensible, adult humour. Top class...
Every time I watch this series it's like meeting up with old and special friends after a very long time.
Indeed. Watching the trio brings me a lot of comfort. They feel like friends.
Well, they feel like friends to me also... In principles..
1:45 "The... Trident... Program... is a heavy burdenonyourtaxbill15billionpounds is a lot of..." 😂
That scene always makes me laugh like crazy.
Sometimes in sitcoms it’s the one off actor that steals the scene. That tv producer in the first clip is incredible. Amazing acting. Perfect delivery and timing.
When I'm down these clips are my goto to make me forget for a while and just smile ❤️😊
No matter how many times I watch this, I still laugh out loud.
10:08 NZ national party 2024 "logic".
Me too.
Your Word is my Cooperation. Brilliant.
"This doesn't say anything"
"Thank you, Prime Minister"
LOL 0:59
As a yank that as never seen or even heard of this program before, the 1st bit with the teleprompter was brilliant! Watching the rest now.....😂
Great series. You'll love it. Watch from the start, the Yes Minister then the Yes PM series.
It's a brilliant series. There are also books which are hilarious. Enjoy😊
@@suzannekirkwood6392👍Thank you so much!
@@suzannekirkwood6392
Please, recommend some.😊
This is my favorite British drama! In addition to the wonderful performances of several protagonists! There are also many very brilliant supporting roles! Many TV drama fans in China like this drama very much! Many people even think that after watching this drama, it is no problem to be a politician in the UK...😂😂
You will never have A better trio in political comedy than Derek, Nigel amd Paul
I thought the lady played her part well
Truer to life than I realised back in the day.
The sequence about the ban on smoking clearly foresaw the future - as everything came to pass.
It is a great shame that Paul Eddington and Derek Fowlds never won any awards for this! Nigel Hawthorne was brilliant and won many awards, but Paul and Derek should have received more recognition!
Kinda go on to show the power of civil service....😄
Is the guy who plays the minister-&-future-PM the same guy who is in Smiley’s People, the one giving George his Deniable Blessing to carry out the mission?
@@davidw.2791 no
@@lawrencejhutchinson Thank you!
They should have been given a special award for the three of them. Take one away and you ruin everything. The three of them together is perfect chemistry and timing
Nice to play again this series for young people!!!!Iceland miss you!!!!!
More of these I watch the more excellent I realise Paul Eddington was as Hacker. Yes, Sir Humphrey gets the smartest, wordiest stuff and Hawthorne is brilliant at playing him, but some of Eddington's faces and his timing, just great, real classy stuff all around, Derek Foulds too.
Ah, Britain... I remember her fondly...
Completely agree. Didnt realise when I watched the series 40 plus years ago just HOW GOOD Paul Eddington was in the role. but watching them again now can appreciate the role was made for him
This show is timeless. It is as relevant today as it was forty odd years ago when it first aired.
Fantastic,
well ahead of its time.
Yes Minister / Yes Prime Minister still hold up today, Just shows how little things have changed
Which is at once comforting and terrifying.
This applies so well to the current situation in Portugal.
Truly a timeless comedy
The issues have not changed. But glaringly, the level of intellect, witty use of language and range of vocabulary have changed much, and not for the better. We never had to use any foul language before.
This is up there with some of the best ever made television
Never watched when it was first broadcast. Now I understand the whole doings of politics a bit better, this is just bl**dy brilliant! You Brits are the very best at self analysis and laughing about yourselves. Too little changes, but if you're happy with it, so be it...
A reminder of the days when the BBC actually made something worth watching. RIP BBC.
yes......now it's continuous leftists propaganda
these actually make me wanna apply for the civil service.
But but you must understand.. That BBC cannot fall under government pressures!
Indeed, this kind of thing would not be tolerated nowadays. Media narratives require a stupefied population to watch and angrily repeat what they hear about people and places they know and care nothing about, not engage in critical thinking.👍
@@shadow_realm47 unless you're BAME you'll never get in
Sir Frank standing up for Sir Humphrey is soooooo good.
Thank you for posting this delightful show.
Couldn't be more appropriate with the times we are in.
Absolutely adore these men 💕
Got the full monty from the BBC. It has been aged like the furniture or wall papers, but the dialogues are still pure fun !
You mean you've lost your key?🤣🤣🤣
Love this long time ago, used to enjoy many great British comedy. Ty for the post. And I know now why it is so good …………it is so true.
Fabulous comedy. Genius actors with fantastic timing. Pure brilliance. They can't make shows like this any more. 😂
They would now have to include diversity and climate messages
@@kelvinpell4571Oh shut up. Did you really need to bring in your 65 IQ level culture war commentary into this video comment section?
I don’t think even Sir Humphrey (Humpy) would believe what goes on these days! Great series and RIP to those who’ve passed on. An excellent comedy series 👍🇬🇧
Omg, air this in every country now 🤣
08:26 The writers got it bang on! What seemed funny all those years ago is now fact. 🙂
You have to believe its always been fact
"Many a true word is often spoken in jest"
I have read that numerous politicians and civil servants thought this so accurate that they believed that there had been one or more insiders feeding stories to the writers. It's fact now and it was apparently fact then too.
Even though it was made before my time, this sitcom is still relevant today. It appears that not much has changed in Britain.
This series gave me so much insight into how governments work. Every government and civil service are doing as much as possible to look good without actually having to do much. Publicity, headlines, avoiding scandals is all they think of. In democracies and autocracies alike. I don't think people, especially in the west, realise how incompetent their governments are. Or at least when compared to their so called enemies
Should be required viewing in classrooms from age 12. But then, they don't want 'educated' people...
Oh I think quite a lot of us realise just how bad our government is but not enough of us to get it right, sadly.
Now go to "the thick of it"😅
One of the best episodes is the new hospital that can't take patients or hire medical staff - would cost too much to run the equipment and there's only a few hundred administrative staff who are terribly overworked😅😅
Fantastic work sir, and Roger, I applaud you both 👏👏👏👏
Absolutely fantastic comedy
Bernard had the best lines!
❤😂
The irregular verbs…
Always loved Yes Minister and yes Prime Minister. Took the michael out of the government! Basically the civil servants run the country! No matter the political party!. Certainly something that needs thinking about!
And totally true!🤦♀️
@@ruthcollins2841it’s the same everywhere in Western Europe. Politicians are just actors distracting and entertaining the public. It’s actually a pretty good system!
This is sublime 😂
A masterpiece
“Yes, Prime Minister. You’re word is my cooperation.” 🤣
… your word…
@@josephlarmor550 The thought was conveyed. The spelling only matters to Grammer Nazis and people who are obsessed with minutae.
Utter Joy 😂
Brilliant, just brilliant!!
this show should have been on as long as Yes Minister for four years
Paul Eddington was starting to show signs of his illness before the second series. Jonathan Lynn in documentaries of the series said most of his scenes were done with him seated at his desk
Extremely smart writing
Remembering the funny side of politics. Thank you, greatly appreciated.
The smoke Screen the best episode of all of yes minister and Prime Minister. Ahead of its time
I wish there was someone capable of writing this today!
Absolutely brilliant! 👏👏👏👏
This and Yes, Minister are my most fav comedies going to documentary 😅😀😂
Brilliant series
Exceptional
40 years on and people still want to cancel Trident. 😅
We didn't know at the time but television never got better than this.
my favorite, also yes minister
The acting skills are out of this world.
Thank you.
32:00 Luke approaches like a malevolent cobra 😆😂
Only time I laugh on my own. Who would have thought that s sitcom based around boring politicians and civil servants could be so incredibly funny.
There again who would have thought a rather second rate TV comedian could become a leader paralleling Churchill. Its a fascinating world 😀😀
The partt on the C.O.E was spot on
Whe I am down, I rewatch this series. Full episodes are available at the Internet Archive.
Brilliant
Brilliant and still runs true today.
This is one of the funniest episodes.
Excellent documentary
@7:13 starts the cigarette debate 🍿👍
from 22:00 to 22:38 you can hear a baby crying but using a very political lingo. :D
Thank me no thankings is my favourite now.
Now that's cloud seeding 😂😂😂
this was truly funny show.
Great memories, Super genius series,, and at the time of M.T Fine timing
There have been instances when my answer to a client's question during a presentation sounded like Sir Humphrey's arguments. But what saved me was most clients were like Hacker.
those 2, first scenes are genius
The complete serious should be shown in any school.
Brilliant hilarity ensues
😂😂😂😂😂.....shame though, they don't make them like this anymore...😢😢😢
This programme was superb. When did the bbc last do anything decent like this?
Superb command over the English Language
So sad that this type of brilliance is long lost.
Sadly the idiocy of government remains.
I can't get over how good the writing is. Compare this to "Big Top".
So funny 😂🙏🥰🥰🥰🥰
27:14 is the funniest part🎉🎉🎉
brilliant