Yes, Prime Minister

"Yes Prime Minister" probably has to be one of the greatest political comedies available. The sequel to the acclaimed television series "Yes Minister", it again examines the nature of the British political establishment in an extremely hilarious way.

The late and great Paul Eddington does a wonderful job in portraying Prime Minister Jim Hacker, a politician who is still left with some desire for change and reform in him. Nigel Hawthorne also does a remarkable job in playing Sir Humphrey Appleby the rather reactionary stereotype of the traditional British establishment. Bernard Wolley (Derek Fowlds) is caught somewhat between the wishes and desires of these two men and often faces a dilemma as a result. Deborah Norton (who plays Dorothy Wainwright) and Diane Hoddinott who plays Annie Hacker add some more great acting to the show.

The series deals with a whole range of political issues such as foreign affairs, defence, health, education and the political system itself.

A great series and a comedy that is both thought-provoking and intelligent.

In the final episode of 'Yes Minister' Jim Hacker, the Minister for Administrative Affairs, is surprisingly chosen to be Prime Minister... this series shows what happens next. That turns out to be very much the same in that the Civil Service, in the form of Sir Humphrey Appleby, seem to be making most of the decisions... although Hacker does occasionally get the better of him. Since he is now PM he has bigger ideas and bigger problems. Jim now has Dorothy Wainwright, a political advisor, on his side; Sir Humphrey finds her an irritation. Bernard Woolley is still present as the PM's Principal Private Secretary; always ready to correct a mixed metaphor.

If you enjoyed 'Yes Minister' this is a must see; the wit is as sharp as ever and all the main characters return. Paul Eddington, Nigel Hawthorne and Derek Fowlds continue to be great as Hacker, Sir Humphrey and Bernard making us believe we are watching real people rather than characters. Deborah Norton is a fine addition to the cast as Dorothy Wainwright. The series is now over thirty years old but the politics still feels fresh... although it must be noted that most of the 'unacceptable' ideas to reduce smoking in the episode 'The Smoke Screen' have become law! Overall a great series that provides lots of laughs in every episode.

"Yes Prime Minister" picks up where the previous "Yes Minister" left off, and continues the quality. The two series are bridged by a Christmas special, "Party Games", where the Prime Minister has retired, and Sir Humphrey has manipulated the selection process to place Jim Hacker in Number 10. The new series picks up with Hacker now in his new job.

The series continued the fine work of its predecessor. The writing is first rate and the performers still shine. New dimension was added with the introduction of Deborah Norton as Dorothy Wainwright, Hacker's political advisor. Wainwright is a master strategist, who is able to counter Sir Humphrey's schemes. As such, Jim gets to win a few more this time. Still, never underestimate Sir Humphrey.

There is more of a trade-off here, as the battles are split between Sir Humphrey and Hacker, and a few where they are allies. If there is any criticism of the show, it's that some of the themes had already been done in the original series. However, they are given a new wrinkle as Hacker is now in the top spot. He no longer has to worry about the PM, because he is the PM; but, he still will not make a "courageous" decision, or anything that is unpopular.

Repetition may explain why this series was shorter. The series had explored everything it could, short of full scale war. Still, every episode is a delight.

The entire series is available on vhs, in the US; and, hopefully, will follow the recent release of "Yes Minister" on DVD. Also, the two "diaries" of the shows are well worth seeking out. They beautifully capture the shows, through diary entries, memo's, and government documents. They are far more than a brief plot summary. You can find them through out-of-print book searches on the web.

This series is simply the best political comedy ever. From first hand experiences not with the british but the european administration and from my studies of political science I can pledge the satire to be really, really sharp. The dialogues are superb and I simply love the characters. Sir Humphrey is unbeatable. As a fellow writer already commented a must see for everyone into politics.

In my years as a student of political science at the university of Leiden, one of the professors used to rave about these series whenever the subject of British politics was on the agenda. And even though that professor wasn't the most humorous of chaps, his quotes and tales from the series always guaranteed a good laugh.

I recently got hold of the entire series, and even though I do view them with a somewhat scholarly mind (old habits, and such), laughing out loud is my usual response. So cleverly written, such an exquisite cast of characters, such a mild way of portraying profound cynicism ("A cynic is what an idealist calls a realist", dixit Sir Humphrey Appleby).

I will probably still look at it in ten, twenty, thirty years time (if I live to see the day) ... knowing that there will always be a Sir Humphrey Appleby, a Bernard Woolley and a Right Honorable James Hacker around somewhere preventing the series from becoming outdated.

I don't know if that's something to look forward to, but if it guarantees the same laughs, I'm all for it!