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Product Description
Meet the bewildered Rt Hon James Hacker, his scheming and equivocating Permanent Secretary, Sir Humphrey Appleby and of course, Bernard, the piggy-in-the middle. This great value boxed set contains the complete series one, two and three – every single episode until Jim Hacker rises to become prime minister. Easily the sharpest political comedy every written, with clandestine help from real civil servants, this is satire that bites so close to home it sometimes seems more like a documentary. Don’t let the fact that it was Margaret Thatcher’s favourite show put you off, this does the impossible: it makes politics not just fun but hilariously funny.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
39 of 40 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
As a previous reviewer touched on what strikes the viewer most with this series is just how up to date it remains 25 years on.
I have just finished the first disk - I guess I was just about old enough to see a couple first time round - and the pieces about European identity cards and failing public-private partnerships are right out of the Blair era, never mind the early Thatcher days.
One is left in no doubt that this is how it is, painful though it is to accept the fact. Painful politically, but I laughed out loud on many an occasion during each episode.
Politics and the civil service may still be much like this today - what a shame that television is not.
27 of 28 people found the following review helpful
By Paul Johnson
Format:DVD
Britain has for decades produced really top class satire and it hits an absolute peak with Yes Minister. Each episode centres around Jim Hacker, a minister, and his two main support staff, Sir Humphry Appleton his permanent secretary and Bernary Wooley, his private secretary.
The first episodes and indeed the first series Hacker is green to the job and somewhat inept with the civil servants continually getting one over him. That trend continues throughout, though in later series on occasions the minister does beat the civil servants. It's an excellent demonstration of just who holds the power in government and it's easy to believe it to be true.
The series have all aged well and it's as relevant today as it was when first released. I'm told that it was Thatchers favourite show, though don't let that put you off!
Any fans of satire will love this.
23 of 24 people found the following review helpful
By S. Johnston
Format:DVD
I am a fan of many classic BBC sitcoms such as 'Allo 'Allo and Fawlty Towers. However, the Yes Minister series is the jewel in the crown due to the fact the hilarious and clever script makes more of a mockery of the inner workings of Britain than any journalist could. Dealing with politicians and civil servants 'getting the wheels in motion' in opposite directions from each other, featuring Jim Hacker, the Minister for the Department of Administrative Affairs, Permanent Secretary Sir Humphrey Appleby, and, caught between the two, Private Secretary Bernard Wooley.
It is such a pity modern day civil service life is not so entertaining, otherwise walking down Whitehall on a rainy morning would be such a pleasure!
5 stars!
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By Ir A. Poot
Format:DVD
The Complete Yes Minister - Collector's Boxset [1980] [DVD]
An excellent collection. Great English. Subtitles in English very helpful for study-purposes.Subtitles should be mentioned with every DVD-offer.
A.Poot, Lelystad, The Netherlands.
An excellent collection. Great English. Subtitles in English very helpful for study-purposes.Subtitles should be mentioned with every DVD-offer.
A.Poot, Lelystad, The Netherlands.
15 of 16 people found the following review helpful
By S J Buck
TOP 500 REVIEWER
Format:DVD
This is up there with the best TV comedy of all time. Fawlty Towers, Dads Army, Seinfeld, Black Adder and The Office - it merits comparison with all of these, its that good.
Paul Eddington is brilliant as Jim Hacker, the Minister of the title. A decent man who is destined to become Prime Minister, but who is greatly hindered by his Permanent Secretary Sir Humphrey Appleby. Appleby, as played by Sir Nigel Hawthorne IS one of the greatest TV comedy characters ever created. A man with only one interest; protecting the Civil Service and its staff. He also ensures that if anything is done by the Minister it is done exactly as the Civil Service wish it to be done, regardless of cost and damage to the Government.
Apart from the casts brilliance and the marvellous scripts, the reason this show is so successful is that it is very close to the truth, as was admitted by the writers many years after the series finished. The writers met and got inside information on the running of Government departments. So whilst there is some dramatic licence the essence of each episode probably has some basis in truth.
Derek Fowlds plays the lesser role of Bernard Woolley, a slightly innocent Private Secretary, but given some wonderful lines by writers Jay and Lynn. Bernards petty observations contrast wonderfully with the Machiavellian plotting going on between Hacker and Sir Humphrey.
This boxed set has no extras, which is a shame. However the quality of the writing and acting is such that it must get 5 stars.
Paul Eddington is brilliant as Jim Hacker, the Minister of the title. A decent man who is destined to become Prime Minister, but who is greatly hindered by his Permanent Secretary Sir Humphrey Appleby. Appleby, as played by Sir Nigel Hawthorne IS one of the greatest TV comedy characters ever created. A man with only one interest; protecting the Civil Service and its staff. He also ensures that if anything is done by the Minister it is done exactly as the Civil Service wish it to be done, regardless of cost and damage to the Government.
Apart from the casts brilliance and the marvellous scripts, the reason this show is so successful is that it is very close to the truth, as was admitted by the writers many years after the series finished. The writers met and got inside information on the running of Government departments. So whilst there is some dramatic licence the essence of each episode probably has some basis in truth.
Derek Fowlds plays the lesser role of Bernard Woolley, a slightly innocent Private Secretary, but given some wonderful lines by writers Jay and Lynn. Bernards petty observations contrast wonderfully with the Machiavellian plotting going on between Hacker and Sir Humphrey.
This boxed set has no extras, which is a shame. However the quality of the writing and acting is such that it must get 5 stars.
20 of 23 people found the following review helpful
By "swobi"
Format:DVD
The content is of course excellent, but why does this edition has no bonus-features? The "American"-edition from amazon.com contains interviews, video portraits of Paul Eddington and Sir Nigel Hawthorne, and so on! WHY NOT HERE?!
content 6 stars, edition 2 stars
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
I first happened upon the 'Yes, Minister' series while living in Britain and working in Parliament. How is that for timeliness! Paul Eddington and Nigel Hawthorne (both knighted for their services to entertainment and the theatre, so the official story went -- Maggie loved the show so they both got awards, if you must know the truth) are perfectly matched as the new Cabinet Minister and experienced, somewhat jaded Permanent Secretary, poised to spar over virtually every detail of work together.
The series begins with Jim Hacker becoming a Cabinet Minister for the first time. It proceeds through his gradual process of gaining experience and then surprisingly being elevated to the position of Prime Minister; at the same time, Sir Humphrey Appleby is elevated to the position of Cabinet Secretary (the most senior of civil servants) and the 'Yes, Minister' series graduated to become 'Yes, Prime Minister', made all the more hilarious by virtue of the fact that Jim Hacker becomes PM largely due to a crisis about sausage (narrowly escaping being called an offal (pronounced awful) tube).
Political situations large and small are highlighted throughout the series. The humour shifts from being blatant to being very subtle; the common wisdom about the House of Commons with regard to the accuracy of the programme was that 'Reality is twice as true but half as funny'. The issues of promotions, wages, policies, inter-departmental struggles, down-in-the-dirt politics (British-style) all arise at various points. Sir Humphrey and Jim Hacker win their share of victories over each other, shifting back and forth in their pericoretic movement that typifies politics, from as minor as who has which office, to recognising heads of state and setting election dates.... Read more ›
The series begins with Jim Hacker becoming a Cabinet Minister for the first time. It proceeds through his gradual process of gaining experience and then surprisingly being elevated to the position of Prime Minister; at the same time, Sir Humphrey Appleby is elevated to the position of Cabinet Secretary (the most senior of civil servants) and the 'Yes, Minister' series graduated to become 'Yes, Prime Minister', made all the more hilarious by virtue of the fact that Jim Hacker becomes PM largely due to a crisis about sausage (narrowly escaping being called an offal (pronounced awful) tube).
Political situations large and small are highlighted throughout the series. The humour shifts from being blatant to being very subtle; the common wisdom about the House of Commons with regard to the accuracy of the programme was that 'Reality is twice as true but half as funny'. The issues of promotions, wages, policies, inter-departmental struggles, down-in-the-dirt politics (British-style) all arise at various points. Sir Humphrey and Jim Hacker win their share of victories over each other, shifting back and forth in their pericoretic movement that typifies politics, from as minor as who has which office, to recognising heads of state and setting election dates.... Read more ›
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4.8 out of 5 stars
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Tragedy of British Comedy
The writing here is beyond superb and terrifyingly accurate. We all appreciated it as a quality drama and laughed at the droll ironic humour. Read more
Published 6 days ago by heretic666
5.0 out of 5 stars
Staying power
These CDs are as funny and clever as ever, true classics that can be watched again and again and never lose their delicious flavour. Read more
Published 3 months ago by gillian McWhirter
5.0 out of 5 stars
Love it
What can I say? An excellent television series, all of which I have seen on the box. Good qualty DVD's
Published 4 months ago by Mick Lynn
5.0 out of 5 stars
ageing very well.
This excellent series is just as topical today as ever.Acting supurb,dialoque witty and to the point. Read more
Published 6 months ago by clandulla
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good value boxset
Arrived promptly in good condition. This is a gift so I cannot comment on the quality of DVDs but very good value for money
Published 6 months ago by tango
5.0 out of 5 stars
YES MINISTER
An excellent series, still fresh and still extremely funny. The word-play is clever, the acting superb and the duplicitous nature of politics and of the civil service hilarious. Read more
Published 17 months ago by Anna English
5.0 out of 5 stars
So Few, So Good, Never Out Of Date, A Truely Great Comedy
I Purchased this box set of one of the best ever British Comedies. It was a comedy marvel all three yes minister and two yes prime minister, that relied on the skill of the writer... Read more
Published 18 months ago by N. M. Thorogood
4.0 out of 5 stars
Yes Minister dvd
As my review for One Foot, it will appeal to people who have seen the original, and hopefully some new viewers as it's now very topical...
Published on 4 Jun 2011 by A. S. Bruce
5.0 out of 5 stars
Politics never changes...
Having seen all the original TV series, there wan't anything that I needed to know in advance of purchase. Read more
Published on 27 Sep 2010 by artybeetle
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good Comedy
Easy family viewing. Plenty of good dry wit all round as one person constantly tries to outdo the other.
Published on 21 July 2010 by arty
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