Yes Minister


Classic and lethally funny BBC comedy series of the 1980s, chronicling the attempts of a cabinet minister, Jim Hacker, to do what he believes to be his job (ie govern the country), in the face of his chief civil servant, Sir Humphrey Appleby, trying to do his (ie increase the power of his department, and keep the minister in the dark). There is a sequel series, Yes Prime Minister, in which Hacker is prime minister and Appleby cabinet secretary.

As well as funny, it's scarily accurate. Margaret Thatcher? said of it "Its closely observed portrayal of what goes on in the corridors of power has given me hours of pure joy"; Maggie liked it so much she was actually in one episode, as Prime Minister.

The principal characters are:

There are some rather fine Yes Minister Quotes, most of them from Sir Humphrey himself, including a reference in the first episode of the first series to the absurd number of 'secretaries' - none of whom can actually type... That particular one is on one of the websites linked above; however, that transcript cuts off the end. After Sir Humphrey Appleby has finished enumerating the secretaries, Jim Hacker asks "Do they all type?", to which Sir Humphrey Appleby replies, testily, "No. Mrs Briggs does the typing." (well, not Briggs, but you get the point).

Hacker: My goodness, what a lot of secretaries. [beat] Can they all type? Appleby: No, minister. Mrs Mc Kai? types - she's the secretary.

Mrs Mackay, I suspect... unless we have a Yes Minister/Lexx crossover in mind. -- WJR :)

Category TV?


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