List of Yes Minister and Yes, Prime Minister episodes
Encyclopedia
This is a list of Yes Minister
and Yes, Prime Minister episodes.
Thirty-nine episodes were made in total, running from 1980 to 1988. This includes a brief 3-minute sketch that aired in 1982, and a one-hour special that aired in 1984. All other episodes were a half-hour in length. The dates listed are when a particular episode was first transmitted on the BBC
.
Yes Minister
Yes Minister is a satirical British sitcom written by Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn that was first transmitted by BBC Television between 1980–1982 and 1984, split over three seven-episode series. The sequel, Yes, Prime Minister, ran from 1986 to 1988. In total there were 38 episodes—of which all but...
and Yes, Prime Minister episodes.
Thirty-nine episodes were made in total, running from 1980 to 1988. This includes a brief 3-minute sketch that aired in 1982, and a one-hour special that aired in 1984. All other episodes were a half-hour in length. The dates listed are when a particular episode was first transmitted on the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
.
Series One (1980)
| # | Title | Broadcast | Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Open Government" | 25 February | The new Minister Minister (government) A minister is a politician who holds significant public office in a national or regional government. Senior ministers are members of the cabinet.... 's idealistic commitment to open the windows of his department faces its first hurdle: Sir Humphrey and the Civil Service. |
| 2 | "The Official Visit The Official Visit "The Official Visit" is the second episode of the BBC comedy series Yes Minister and was first broadcast 2 March 1980. This was the first episode to feature the animated title sequence designed by Gerald Scarfe, and the theme music composed by Ronnie Hazlehurst... " |
3 March | Jim Hacker James Hacker James George Hacker, Baron Hacker of Islington, KG, PC, B. Sc. , Hon. D. C. L. was a fictional British politician. He was the Minister of the fictional Department of Administrative Affairs, and later the Prime Minister, in the 1980s British sitcom Yes Minister and its sequel, Yes, Prime Minister... welcomes the visit of the new President of Buranda, an old university chum who has his own agenda. |
| 3 | "The Economy Drive The Economy Drive "The Economy Drive" is the third episode of the BBC comedy series Yes Minister and was first broadcast 10 March 1980. This episode, unlike many others, does not end with the phrase ' Yes Minister '.- Plot :... " |
10 March | Hacker plans to slim down the civil service — but Sir Humphrey forces him to set a personal example. |
| 4 | "Big Brother Big Brother (Yes Minister) "Big Brother" is the fourth episode of the BBC comedy series Yes Minister and was first broadcast 17 March 1980.-Plot:Jim Hacker is being interviewed by Robert McKenzie for the TV current affairs programme Topic... " |
17 March | Sir Humphrey drags his feet over a new National Integrated Database. |
| 5 | "The Writing on the Wall The Writing on the Wall (Yes Minister) "The Writing on the Wall" is the fifth episode of the BBC comedy series Yes Minister and was first broadcast 24 March 1980. In this episode, the final ' Yes Minister ' is uttered by Sir Humphrey Appleby.- Plot :... " |
24 March | The threat of the abolition of the DAA forces Hacker and Sir Humphrey to work together. |
| 6 | "The Right to Know The Right to Know "The Right to Know" is the sixth episode of the BBC comedy series Yes Minister and was first broadcast 31 March 1980. This was one of a few episodes during the first series which did not end with the trademark phrase "Yes Minister".- Plot :... " |
31 March | A threatened badger colony demonstrates that Sir Humphrey must be selective in what he tells his Minister. |
| 7 | "Jobs for the Boys Jobs for the Boys "Jobs for the Boys" is the seventh episode of the BBC comedy series Yes Minister and was first broadcast 7 April 1980. In this episode, the final ' Yes Minister ' is uttered by Sir Humphrey Appleby... " |
7 April | Hacker is kept in the dark over a doomed building project, and discovers that it takes two to quango Quango Quango or qango is an acronym used notably in the United Kingdom, Ireland and elsewhere to label an organisation to which government has devolved power... . |
Series Two (1981)
| # | Title | Broadcast | Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The Compassionate Society The Compassionate Society "The Compassionate Society" is the eighth episode of the BBC comedy series Yes Minister and was first broadcast 23 February 1981. In this episode, the final ' Yes Minister ' is uttered by Bernard Woolley.- Plot :... " |
23 February | Hacker is concerned about a brand new, fully staffed hospital that has no patients. He learns however just how powerful the unions Trade union A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with... are. |
| 2 | "Doing the Honours Doing the Honours "Doing the Honours" is the ninth episode of the BBC comedy series Yes Minister and was first broadcast 2 March 1981. In this episode, the final ' Yes Minister ' is uttered by Sir Humphrey Appleby, though he actually says "Yes, Doctor... er, Minister".... " |
2 March | Hacker plans to withhold honours for civil servants who do not reduce their budgets. |
| 3 | "The Death List The Death List "The Death List" is the tenth episode of the BBC comedy series Yes Minister and was first broadcast 9 March 1981. In this episode, the final ' Yes Minister ' is uttered by Sir Humphrey Appleby.- Plot :... " |
9 March | The Minister is forced to re-appraise his views on bugging and phone tapping after a death threat. |
| 4 | "The Greasy Pole The Greasy Pole "The Greasy Pole" is the eleventh episode of the BBC comedy series Yes Minister and was first broadcast 16 March 1981. In this episode, the final ' Yes Minister ' is uttered by Bernard Woolley. The episode's title is an allusion to a famous quotation by Benjamin Disraeli: "I have climbed to the top... " |
16 March | Plans for a new chemical factory hinge on the outcome of a so-called "independent" report. |
| 5 | "The Devil You Know The Devil You Know (Yes Minister) "The Devil You Know" is the twelfth episode of the BBC comedy series Yes Minister and was first broadcast 23 March 1981. In this episode, the final ' Yes Minister ' is uttered by Sir Humphrey Appleby.- Plot :Jim Hacker is not best pleased... " |
23 March | A Cabinet reshuffle coincides with a vacancy in Brussels. Hacker wonders whom the PM has in mind to fill it. |
| 6 | "The Quality of Life The Quality of Life (Yes Minister) "The Quality of Life" is the thirteenth episode of the BBC comedy series Yes Minister and was first broadcast 30 March 1981. In this episode, the final ' Yes Minister ' is uttered by Sir Humphrey Appleby.- Plot :... " |
30 March | Hacker vows to keep open a city farm that Sir Humphrey has enabled to be bulldozed to make way for a car park for inland revenue inspectors. |
| 7 | "A Question of Loyalty A Question of Loyalty "A Question of Loyalty" is the fourteenth episode of the BBC comedy series Yes Minister and was first broadcast 6 April 1981.- Plot :Sir Humphrey Appleby is in his office, concluding a departmental meeting regarding staffing levels, and instructs one of his subordinates to have a draft ready for... " |
6 April | Hacker and Sir Humphrey are tested by a Select Committee on their commitment to ridding wasted government expenditure. |
Series Three (1982)
| # | Title | Broadcast | Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Equal Opportunities Equal Opportunities (Yes Minister) "Equal Opportunities" is the fifteenth episode of the BBC comedy series Yes Minister and was first broadcast 11 November 1982.- Plot :Jim Hacker is at home, giving an interview to a young girl named Kathy, who is writing an article for her school magazine. His wife, Annie, enters the room to remind... " |
11 November | Sir Humphrey doesn't see eye to eye with the Minister's plan for sexual equality. |
| 2 | "The Challenge The Challenge (Yes Minister) "The Challenge" is the sixteenth episode of the BBC comedy series Yes Minister and was first broadcast 18 November 1982.- Plot :Jim Hacker is on the radio, being interviewed by Ludovic Kennedy. His department, the Department for Administrative Affairs, is about to enjoy an expanded remit, with... " |
18 November | Fallout shelters upset Hacker's crusade to make local authorities responsible for their expenditure. |
| 3 | "The Skeleton in the Cupboard The Skeleton in the Cupboard (Yes Minister) "The Skeleton in the Cupboard" is the seventeenth episode of the BBC comedy series Yes Minister and was first broadcast 25 November 1982.- Plot :Jim Hacker is chairing a meeting of his senior officials... " |
25 November | Details of a 1950s defence contract are about to be made public — and Sir Humphrey seems unaccountably nervous. |
| 4 | "The Moral Dimension The Moral Dimension "The Moral Dimension" is the eighteenth episode of the BBC comedy series Yes Minister and was first broadcast 2 December 1982. The final ' Yes, Minister ' is said in unison by both Sir Humphrey and Bernard.- Plot :... " |
2 December | After signing a huge export order in Qumran, Hacker is upset to discover it was obtained through bribery. |
| 5 | "The Bed of Nails The Bed of Nails (Yes Minister) "The Bed of Nails" is the nineteenth episode of the BBC comedy series Yes Minister and was first broadcast 9 December 1982 in which Hacker unwisely accepts the role of 'Transport Supremo' with a view to developing and 'Integrated Transport' policy for the UK... " |
9 December | Hacker is made Transport Supremo — and soon wonders if it is a title worth having. |
| 6 | "The Whisky Priest The Whisky Priest (Yes Minister) For an explanation of the term, see "Whisky priest"."The Whisky Priest" is the twentieth episode of the BBC comedy series Yes Minister and was first broadcast 16 December 1982.- Plot :... " |
16 December | Hacker faces a moral dilemma when he learns that British bombs are ending up in the hands of Italian terrorists. |
| 7 | "The Middle-Class Rip-Off The Middle-Class Rip-Off "The Middle-Class Rip-Off" is the twenty-first episode of the BBC comedy series Yes Minister and was first broadcast 23 December 1982.- Plot :... " |
23 December | Sir Humphrey is incensed that Hacker plans to subsidise his local football club. |
Christmas Sketch (1982)
A brief Christmas-themed sketch, featuring only Eddington, Hawthorne and Fowlds, was aired on BBC1 as part of a Christmas special entitled The Funny Side Of Christmas.| # | Title | Broadcast | Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | Untitled | 27 December | Sir Humphrey has a special end-of-year message for the Minister, delivered -- even for him -- in an especially circumlocutory style. |
Christmas special (1984)
| # | Title | Broadcast | Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|
| – | "Party Games Party Games (Yes Minister) "Party Games" is the twenty-second and final episode of the BBC comedy series Yes Minister. A one-hour Christmas special that was first broadcast 17 December 1984, its events lead into the sequel, Yes, Prime Minister. The episode was shown again at Christmas 1990, shortly after the fall of Margaret... " |
17 December | The unexpected resignation of the PM prompts a race for the succession, and as Party Chairman, Hacker is in a key position — and the Civil Service, now headed by Sir Humphrey, has its own agenda. |
Series One (1986)
| # | Title | Broadcast | Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The Grand Design" | 9 January | With his finger now on the nuclear button, Hacker plans his first act as Prime Minister Prime Minister of the United Kingdom The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and... to be a radical new defence policy. |
| 2 | "The Ministerial Broadcast The Ministerial Broadcast “The Ministerial Broadcast” is the second episode of the BBC comedy series Yes, Prime Minister and was first broadcast 16 January 1986.-Plot:... " |
16 January | Hacker is groomed for his first television broadcast as PM, but Sir Humphrey is more concerned with the content. |
| 3 | "The Smoke Screen The Smoke Screen (Yes, Prime Minister) “The Smoke Screen” is the third episode of the BBC comedy series Yes, Prime Minister and was first broadcast 23 January 1986.- Plot :Sir Humphrey Appleby is meeting with his subordinate Sir Frank Gordon, Permanent Secretary to the Treasury. Sir Frank is worried about Jim Hacker’s proposal to use... " |
23 January | Hacker uses his Health Minister's plan to eliminate smoking as a bluff against the Treasury HM Treasury HM Treasury, in full Her Majesty's Treasury, informally The Treasury, is the United Kingdom government department responsible for developing and executing the British government's public finance policy and economic policy... . |
| 4 | "The Key The Key (Yes, Prime Minister) “The Key” is the fourth episode of the BBC comedy series Yes, Prime Minister and was first broadcast 30 January 1986.- Plot :Jim Hacker is in the Cabinet Room in 10 Downing Street and is visited by his political advisor, Dorothy Wainwright. She is unhappy that she has been moved from her office,... " |
30 January | The PM decides to clip Sir Humphrey's wings when he engages in a territorial battle with Hacker's political advisor. |
| 5 | "A Real Partnership A Real Partnership “A Real Partnership” is the fifth episode of the BBC comedy series Yes, Prime Minister and was first broadcast 6 February 1986.- Plot :Jim Hacker goes back to his apartment above 10 Downing Street after a Cabinet meeting that has not gone well. He explains to Annie, his wife, that there is a... " |
6 February | Sir Humphrey has to get through a civil service pay claim while at the same time discrediting its proposer. |
| 6 | "A Victory for Democracy A Victory for Democracy “A Victory for Democracy” is the sixth episode of the BBC comedy series Yes, Prime Minister and was first broadcast 13 February 1986.- Plot :... " |
13 February | Hacker has difficulty discovering if the Foreign Office Foreign and Commonwealth Office The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, commonly called the Foreign Office or the FCO is a British government department responsible for promoting the interests of the United Kingdom overseas, created in 1968 by merging the Foreign Office and the Commonwealth Office.The head of the FCO is the... is there to carry out government policy or vice versa. |
| 7 | "The Bishop's Gambit The Bishop's Gambit “The Bishop’s Gambit” is the seventh episode of the BBC comedy series Yes, Prime Minister and was first broadcast 20 February 1986.- Plot :... " |
20 February | A troubled British nurse in Qumran and a vacant bishopric Diocese A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance... combine to provide an opportunity for Sir Humphrey. |
| 8 | "One of Us One of Us (Yes, Prime Minister) “One of Us” is the eighth episode of the BBC comedy series Yes, Prime Minister and was first broadcast 27 February 1986.- Plot :Jim Hacker gets back to his apartment above 10 Downing Street just in time to sit down with his wife, Annie, and watch the end of a television news bulletin... " |
27 February | The former head of MI5 MI5 The Security Service, commonly known as MI5 , is the United Kingdom's internal counter-intelligence and security agency and is part of its core intelligence machinery alongside the Secret Intelligence Service focused on foreign threats, Government Communications Headquarters and the Defence... is revealed to be a spy (despite Sir Humphrey clearing him), while a dog strays on to Salisbury Plain Salisbury Plain Salisbury Plain is a chalk plateau in central southern England covering . It is part of the Southern England Chalk Formation and largely lies within the county of Wiltshire, with a little in Hampshire. The plain is famous for its rich archaeology, including Stonehenge, one of England's best known... . |
Series Two (1987–88)
| # | Title | Broadcast | Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Man Overboard Man Overboard (Yes, Prime Minister) “Man Overboard” is the ninth episode of the BBC comedy series Yes, Prime Minister and was first broadcast 3 December 1987. It satirises the Westland affair, which took place the previous year.- Plot :... " |
3 December | Sir Humphrey fights the Employment Secretary's plan to relocate service personnel British Armed Forces The British Armed Forces are the armed forces of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.Also known as Her Majesty's Armed Forces and sometimes legally the Armed Forces of the Crown, the British Armed Forces encompasses three professional uniformed services, the Royal Navy, the... by casting doubt over the Minister's loyalty. |
| 2 | "Official Secrets Official Secrets (Yes, Prime Minister) “Official Secrets” is the tenth episode of the BBC comedy series Yes, Prime Minister and was first broadcast 10 December 1987.-Plot:Jim Hacker is chairing a Security Clearance Committee, which is discussing the publication of his predecessor’s memoirs. The Solicitor General is happy for the latest... " |
10 December | Hacker's attempt to suppress an unflattering chapter of his predecessor's memoirs that has been leaked to the press. |
| 3 | "A Diplomatic Incident A Diplomatic Incident “A Diplomatic Incident” is the eleventh episode of the BBC comedy series Yes, Prime Minister and was first broadcast 17 December 1987.- Plot :... " |
17 December | The death of Hacker's predecessor provides a chance for some negotiations with the French over the Channel Tunnel Channel Tunnel The Channel Tunnel is a undersea rail tunnel linking Folkestone, Kent in the United Kingdom with Coquelles, Pas-de-Calais near Calais in northern France beneath the English Channel at the Strait of Dover. At its lowest point, it is deep... at his state funeral. |
| 4 | "A Conflict of Interest A Conflict of Interest "A Conflict of Interest" is the twelfth episode of the BBC comedy series Yes, Prime Minister and was first broadcast 31 December 1987.- Plot :... " |
23 December | Hacker can avoid a City scandal if he appoints a Bank of England Bank of England The Bank of England is the central bank of the United Kingdom and the model on which most modern central banks have been based. Established in 1694, it is the second oldest central bank in the world... Governor whose honesty isn't beyond reproach. |
| 5 | "Power to the People Power to the People (Yes, Prime Minister) "Power to the People" is the thirteenth episode of the BBC comedy series Yes, Prime Minister and was first broadcast 7 January 1988.- Plot :Not for the first time, Jim Hacker is experiencing problems with local government... " |
7 January | Sir Humphrey and the leader of Houndsworth Council become strange bedfellows when Hacker tries to reform local government. |
| 6 | "The Patron of the Arts The Patron of the Arts "The Patron of the Arts" is the fourteenth episode of the BBC comedy series Yes, Prime Minister and was first broadcast 14 January 1988.- Plot :... " |
14 January | Hacker's invitation to the British Theatre Awards dinner becomes a hot potato when the size of the Arts Council Arts Council of Great Britain The Arts Council of Great Britain was a non-departmental public body dedicated to the promotion of the fine arts in Great Britain. The Arts Council of Great Britain was divided in 1994 to form the Arts Council of England , the Scottish Arts Council, and the Arts Council of Wales... grant is revealed. |
| 7 | "The National Education Service The National Education Service "The National Education Service" is the fifteenth episode of the BBC comedy series Yes, Prime Minister and was first broadcast 21 January 1988.- Plot :... " |
21 January | When the Department of Education and Science stands in the way of reform, Hacker decides to abolish it. |
| 8 | "The Tangled Web The Tangled Web "The Tangled Web" is the sixteenth and final episode of the BBC comedy series Yes, Prime Minister and was first broadcast 28 January 1988.- Plot :Sir Humphrey Appleby criticises Bernard over an answer given by Jim Hacker during Prime Minister's Questions... " |
28 January | When Hacker unwittingly lies to the House of Commons British House of Commons The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members... he is helped by Sir Humphrey's unfortunate indiscretion. |