Even funnier was neither said it out loud.

@@brontewcat Lol yup. One glance at each other and they crack up.

@@brontewcat supposedly this was not in the script and was done by the two actors

@@afankhan482 Really? Do you have a source for this?

The scene where they ask Bernard how he felt about Hacker being the next PM. The look of confusion on his face and when he checks his watch and Humphrey asks if he is in a hurry and Bernard replies NO I AM JUST CHECKING THAT ITS NOT APRIL THE FIRST. That was pure gold as well. Derek Fowlds delivers his lines brilliantly. He may not have much to say in the series but when he does it is brilliant. Check out where Humphrey and Hacker are discussing who reads what papers. At the end the Sun newspaper is mentioned and his reply is They dont care who runs the country so long as she has big tits

It's true, you know. Farmers are subsidised so that there will always be more than enough food without having to rely on imports. The surplus is, of course, surplus. Even the UN have made it an issue that so much food is going to waste. Food that there are not enough people in the world to eat, which exists only to ensure that nobody has to starve, but which somehow is still regarded as unnecessary waste that something should be done about. It is probably purely coincidence that it was put on the agenda after a moratorium on gambling - sorry, "financial speculation" - with food futures. (Because that would give investors an incentive to reduce production to increase prices, inevitably leading to food shortages and starvation alongside immense profits.) That people are still starving despite the surplus in food is only because those people are not cost effective to invest in, seeing how their contribution to the economy is negative (on account of them being too starved to contribute positively). To preserve price stability, the surplus that nobody could consume has to be destroyed. There is a loophole, of course: The surplus that cannot be consumed within the EU can be exported at cost to countries that by agreement with the WTO are not allowed to have protective trade tariffs, thus outpricing local farmers in developing countries who, by agreement with the IMF, are not allowed to subsidise their own farmers. If those countries are former European colonies, then their farmers can avoid bankruptcy by exporting to the EU instead, selling at guaranteed EU prices. If those developing country farms are owned by investors living in the EU, their products are even eligible for the Fair Trade label.

Hahahaha... "That would be intolerable. Even the Italians wouldn't stoop that low!"

@@davidwuhrer6704 Nice explanation!!!

wonderful explanation@@davidwuhrer6704

I'd go with Sir Arnold's response to the question of who should be the next PM: “Difficult. It's like asking which lunatic should run the asylum.” Every time there's an election, that line always pops up in my head.

Also, in the first episode, Hacker is introduced to Sir Humphrey, and recalls that they have previously crossed swords at a Select Committee hearing: Sir Humphrey: "The Minister asked all the questions I hoped no-one would ask" Hacker: "And you answered them" Sir Humphrey: "I'm glad you thought so, Minister"

Anyone who's worked in any private or public sector dealing with FOI will tell you this is precisely the attitude adopted when dealing with "Freedom" of information.

Word.

So many to chose from, but I favour Sir Humphrey's "I don't think we need to drag the truth in at this stage." Or the following exchange: Jim: Who knows Foreign Office secrets, apart from the Foreign Office? Bernard: That's easy - the Kremlin.

I've just rewatched the whole series, and I too think that they became very fond of each other over the course of it. They were antagonistic at first, but they soon moved into friendly rivalry with occasional cooperation.

I know you meant the best, but a lot of us I can't think "eternal reward" without thinking of Jafar saying it with that drawl. It... Changes the tone a bit

Funny enough I think John Nettleton (Sir Arnold) is still around.

@@brianfarrell3987 Yes, I took a look and strangely, Sir Arnold is still around, even though he was like a decade or so older than the others.

i think bernard is still alive as well

@@kwicksandz Derek Fowlds sadly passed away in 2020.

One time Humphrey was explaining to Bernard why he had no moral compass -he explained that he had been serving 11 different PM's, and if he had whole-heartedly embraced their positions, he would have been on both sides of every issue at one point or another, and would have become certifiably insane! That's why to him, it really was a Thursday.

@@BillinHungary I remember. :) "A moral vacuum!"

There was one other BBC show where the star just couldn't get the hang of Thursdays.

@@neilgerace355 Yeah, I miss Douglas Adams too. :(

watch with date, nice watch 😁

They had inside sources.

Two minds with the same thoughts! I've watched all the episodes numerous times too, and I am always entertained! They don't make shows like these anymore! At 8:58 of this video, and for the following sequence, I couldn't control myself!

Dipan Das Totally agree. Great series- and so true. Thatcher thought it was wonderful- and she should know the truth of it.

Me too

couldnt agree more - ive seen each episode a million times!!

Probably the best representation of someone who is quite drunk but believes they are just a bit buzzed I've seen

"Good evening Cinstable!"

@@MijmerMopper All the more remarkable considering he was a life long Quaker and thus tee-total.

I would love to know who made the decision to leave the brilliant Paul Eddington out of the honours. Disgraceful … and cruel.

He was a very uneven actor. He was *capable* of quite nuanced performance, but he seldom gave that. Like in this entire series, where his acting is close to a slapstick/panto delivery or just plain overacted a lot of the time. I've never worked out if it's the scripting or his acting choice. Contrast it with the rest of the main cast who were all quite restrained and nuanced in their performances *most* of the time. Nevertheless, great series and it holds up so well even now, 40+ years later.

That's why I bought the box set of both series.

Scary how every drama in West Aust can be tied to an episode! BEST COMEDY EVER.

I wonder if anything from TV today will age just half as well....

@@uweinhamburg Many of the issues they talk about or 'have happen' are still the same problem today.

@@annemariefleming I bought the discs for both series too!

Thank you for this information

Especially the memos, "Sir Bernard Woolley Recalls" and 'Appleby Papers' notes

They are just brilliant ... even thought the material was basically not new for me having watched the original shows the first three times I read them through I could not help laughing out loud. Now I've referred to them so many times they are all in pieces and I should by new copies.

Yes! And believe it or not when I bought them in the early nineties here in the US they were in the biography section!!! My hand to God!

@@charlieboy1701 Titles please :)

The most revealing aspect of Hacker's entire career is that it never really mattered one iota whether he was Tory or Labour. Which is indicative of the insularity of Whitehall.

@@bomcabedal Exactly, as the civil service are/were the ones with real power. As Sir Arnold said with permanence comes power.

Hacker also used a white campaign-flower, rather than red or blue.

I think evasive is a better word. Antony Jay was a Thatcherite monetarist, so there is an ideological slant.

@@baronmeduse Remember co writer Jonathan Lynn was on the left, who was no admirer of Thatcher

The actors made it though. When they tried another series with different actor, it flopped.

@@Warriorking.1963 oh absolutely Eddington, Hawthorn & Fowlds we’re magnificent.

No so relevant now, they actually choose a good Prime minister in this show.

Absolutely, which concerns me about our lack of progress.

@@22espec oh, that stings, and probably right, unfortunately.

Totally agree and it still holds up well today

Hopefully we'll have an election soon!

When satire is taken over by real-life events. Poor satirists...

The other drunk driving incident (that of the current PM) in the full episode was a lot more..severe

That's so you'll want to buy the full version - they must be Gobbiners ;)

As was Sir Humphrey's peerless performance, telling Hacker of his imminent move to the position of Cabinet Secretary (which Hacker misinterpreted as Humphrey having a terminal disease!) One of the *many* superlative performances by Nigel Hawthorne & Paul Eddington. Oh how we miss them and British comedy at its very best.

I'm very upset about that.

And we didn't see how Hacker (with Humphrey's information) manipulates Eric and Duncan, making himself look very clever.

I think you'll find that it was Churchill that he was trying to emulate...

Yeah, I love "A considerable body of opinion!"

Yes but old Jim wasn't the complete fool, he new when to stand up to them!!🤨😏

Im just reading "Don Quixote" - it was written in 1605, its genuinely funny. And not that hard to read even for a dyslexic like me. But comedy from 400 years ago is still funny today it its written well...

Given that these structures have not changed in the last 50 years, we are in no position to judge its timelessness.

Sure, but the subject helped a lot.

Appropriate that one of the two writers Anthony Jay was also a speechwriter for members of Margaret Thatcher's Conservative government.

I'd say as long as we keep representative democracy for our government this comedy will stay spot on.

The way they build it up is worth a couple Oscars 🤣

And they're all hot.

No, it’s a sitcom.

@@andrewrobinson8305 true but I think that most of us brits would agree with Jose,, I prefer the thick of it series, that seems a little closer to the truth or even house of card's the original but I couldn't possibly say Andrew 😂👍

@@andrewrobinson8305 whoosh

When the prime minister and other in politic did agree with it beeing true to life I think we can call it a documentary.

Agree so much. When all the Cummings saga started I thought this reminds me of something and I remembered this

Every Prime Minister for the last 20 years

@@philipmarson5582 is it strange but I do think that Gordon Brown and Blair had somewhat more convictions than Cameron and May? Whatever you think about Labours period in power…

Not the whole episode though. They cut out about half an hour from the middle (it was a double-length ep originally) with the best bits (Hacker's "killer instinct").

@@bomcabedal that’s what I meant. The whole episode is the best. Especially the part where Humphrey explains to Hacker the security implications, and that he is the only one who has to tell his colleagues that they can’t be the next PM. Because of the Shady Lady or the Shady dealings of the other.

I think America existed before The Simpsons and the same with the UK before Yes Minister. Neither programme predicted their existence

Simon Holyoak is one of the great philosophers of our generation. Other keen observations include "the sun kind of far" "there is riff-raff in the middle east" and "dying isn't healthy".

@@Delightfully_Bitchy why thank you delightfully pithy. I only wish I was as intelligent as you.

@@Delightfully_Bitchy If I may: Have you ever seen someone get sick after dying? How can you say that dying isn't healthy when quite obviously it is a panacea to all chronic maladies? Dying certainly cuts short all enjoyment one might have had of life otherwise, but it also ends all suffering in the person concerned. And what is good health if not the absence of all suffering?

May I suggest that the adage many a true word is spoken in jest springs to mind

He would channel in his speeches. He would channel in his delivery. But he would never take his gravitas.

Churchill was a loser

Gregor Fisher.

Mind you Arthur Lowe hardly needed to act as he had a drink problem later in life.

John Dunsworth

Hugh Laurie

Willie Ross.

It went over my head as a youngster

This was certainly a widespread reaction to Boris becoming PM. I think this was a fairly accurate forecast of John Major's path to the top job. In Boris's case, everybody was having a good laugh, right up until he became desperately ill with Covid.

"Apparently, he was drunk as a lord so they will probably make him one".

And the shady lady from Argentina - who was just a front.

Yep, they had to trim what I think was close to a one-hour episode down to 20 minutes.

Yes, that meeting with Arnold is definitely a classic, especially where the light bulb goes on in Humphrey's head after Arnold's satement!!

My favorite bit of the episode is where Hacker has to dissuade his rivals from standing. "The Shady Lady from Argentina"

Yup .

VERY RELEVANT

Britain is not the only country affected. The traditional Bavarian Weißwurscht was given the choice of either changing its recipe (so that it could no longer be consumed in the traditional way) or change its name to something that doesn't translate to sausage. They changed the recipe.

@@davidwuhrer6704 I did not know this.

I always loved it when he channelled his inner Churchill. Always reminded me of Pete Shore. He was a great public speaker too but always used to get stick for channelling the former PM at the height of his rhetoric. I've no doubt other world leaders are guilty of the same.

I am deeply ashamed of Brexit and disgusted by it so yes.

@@JohnnyZenith pathetic!

@@JohnnyZenith Brexit was the best and cleverest thing that the UK did in 50 years. The UK's influence in the world has upticked sharply, together with its trading capability

@@ThePurple1968 Hahaha you almost had me.

@@ThePurple1968 best laugh of the year

That beginning sure put me off sausage. I was raised eating scrapple, which is equally disgusting.

“This is dynamite.” “I wouldn’t know. I’m not allowed to see it.” (I think that’s how it goes.)

That, and the scene where Humphrey explains the home secretary's drunk driving, with the overturned petrol lory and crashing into a school, one of the witnesses being the wife of an editor «so eventually the story got out».

Yes, his only fault - if you can even call it that - was fondness for a little "drinkie". Other than that, he was a happily married family man.

@@AntN Reminds me of what the Archbishop of Bath & Wells says in Blackadder: "...I kill, I maim, I fornicate; but as far as my flock is concerned, my only vice is a little tipple before evensong."

@@AntN Well yes actually, his only blackspot, but also a big one, was the communication room incident, which could cost Hacker his whole career if leaked.

I liked seeing Sgt François in this.

@@killianoshaughnessy1174 Such unspeakable perversion…..have you ever considered a career in the church?