Politics Has Never Been So Funny

Over the summer, while waiting impatiently to find out whether or not I got onto my chosen university course, I became a little bit obsessed with a certain British comedy series. Rather than twiddling my thumbs and driving myself to the point of craziness, this show became a welcome distraction for me, something to look forward to in the afternoons. I'm talking about Yes Minister - that classic satirical BBC sitcom of the 1980s - written by Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn.

I'm still amazed that I managed to overlook this series for so long, especially since it stars one of my favourite comic actors, Paul Eddington (who played Jerry in The Good Life, another sitcom I love). But I'm so glad I decided to tune into GOLD this past summer and have a look, because I can now say that I have become a big fan. It doesn't make the slightest bit of difference if you are uninterested in politics - the point is, Yes Minister is a political satire. It pokes fun at the people in power, and that's what makes it so funny and so popular.

Paul Eddington stars as Jim Hacker, the inept Minister for Administrative Affairs, whose grand plans to reform his department are frequently foiled by his devious and manipulative Permanent Secretary, Sir Humphrey Appleby, played by the brilliant Nigel Hawthorne. Stuck in the middle is Principal Private Secretary Bernard Woolley, played by Derek Fowlds.

What I personally love about the series is the relationship between the three main characters. Hacker is an idealist who thinks he's in control, but little does he realise that Humphrey is the one doing all the controlling. Bernard, meanwhile, is torn between siding with Hacker or giving in to Humphrey. The chemistry between the three actors is sublime.

If I had to choose a favourite character, it would probably be Humphrey. He is wonderfully sly and always manages to manipulate Hacker with his extremely wordy and deliberately bewildering speeches. This perfectly executed obscurity means that he either stops Hacker's plans from going through, or wins him round to his own way of thinking - not that Hacker catches on to this, of course! Nigel Hawthorne's excellent performances as Humphrey resulted in him winning four BAFTA awards in a row for Best Comedy Performance.

Paul Eddington was always nominated too, though sadly he never won. It's a shame because he had a marvellous gift for comic timing, and this is always evident in Hacker's hilarious inadequacies and blunders, as well as his look of pure confusion when Humphrey is busy outwitting him. Comical though it is, Hacker is such a likeable character that you always end up feeling sorry for him, as he is always well-intentioned. Derek Fowlds also deserves a lot of praise for his role as Bernard. He always takes metaphors literally and is prone to the occasional bout of silliness, which means that he can sometimes get on the wrong side of both Hacker and Humphrey!

  
Yes Minister ran for three series from 1980 to 1984, and its success led to a follow-up, Yes, Prime Minister, which ran for two series from 1986 to 1988. This follows Hacker after he is elected Prime Minister, and is every bit as brilliant as its prequel. The idea that this man is now running the country (but still being manipulated by Humphrey) makes for hilarious viewing.

Sadly, Paul Eddington died in 1995 and Nigel Hawthorne in 2001, but both remain fondly remembered, as does the show itself. Right now, I'm missing those afternoons spent watching the re-runs on GOLD. Guess I'll just have to get the DVDs...