Yes, Prime Minister

[FourWheelDrift]

Anyone else catching the re-runs of this brilliant series on G.O.L.D. ?

So many similar scenario's being replayed in real life by the other comedy team currently in Number 10, expenses and salary scandals, interfering with foreign countries disputes and sending troops in. Defence policy regarding Trident (still true today regarding it's replacement), trying to get smoking bans through, City scandals, financial issues and Episode 2 of series 2 was called "Official Secrets" - Hacker's attempt to suppress an unflattering chapter of his predecessor's memoirs that has been leaked to the press. So when are Tony Blair's memoirs going to appear?

Great TV but no quite as funny now knowing who we have making the decisions at the moment and how they might be coming to those decisions.

Is Peter Mandelson really Sir Humphrey Appleby?

[Steve748]

I think he was based on Bernard Ingham, but I may be wrong but Wiki is interesting http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yes_Minister

[FourWheelDrift]

That was a rhetorical question

[Steve748]

I thought it was

[renmure]

It is bril. I missed an episode a week or so ago and was so disappointed I bought the boxed set.
I think it's up there with Fawlty Towers.

[FourWheelDrift]

I remember watching it at the time and Yes, Minister before it. It was apparently Margaret Thatcher's favourite programme, which must be how they got the permission to film outside Number 10 for the scene when Si Humphrey is locked out.

I do wonder though if Gordon Brown has seen it?

[rex]

Started watching it over past few days on DVD. amazing how nothing has changed much in past 20-30 years.

[Thats how I roll]

Sir Humphrey Appleby is probably my favourite TV character of all time I started watching this about 10 years ago when I was 15/16 and loved the deadpan delivery, scathing monologues and the way he always had a response to every situation; for it's eloquence, nothing comes close.

[FourWheelDrift]

Humphrey - "A career in politics is no preparation for government."

And many, many more - http://www.jonathanlynn.com/tv/yes_minister_series...

[louiebaby]

I love the Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minister series. As everyone says, "The more things change, the more they stay the same."

Possibly my favourite TV show.

[anonymous-user]

Steve748 said:

I think he was based on Bernard Ingham, but I may be wrong but Wiki is interesting http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yes_Minister

The Appleby character is nothing at all like Bernard Ingham.

[davidjpowell]

the audio cd's are well worth a listen too!

[aclivity]

My favourite character used to be Humpy, but as I get older (and more pedantic) then it's Bernard Woolley who is the standout character for me. I think he was relatively unknown between the 2 big stars, but without him the show just would not have worked.

One of my favourite exchanges went something like this:

Hacker: "Bernard, Sir Humphrey Appleby is not God".
Woolley: "Errm, will you tell him or shall I?"

[james_tigerwoods]

(Holy thread resurrection batman)

Where would one get the audio books of Yes Prime & Minister from?

What I mean is does someone have a copy they can loan me?

[FourWheelDrift]

Amazon

[skeggysteve]

If you liked Yes, Minister and Yes, Prime Minister you may like The Thick of It.

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

Episode 7 of 8 - tonight BBC2 22.30.

[davidjpowell]

FourWheelDrift said:

Amazon

Or Itunes. Was pissed off a few weeks ago and by the end of the jounrey was pissing myself. 13 year old stepson stuck his ipod in his ears in protest. No taste these young uns.

Edited by davidjpowell on Saturday 5th December 21:44

[james_tigerwoods]

davidjpowell said:

FourWheelDrift said:

Amazon

Or Itunes. Was pissed off a few weeks ago and by the end of the jounrey was pissing myself. 13 year old stepson stuck his ipod in his ears in protest. No taste these young uns.

Amazon doesn't seem to have anything and iTunes is pretty expensive

[Alex]

Utter genius.

[FourWheelDrift]

james_tigerwoods said:

davidjpowell said:

FourWheelDrift said:

Amazon

Or Itunes. Was pissed off a few weeks ago and by the end of the jounrey was pissing myself. 13 year old stepson stuck his ipod in his ears in protest. No taste these young uns.

Amazon doesn't seem to have anything and iTunes is pretty expensive

You didn't look hard enough - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Yes-Prime-Minister-Eddingt...