Rating: 
Summary: Margaret Thatcher's Favorite Sitcom!
Review: "It was three elderly men sitting around a table talking about government. No action, no women, no sex . . . I don't know how it worked." -Jonathan Lynn. Well it did work and anyone who is familiar with this series already knows how brilliant it was and still is. The new minister of Administrative Affairs (Jim Hacker) arrives believing he can make the system more accountable and cost effective--thus assuring his popularity with his constituency--only to find that the stubborn traditions of the civil service (brilliantly portrayed in the controlling character of permanent secretary Sir Humphrey Appleby) are impossible to budge or too convenient in saving his own neck. Hacker often appears intellectually challenged; however, he sometimes manages to win a victory or two at the expense of the Sir Humphrey with personal secretary Bernard Woolley always willing to add a pedantic comment. In addition to the 21 episodes, extras include a brief (very brief) history of the show (which left me wanting more), a period interview with writing Jonathan Lynn (why not a recent reflection on the show?), and a lengthy, and very touching biography of Nigel Hawthorne (Sir Humphrey) who passed away in 2001. The witty political observations in this series are timeless whether one considers British govt., American govt., etc. Minor complaints about the DVD itself is that the volume is rather low and the discs are a little tricky to remove from the case (but worth the struggle, of course). I am looking forward to seeing the Yes, Prime Minister set.
Rating:
Summary: Margaret Thatcher's Favorite Sitcom!
Review: "It was three elderly men sitting around a table talking about government. No action, no women, no sex . . . I don't know how it worked." -Jonathan Lynn. Well it did work and anyone who is familiar with this series already knows how brilliant it was and still is. The new minister of Administrative Affairs (Jim Hacker) arrives believing he can make the system more accountable and cost effective--thus assuring his popularity with his constituency--only to find that the stubborn traditions of the civil service (brilliantly portrayed in the controlling character of permanent secretary Sir Humphrey Appleby) are impossible to budge or too convenient in saving his own neck. Hacker often appears intellectually challenged; however, he sometimes manages to win a victory or two at the expense of the Sir Humphrey with personal secretary Bernard Woolley always willing to add a pedantic comment. In addition to the 21 episodes, extras include a brief (very brief) history of the show (which left me wanting more), a period interview with writing Jonathan Lynn (why not a recent reflection on the show?), and a lengthy, and very touching biography of Nigel Hawthorne (Sir Humphrey) who passed away in 2001. The witty political observations in this series are timeless whether one considers British govt., American govt., etc. Minor complaints about the DVD itself is that the volume is rather low and the discs are a little tricky to remove from the case (but worth the struggle, of course). I am looking forward to seeing the Yes, Prime Minister set.
Rating:
Summary: The Funniest & Truest Satire of Government Ever.
Review: "Yes, Minister" is simply the best political satire ever committed to film. The BBC series originally ran on British television from 1980-1982, with one hour-long special in 1984. Jim Hacker (Paul Eddington), a man who could be described as mediocre in all things, is the Minister of Administrative Affairs. Ever conscious of his popularity with the voters and concerned with his career, Hacker tries to assert his own agenda but finds himself constantly thwarted by the realities of government....in the form of his Permanent Undersecretary of State, Sir Humphrey Appleby. Sir Humphrey (Nigel Hawthorne) is a veteran civil servant and bureaucrat by distinction. His job is to serve the Minister, but his role is to guard the status quo and the welfare of the Civil Service. Jim Hacker promised the voters change; his right-hand man will do anything go prevent it. The results are hilarious as these two try to outmaneuver one another. The Minister's Private Secretary, Bernard (Derek Fowlds), is caught in the middle, from which he never fails to correct any mismatched metaphors that his colleagues toss at one another.
"Yes, Minister" mines the English language's large and curious vocabulary to great comedic effect. The characters' sparring and obfuscation are all verbal. I can't imagine how many takes it took to make some of Sir Humphrey's tongue-twisting dialogue intelligible. "Yes, Minister" produced more memorable one-liners than I could count.
Writers Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn have assured their place in comedic history. "Yes, Minister" was the favorite television program of Margaret Thatcher while she was Prime Minister of Great Britain. In her words, "Its closely observed portrayal of what goes on in the corridors of power has given me hours of poor joy." She's not the only one. "Yes, Minister" is laugh-out-loud funny and a sure cure for the blahs brought on by a depressing political climate. If you can't beat'em, laugh at them.
The DVDs: "Yes, Minister" originally ran in three series, one per year with 7 episodes in each. They are not arranged on the DVDs in this way, however. Disc 1 includes episodes 1-6. Disc 2 is episodes 7-12. Disc 3 contains episodes 13-18, Disc 4 includes episodes 19-21 and a handful of bonus features: "Sir Nigel Hawthorne Remembered" is a 42-minute documentary about the late actor's life and career, produced in 1999. There are interviews with colleagues, and Sir Nigel talks about his childhood in South Africa and his personal as well as professional life. In "A Short History of Yes, Minister" (5 minutes) writers Jonathan Lynn and Anthony Jay comment on the basis of the show. There is a 1981 BBC "Jonathan Lynn Interview" (3 1/2 minutes). "The Inner Circle" provides text bios for the principle cast and writers. "Lobbyists and Bureaucrats" are text bios of actors who played supporting roles.
Rating: 
Summary: Peerless satire, mediocre video
Review: Easily the best BBC comedy available; what a pity the DVD looks no better than a VHS tape. A decent VHS, mind you, but smeary and low-definition like all of them. The sound is OK. This show deserved better. It deserved the best: the actors' facial expressions are subtle and their British accents require close attention by American ears. Oh well, at least we have them safely on disc, and perhaps better quality was just not available. I bought both sets and enjoy them hugely.
Rating:
Summary: This is the reason for DVD
Review: Few television programs stand the test of time. Many age badly, becoming less pleasurable to watch with each viewing. Yes, Minister is the opposite! When my government is preaching economies and telling us that there is no money for anything, I think of Yes Minister. When I watch politicians squirm and flap about waiting to learn what to think from the next poll, I think of Yes, Minister. Each time I watch an episode, it rings more true and relevant. What better compliment can one give a decades old comedy.
Rating:
Summary: A real treat!
Review: For those who know Yes Minister already, this DVD set is just great in its recording quality. For those who don't, the humor content is better in quality.
Rating:
Summary: Any Government Worker would Love it.
Review: I had the 2 Tapes of Yes Minister - If you asked me the funniest episodes were left off the tapes. This set is wonderful - I had forgotten how funny the show is. Anyone who works for the government and sees the silly things that happen will love this.
Rating:
Summary: Sophisticated look at UK political scene. Great statire
Review: I have watched Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minister many times on PBS and on my own VHS recordings. Very insightful writing and direction. You cannot help feeling that the essence of the skulduggery is very true. I think Maggie Tatcher affirmed that with her comments when awarding Nigel Hawthorn and Paul Eddington their MBE's. The acting, the humor, the satire are superb. The supporting guest stars add so much too. So many times, at the end of an episode I have had a great sense of satisfaction. A sense of enjoyment not usually felt when watching TV. I share the sentiments of your reviewer "cbstar" about the one hour Party Games episode that seems to have got lost. I only saw it once but I still see Arnold's tears of laughter when he and Humphrey decide to pick Hacker for PM. Hacker's speech on the British sausage is superb.
Rating:
Summary: Sir Humphrey and Hacker finally make it to DVD!
Review: I love Fawlty Towers, but for my money Yes Minister/Yes Prime Minister is the funniest sitcom I have ever seen. While most of the humor is political in nature, you don't have to be a C-Span junkie to get all the jokes. You also don't need a background it the British political system (though it helps) as political corruption is universal. Indeed, this show was a worldwide hit and is being aired somewhere right now! The U.S. video tapes for this series only included the first seven episodes of this series, so many of us will be seeing 14 "new" episodes! If you have those video tapes or have seen this show on public television, what are you waiting for? The video is of high quality and there are no gotchas; it's a wonderful set I'll keep mine for the rest of my life. If you are an anglophile who enjoys the likes of "To the Manor Born" or the Ian Richardson "House of Cards" trilogy (soon to be released on DVD as well), you will more than likely enjoy this set too. For the rest of you who have never seen this show, just know that it is an incredibly witty (though never silly) look into a well-meaning minister's (Paul Eddington) attempts to reform the civil service and an incredibly clever director of the civil service's (Sir Nigel Hawthorne) attempts to prevent any reforms. Don't let the subject matter fool you, it is never dull and will have you laughing throughout. While there is a lengthy segment on Sir Nigel Hawthorne including an interview conducted shortly before his fatal condition was diagnosed, I wish there had been commentary on at least one of the episodes from the writers or producers (or even Derek Fowlds, who sadly is the only major surviving member of the cast) just to get a insider feel for the show. No matter; the quality of the video a great and the content is, of course, first rate. I've checked with the BBC and the "missing" one hour "Party Games" episode, which came as a Christmas special the year after the final Yes Minister was aired, will be included on "Yes Prime Minister - The Complete Collection" scheduled for late August 2003. As this is the episode where Hacker ascends to Prime Minister and as it has never been released in the U.S., this is great news.
Rating:
Summary: Bitter sweet
Review: In one of the special features, Eddington or perhaps Hawthorne, or maybe Fowlds (does it matter? any of the three could have said it) mentions that the 7 years together on the series was so much fun it flashed by in a moment.. I'm sure many people who watched them as they came out on TV remember that time the same way. That so many of them are now dead is tragic to me :(
Er, anyway, the material has hardly aged at all, probably because politics hasn't changed either. Selling weapons to terrorists, the defense budget, taxes, the european community, 24 years later and it is all still fresh, (perhaps excepting some of the union/boss/socialism/strike stuff).
I did notice a couple of continuity problems here and there. I guess on a DVD and a big screen more attention is paid than the producers probably imagined when they filmed it for TV. "Yes Minister" also has some charming low budget moments, but overall the video quality is excellent even more so considering the age.
The laugh track also appears to be a live studio audience, at least in "yes prime minister" - not the constant stream of fake giggles and laughs you get with US sitcoms.
Anyway this series is really special, and if you are the least bit interested in TV comedy you must get it so that Hawthorne and Co will never age -- at least in your home.
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