"Yes, Prime Minister" (1986) TV series 1986-1987

Director:

Peter Whitmore

Seasons:

1 | 2

Release Date:

9 January 1986 (UK)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

Caught off-guard by the sudden retirement of the Prime Minister, Sir Humphrey and his civil service allies soon get their house-trained minister...

Plot Keywords:

Prime Minister | Political | 10 Downing Street | House Of Commons | Punctuation In Title

Awards:

4 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Paul Eddington	...	James Hacker (16 episodes, 1986-1988)
Nigel Hawthorne	...	Sir Humphrey Appleby (16 episodes, 1986-1988)
Derek Fowlds	...	Bernard Woolley (16 episodes, 1986-1988)
Diana Hoddinott	...	Annie Hacker (8 episodes, 1986-1988)

Runtime:

UK:30 min (16 episodes)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Australia:PG (some episodes) | Singapore:PG | Australia:G (some episodes)

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Trivia:

Every episode ends with Sir Humphrey and/or Bernard saying, "Yes, Prime Minister."

Quotes:

[Sir Humphrey demonstrates how public surveys can reach opposite conclusions]
Sir Humphrey Appleby: Mr. Woolley, are you worried about the rise in crime among teenagers?
Bernard Woolley: Yes.
Sir Humphrey Appleby: Do you think there is lack of discipline and vigorous training in our Comprehensive Schools?
Bernard Woolley: Yes.
Sir Humphrey Appleby: Do you think young people welcome some structure and leadership in their lives?
Bernard Woolley: Yes.
Sir Humphrey Appleby: Do they respond to a challenge?
Bernard Woolley: Yes.
Sir Humphrey Appleby: Might you be in favour of reintroducing National Service?
[...]

Movie Connections:

Remade as "Not My Department" (1987)

Academic praise

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!