Yes Minister
8.7/10Yes Minister is a satirical British sitcom written by Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn that was first transmitted by BBC Television between 1980 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 one lasted half an hour. Several episodes were adapted for BBC Radio, and a stage play was produced in 2010, the latter leading to a new television series on UKTV Gold in 2013.Set principally in the private office of a British Cabinet minister in the Department of Administrative Affairs in Whitehall, Yes Minister follows the ministerial career of The Rt Hon Jim Hacker MP, played by Paul Eddington. His various struggles to formulate and enact legislation or effect departmental changes are opposed by the British Civil Service, in particular his Permanent Secretary, Sir Humphrey Appleby, played by Nigel Hawthorne. His Principal Private Secretary Bernard Woolley, played by Derek Fowlds, is usually caught between the two. The sequel, Yes, Prime Minister, continued with the same cast and followed the events of the premiership of Jim Hacker after his unexpected elevation to Number 10 upon the resignation of the previous PM.
Where to Watch Yes Minister
Where to stream every episode from all 3 seasons of Yes Minister. Filter these episodes by what's available to watch free or on your streaming services using the tabs above.
Season 1
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S01 E01
Feb 25, 1980
Open Government Feb 25, 1980 Jim Hacker wins a seat in the election and is given a cabinet post in the new government He meets the permanent secretary for his department Sir Humphrey Appleby but Jim decides to change the way things are done in the civil service so Sir Humphrey starts a plan to stop him
S01 E02
Mar 3, 1980The Official Visit Mar 3, 1980 When the leader of an African country is killed in a coup, his successor, who is an old friend of Jim's, comes in his place. They negotiate a £50 million deal to help buy oil exploration equipment.
S01 E03
Mar 10, 1980The Economy Drive Mar 10, 1980 Jim Hacker is determined to reduce the Civil Service, but he is frustrated by Sir Humphrey, and the only numbers he can alter are the numbers of tea ladies.
S01 E04
Mar 17, 1980Big Brother Mar 17, 1980 When the Government is planning to introduce a national database, Jim wants to bring in safe guards, but Sir Humphrey stalls until with some help from the opposition, Jim gets his way.
S01 E05
Mar 24, 1980The Writing on the Wall Mar 24, 1980 A rumour starts that Jim's department is about to be axed. So with help from Sir Humphrey, they try and defeat the Prime Minister's plans.
S01 E06
Mar 31, 1980The Right to Know Mar 31, 1980 Jim faces rebellion at home and in the office over the removal of protected status from a badger habitat, while he tries to circumvent Sir Humphrey's efforts to keep him ignorant of things.
S01 E07
Apr 7, 1980Jobs for the Boys Apr 7, 1980 Jim goes on radio to support the Solihull project a Government, union and private enterprise building scheme, that he has inherited from the last administration, but unknown to him the project is close to bankruptcy, Sir Humphrey hopes to save the deal by offering a Quango to the director of the bank involved
Season 2
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S02 E01
Feb 23, 1981The Compassionate Society Feb 23, 1981 When Jim learns that a brand new hospital still has no medical staff, but hundreds of civil servants working there, he proposes that half of the civil servants be sacked and use the money saved to open wards with medical staff.
S02 E02
Mar 2, 1981Doing the Honours Mar 2, 1981 When Jim learns that he can block civil servant's honours, he blackmails them into cutting their budgets, but when he hears that he might be in line for an honorary degree, he has to back down.
S02 E03
Mar 9, 1981The Death List Mar 9, 1981 When Jim learns that when in opposition he was bugged by the secret service, he decides to bring in legislation to kerb the bugging. only to find out that he is on the death list of a group of terrorist's, and the best way to find them, is by bugging phone lines
S02 E04
Mar 16, 1981The Greasy Pole Mar 16, 1981 Jim has the chance of creating jobs,and saving a chemical company, when they are offered the chance to manufacture a highly dangerous chemical, but when the news gets out that it might be too dangerous, he has to back down.
S02 E05
Mar 23, 1981The Devil You Know Mar 23, 1981 When Jim is betrayed by a Cabinet colleague over his plans to bring in jobs for British workers, he thinks about leaving Westminster and becoming a European Commissioner, But when Sir Humphrey learns who his replacement will be, he tries to change Jim's Mind.
S02 E06
Mar 30, 1981The Quality of Life Mar 30, 1981 Sir Humphrey uses Jim's promise to keep a popular city farm project open to get special permission for an additional nine floors on a proposed skyscraper.
S02 E07
Apr 6, 1981A Question of Loyalty Apr 6, 1981 Jim and Sir Humphrey pass the buck to protect each other when they appear before a select committee investigating charges of waste in Hacker's ministry, until Jim's higher loyalties are called upon.
Season 3
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S03 E01
Nov 11, 1982Equal Opportunities Nov 11, 1982 Jim decides to promote more women to high civil service positions despite Sir Humphrey's opposition.
S03 E02
Nov 18, 1982The Challenge Nov 18, 1982 When Jim tackles local council administration and civil defense, he runs afoul of a BBC interviewer.
S03 E03
Nov 25, 1982The Skeleton in the Cupboard Nov 25, 1982 Jim uses a costly mistake from Sir Humphrey's past to escape chastising an efficient local council for being late with their paperwork.
S03 E04
Dec 2, 1982The Moral Dimension Dec 2, 1982 Jim is forced to back down about exposing bribery used to obtain a lucrative foreign contract when Bernard allows a valuable vase from a foreign government to be undervalued so that Mrs. Hacker can keep it.
S03 E05
Dec 9, 1982The Bed of Nails Dec 9, 1982 Jim accepts an unpopular position pushing a transportation bill desired by No 10, but opposed by everyone else.
S03 E06
Dec 16, 1982The Whisky Priest Dec 16, 1982 Jim faces opposition from all sides when he learns that British munitions have been sold to terrorist groups and he decides to start an inquiry into how it happened.
S03 E07
Dec 25, 1982The Middle-Class Rip-Off Dec 25, 1982 Jim and Sir Humphrey collide when Jim acts as an MP to sell an art gallery and museum in his district to support a popular local soccer club.
