Reviews

This, rather logical extension of the BBC "Yes, Minister" series is every bit as good. The hapless but, by now, far more politically savvy "Jim Hacker" (Paul Eddington) with the help of his civil service advisor "Sir Humphrey" (Nigel Hawthorne) and long-suffering aide 'Bernard" (Andrew Fowlds) has managed to wheedle his way to the job of Prime Minister. Our topics (i.e. his responsibilities) are now upscaled from the earlier series' as he deals with everything from arts funding to the defence of the Realm; he has to appoint a bishop and defend a tiny island from impending communist invasion - and most importantly of all; he mustn't upset relations with "The Palace"... Each episode tends to have a visiting guest to heighten the topic and exacerbate his invariably vacillating response to whatever needs to be done. "The Key" is probably my particular favourite as in this, "Sir Humphrey" is very much forced from his comfort zone... It's still a fantastic critique of the machinations at the very top of the British political establishment and frequently laugh out loud. It could probably be true of most international administrations (perhaps not in Paris!).