Yes, Prime Minister

8.4
198630m

James Hacker MP the Government's bumbling minister for Administrative Affairs is propelled along the corridors of power to the very pinnacle of politics - No. 10. Could this have possibly have been managed by his trusted Permanent Private Secretary, the formidably political Sir Humphrey Appleby who must move to the “Top Job” in Downing Street to support him, together with his much put upon PPS Bernard Wolley. What could possibly go wrong?

Production

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Trailers & Videos

Thumbnail for video: Yes Prime Minister  -  Sir Humphrey shows poll rigging

Yes Prime Minister - Sir Humphrey shows poll rigging

Seasons

8 Episodes • Premiered 1986

Vision, integrity and a ruthless streak are the weapons of the political power. Unfortunately new Prime Minister Jim Hacker has none of these, but he does have the cowardice, desperation and a scheming, pragmatic Cabinet Secretary in Sir Humphrey...

Still image for Yes, Prime Minister season 1 episode 1: The Grand Design

1. The Grand Design

8.0

With his finger now on the nuclear button, Hacker plans his first act as Prime Minister to be a radical new defence policy.

Still image for Yes, Prime Minister season 1 episode 2: The Ministerial Broadcast

2. The Ministerial Broadcast

7.7

Jim is coached in the world of show business as he prepares to address the nation on his defence policy.

Still image for Yes, Prime Minister season 1 episode 3: The Smoke Screen

3. The Smoke Screen

9.3

Jim favors abolishing smoking through heavy taxation but runs into strong opposition from the tobacco lobby and the Treasury department.

Still image for Yes, Prime Minister season 1 episode 4: The Key

4. The Key

10.0

Office politics take precedence over national issues when Sir Humphrey and Bernard fall out with each other after Jim tries to restrict Sir Humphrey’s access to №10.

Still image for Yes, Prime Minister season 1 episode 5: A Real Partnership

5. A Real Partnership

8.0

Sir Humphrey tries to get his scheduled pay raise even though increases for M.P.s have been put on hold for budgetary reasons.

Still image for Yes, Prime Minister season 1 episode 6: A Victory for Democracy

6. A Victory for Democracy

7.0

Jim must take action to avert a Marxist takeover of a Commonwealth island nation despite the efforts of the Foreign Office to keep him ignorant.

Still image for Yes, Prime Minister season 1 episode 7: The Bishop’s Gambit

7. The Bishop’s Gambit

6.0

Jim has to choose a new bishop but doesn’t like either the Church or Sir Humphrey’s choices.

Still image for Yes, Prime Minister season 1 episode 8: One of Us

8. One of Us

7.0

Hacker threatens to place Sir Humphrey on leave while a security inquiry looks into why he cleared a confessed Soviet spy many years earlier, so Sir Humphrey retaliates with a dog in distress on Salisbury plain.

Cast

Photo of Paul Eddington

Paul Eddington

Jim Hacker

Photo of Nigel Hawthorne

Nigel Hawthorne

Sir Humphrey Appleby

Photo of Derek Fowlds

Derek Fowlds

Bernard Woolley

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Reviews

G

CinemaSerf

9/10

This, rather logical extension of the BBC "Yes, Minister" series is every bit as good. The hapless but, by now, far more politically savvy "Jim Hacker" (Paul Eddington) with the help of his civil service advisor "Sir Humphrey" (Nigel Hawthorne) and long-suffering aide 'Bernard" (Andrew Fowlds) has managed to wheedle his way to the job of Prime Minister. Our topics (i.e. his responsibilities) are now upscaled from the earlier series' as he deals with everything from arts funding to the defence of the Realm; he has to appoint a bishop and defend a tiny island from impending communist invasion - and most importantly of all; he mustn't upset relations with "The Palace"... Each episode tends to have a visiting guest to heighten the topic and exacerbate his invariably vacillating response to whatever needs to be done. "The Key" is probably my particular favourite as in this, "Sir Humphrey" is very much forced from his comfort zone... It's still a fantastic critique of the machinations at the very top of the British political establishment and frequently laugh out loud. It could probably be true of most international administrations (perhaps not in Paris!).

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