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Yes Minister - Series One [1980] [DVD]
 
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Yes Minister - Series One [1980] [DVD]

DVD ~ Paul Eddington
4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
RRP: Ł12.99
Price: Ł5.98 & this item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
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Frequently Bought Together

Yes Minister - Series One [1980] [DVD] + Yes Minister - Series Two [1981] [DVD] [1980] + Yes Minister - Series Three [1982] [DVD] [1980]
Total RRP: Ł38.97
Price For All Three: Ł19.92

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What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

Yes Minister - Series One [1980] [DVD]
66% buy the item featured on this page:
Yes Minister - Series One [1980] [DVD] 4.8 out of 5 stars (14)
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The Complete Yes Minister & Yes Prime Minister - Collector's Boxset [DVD]
15% buy
The Complete Yes Minister & Yes Prime Minister - Collector's Boxset [DVD] 4.8 out of 5 stars (54)
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The Complete Yes Minister - Collector's Boxset [1980] [DVD]
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The Complete Yes Minister - Collector's Boxset [1980] [DVD] 4.8 out of 5 stars (21)
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Yes, Prime Minister - Series One [1986] [DVD]
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Product details

  • Actors: Paul Eddington, Nigel Hawthorne, Derek Fowlds
  • Format: Full Screen, PAL
  • Language English
  • Region: Region 2 (This DVD may not be viewable outside Europe. Read more about DVD formats.)
  • Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
  • Number of discs: 1
  • Classification: U
  • Studio: 2 Entertain Video
  • DVD Release Date: 1 Oct 2001
  • Run Time: 201 minutes
  • Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
  • ASIN: B00005M6OI
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 8,485 in DVD (See Bestsellers in DVD)

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Reviews

Amazon.co.uk Review

The first series of the elegant sitcom-cum-farce-cum-sophisticated political satire Yes Minister, setting off Paul Eddington's Jim Hacker, Minister for Administrative Affairs, against Nigel Hawthorne's discreetly obstructive civil servant Sir Humphrey. Series One features the pilot episode, "Open Government", curious in that it contains different and distinctly inferior opening and closing credits to the rest of the series. You also sense that Mrs Hacker was originally intended to have a larger role, with comedy focussing on the clash between political and domestic commitments, until the writers wisely decided to focus on the stand-off between Jim and Sir Humphrey, with Derek Fowlds' mousy private secretary Bernard making occasional interjections.

While the series doesn't quite come fully to light--Sir Humphrey is at times a little too sinister for sitcom consumption--all the classic features quickly show up. Hacker's occasional Churchillian bombast, followed by panicky blank double-takes when flummoxed, Sir Humphrey's unflappable verbosity as he brings the dead weight of civil service bureaucracy to bear against Hacker's naively optimistic schemes for open government, Quangos and slashing red tape in episodes like "The Economy Drive". Ironic, that when this was first screened in the 80s, it was during the rampages of early Thatcherism in which Government had never been less like the ineffectual politicking satirised here.

On the DVD: Full screen, no special features except scene selection and straightforward text profiles of the principal actors here. --David Stubbs



Special Features

4:3 Full Frame
DVD 9
English
Region 2
Mono English
Mono
Scene Selection
Artist Profiles
None
See all Reviews

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Customer Reviews

14 Reviews
5 star:
 (11)
4 star:
 (3)
3 star:    (0)
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Average Customer Review
4.8 out of 5 stars (14 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Timeless. As relevant now as 22 years ago., 25 May 2002
By Mr. Guy Mcevoy "Geek In Denial" (Birmingham, UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)      
I was a wee nipper when this first series was released so missed out first time round. I was expecting it to be too dated to move me. Not a bit of it. This is classic, well written, well observed comedy. If you want an insight into the real working of the British Constitutional balance and the independent role of the civil service, then as satire goes this is a masterpeice. I can't wait to see the rest.
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28 of 29 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Terrific Humour but not best technical quality, 28 Oct 2001
By A Customer
A genuinely fine example of subtle British humour and the fine use of bureaucratese language (witness Sir Humphrey in the episode when they meet an African ruler and haggle over the terms of settlement of an offending speech); the series is as delightful as it was when first released.

Anyone who has dealt with Government will recognise his experiences.

Unfortunately the technical quality is not the best, the print quality looks like VHS and no subtitles means you could lose some of the humour as it is entirely verbal.

Still a must add to any collection of classic comedies.I look forward to the rest of the series being made available on DVD.

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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars An education in how the UK civil service runs the country!, 11 Feb 2002
By A Customer
Even after 20 years, the scheming Sir Humphrey is still fresh. The way he uses his knowledge to hinder and ultimately help his Minister out of a 'mess' is just priceless. Anyone who is looking for a career in the Civil Service, or any other government organisation, should view this 'training' DVD. Great viewing, superb scripts, fantastic acting. The best BBC sitcom ever. Can't wait for series 2 and the Yes Prime Minister series.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Political gold
Yes, Minister is one of my all-time favourite sitcoms and this DVD includes all seven episodes of the shows first series, including the pilot episode. Read more
Published 24 months ago by T. R. Alexander

5.0 out of 5 stars Superb!
Yes Minister is one of the best examples of British comedy ever made. It is definitely up there with the likes of Fawlty Towers and Dad's Army. Read more
Published on 13 Mar 2007 by R Cunningham

5.0 out of 5 stars marvellous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
oh, god, i am so grateful for this series, i've just finished watching the "big brother" episode and i have to say that was the first time in ... Read more
Published on 23 Sep 2004 by Michael Krammer

5.0 out of 5 stars Best British Comedy Ever...
The "Yes, Minister" Series are considered as the best british comedy-show. It has everything that u'll ever need: politics, "british english" :), irony, reality and endless... Read more
Published on 3 Sep 2004 by ALP ATALIK

5.0 out of 5 stars Hilarious
I've just watched this series again, and it doesn't go stale with repeat viewings. What's amazing is that more than 20 years after the series first aired, the jokes seem more... Read more
Published on 31 Jul 2004 by The Fisher Price King

5.0 out of 5 stars Top British Sitcom.
This is what the British do best. Yes Minister 1 - 3 are probably my most watched DVDs. Paul Eddington and Nigel Hawthorne (both greatly missed) were superb in this classic... Read more
Published on 19 Jan 2004 by Mr. A. Privett

5.0 out of 5 stars British comedy at its best.
One of the best comedy series ever writen.

Jim Hacker M.P. manages to get a job in the cabinet in the new government. Read more

Published on 30 Nov 2003 by M. J. Collins

5.0 out of 5 stars Still Relevent
For a series recorded so many years ago it has a timeless quality and grasp of the political arena that makes it just as relevent today as then. Read more
Published on 6 Dec 2002 by MR IAN COX

5.0 out of 5 stars Very good, only let down by a lack of extras
It's so nice to see this series in such good quality, particularly at this price. The only let down is the lack of extras. A writers or actors commentary would have been nice.
Published on 2 Oct 2001

4.0 out of 5 stars An Insight Into Thatcher's England
Yes Minister follows the trials and tribulations of a new minister, the Right Honourable James Hacker, entering the hallowed halls of the British parliament. Read more
Published on 18 Sep 2001

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