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[Stoney Mason]

So I've been watching this old show on Netflix instant watch and I think its awesome. Such a clever and witty show. Its sort of everything I like about British Humour which tends to have a love of language that is missing from American humour. It's very much based on the British Political system of course but I still get the vast majority of the jokes as an American because they are sort of universal to politics. Kind of wish there was an American equivalent as I can't think of a show that has sort of had the clever satire take on politics this has outside of things like the Daily Show which is a completely different type of show and humour.

 

[Salazar]

Nigel Hawthorne was a god.

The books Lynn and Jay wrote for this series are also terrific; check them out.

 

[iamcool388]

 

[DeaconKnowledge]

Great show. They don't play it here anymore unfortunately.

 

[Tobor]

I've watched a few episodes of this on Netflix as well. Excellent show, and I'm definitely going to watch both series.

Netflix IW has been an absolute treasure chest of classic British television I'd always meant to watch and never had the chance.

 

[master15]

When you're done if you haven't already, track down it's spiritual successor of sorts; In the thick of it. Touch more vulgar and perhaps more darker but still fantastic.

 

[Stoney Mason]

When you're done if you haven't already, track down it's spiritual successor of sorts; In the thick of it. Touch more vulgar and perhaps more darker but still fantastic.

Will do. Still baffles me that we don't get this type of show on politics for America (Benson and That's My Bush! don't count). Instead we get more drama related stuff like The West Wing or K Street which were both good but different types of shows. Not really satires so much.

 

[iamcool388]

Will do. Still baffles me that we don't get this type of show on politics for America (Benson and That's My Bush! don't count). Instead we get more drama related stuff like The West Wing or K Street which were both good but different types of shows. Not really satires so much.

True that. But Britain has always had shows like these... witty, sometimes dark, and dripping with sarcasm and satire... Blackadder and Fawlty Towers jump to mind.

I'm not sure there was something airing in America which was similar... anyone know?

 

[Darth Sonik]

"Yes Minister" & "Yes Prime Minister" are great, and as you say universally true to politics.

However the "dark art of spin" and meaningless jargon has been turned up to 11 in Blair & Brown Labour governments in the UK, and Bush presidency in the US. Although Obama is not proving above it either, what exactly is an "overseas contingency operation".

"The Thick of It" is an insight in to the wonderful world of "New Labour", and is more like "The Office (UK)" than "Yes Minister" as it is done in a similar documentary style.

"In the Loop" is a film spin off version of "The Thick of It". It deals with the ludicrous idea that the US & UK might use spin in order to go to war. It just came out in the UK.

 

[Stoney Mason]

True that. But Britain has always had shows like these... witty, sometimes dark, and dripping with sarcasm and satire... Blackadder and Fawlty Towers jump to mind.

I'm not sure there was something airing in America which was similar... anyone know?

There have been films that do it for America at least on politics or aspects of politics like Bulworth, Dr. Strangelove, Bob Roberts, Wag the Dog, Tanner 88' (That one was a mini-series though I guess), etc but very few TV shows that I recall. We use to have more edgy comedy television in the 70's like All in the Family and such but most "edgy" TV at least about stuff that actually matters has disappeared.

 

[Salazar]

Once you are through Yes Minister, and Yes Prime Minister, pick up a copy of the English satirical magazine Private Eye. I'm sure they flog it in some American newsagencies. It has no equal.

 

[Phobophile]

If you're really American you wouldn't be spelling humor wrong.

 

[Stoney Mason]

If you're really American you wouldn't be spelling humor wrong.

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=15329567&postcount=30

 

[Stoney Mason]

Just watched the episode Whiskey Priest.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Whisky_Priest_(Yes_Minister)

The show is so clever that it can make you laugh at something that at its core really should make you cry. And it all seems so plausible in its way. You really get a sense that this is how politics can and does work at times. That episode really blew me away.

 

[Dead Man Typing]

Just watched the episode Whiskey Priest.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Whisky_Priest_(Yes_Minister)

The show is so clever that it can make you laugh at something that at its core really should make you cry. And it all seems so plausible in its way. You really get a sense that this is how politics can and does work at times. That episode really blew me away.

Love Yes, Minister and Yes, Prime Minister. I really wish we got Netflix on the UK marketplace. At least UK Gold/Dave still shows old episodes of these BBC shows.

 

[Dead Man]

Such an awesome show. Nigel Hawthorne was amazing, so dry.

 

[Witchfinder General]

Utterly, utterly fantastic. Check out Australia's equivalent, Hollow Men. I think you'll love it.

 

[Salazar]

Utterly, utterly fantastic. Check out Australia's equivalent, Hollow Men. I think you'll love it.

If he's just had a considerable helping of Yes Minister, he's more likely to find Hollow Men—indeed, any political satire—more than mildly disappointing in comparison.

 

[Witchfinder General]

If he's just had a considerable helping of Yes Minister, he's more likely to find Hollow Men—indeed, any political satire—more than mildly disappointing in comparison.

I'd argue that Hollow Men is just as good. Yes it's different and it took a few episodes for the series to settle and find it's voice but overall it ranks amongst the best television this country has produced.

 

[Salazar]

I'd argue that Hollow Men is just as good

:lol

Oh heavens no.

 

[Witchfinder General]

:lol

Oh heavens no.

Is this a case of cultural cringe? Why is it that Australians can't accept something we create can compete on an international market? Working Dog have created some of the best shows we'll ever seen, with Frontline being the best show I've ever seen.

 

[industrian]

And it all seems so plausible in its way. You really get a sense that this is how politics can and does work at times. That episode really blew me away.

IIRC it's Maggie Thatcher's favourite TV show.

 

[Salazar]

Is this a case of cultural cringe? Why is it that Australians can't accept something we create can compete on an international market? Working Dog have created some of the best shows we'll ever seen, with Frontline being the best show I've ever seen.

I'm Welsh. I just live here.

I agree that Frontline was good, and The Hollow Men is better than much Australian television, but it simply does not mean a jot next to the titanic comic achievement that is Yes Minister.

 

[Dead Man Typing]

The only TV show I've seen from Australia that's funny was the Micallaf Program.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Micallef_Program

And I've lived in Australia for the last 7 months. No offence Australia, I've probably not given many of the local shows a proper chance. I actually haven't seen Micallaf since I got here, I watched it on Paramount back home, I'm aware it finished in 2001.

 

[Walshicus]

Just watched the episode Whiskey Priest.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Whisky_Priest_(Yes_Minister)

The show is so clever that it can make you laugh at something that at its core really should make you cry. And it all seems so plausible in its way. You really get a sense that this is how politics can and does work at times. That episode really blew me away.

I was just about to tell you to watch that episode. It's my favourite. I can't find the quote, but the line from Humphrey about you either being in the business of selling weapons to anyone or no one was particularly profound.


Sir Humphrey Appleby: What's the matter, Bernard?
Bernard Woolley: Oh nothing really, Sir Humphrey.
Sir Humphrey Appleby: You look unhappy.
Bernard Woolley: Well, I was just wondering if the minister was right, actually.
Sir Humphrey Appleby: Very unlikely. What about?
Bernard Woolley: About ends and means. I mean, will I end up as a moral vacuum too?
Sir Humphrey Appleby: Oh, I hope so, Bernard. If you work hard enough.
Bernard Woolley: I actually feel rather downcast. If it's our job to carry out government policies, shouldn't we believe in them?
Sir Humphrey Appleby: Huh, what an extraordinary idea.
Bernard Woolley: Why?
Sir Humphrey Appleby: Bernard, I have served eleven governments in the past thirty years. If I had believed in all their policies, I would have been passionately committed to keeping out of the Common Market, and passionately committed to going into it. I would have been utterly convinced of the rightness of nationalising steel. And of denationalising it and renationalising it. On capital punishment, I'd have been a fervent retentionist and an ardent abolishionist. I would've been a Keynesian and a Friedmanite, a grammar school preserver and destroyer, a nationalisation freak and a privatisation maniac; but above all, I would have been a stark, staring, raving schizophrenic.

 

[Stevie Gerrard]

"In the Loop" is a film spin off version of "The Thick of It". It deals with the ludicrous idea that the US & UK might use spin in order to go to war. It just came out in the UK.

I've never seen The Think of It, but In the Loop is very funny

 

[arena08]

I've never seen The Think of It, but In the Loop is very funny

The Thick of it is really really good. From what I hear there will be a new series this year. No clues as to if Chris Langham will be in it, I doubt it though.

 

[Witchfinder General]

The only TV show I've seen from Australia that's funny was the Micallaf Program.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Micallef_Program

And I've lived in Australia for the last 7 months. No offence Australia, I've probably not given many of the local shows a proper chance. I actually haven't seen Micallaf since I got here, I watched it on Paramount back home, I'm aware it finished in 2001.

Ignore anything from channels 7, 9 and 10. Bilge.

Here, I'll give you a rundown of what Australian comedy you should check out:

The Late Show
Fast Forward
Frontline
Hollow Men
The Micallef Program
The Games
Mother and Son
Kath & Kim
The D Generation
Full FRontal (a mixed bag but some great stuff in there. Plus you'll get to see where Eric Bana started off)

 

[APF]

This is indeed a brilliant series. Unfortunately if they did it in the US it would star Pamela Anderson and Jimmy Fallon.

 

[Stoney Mason]

I was just about to tell you to watch that episode. It's my favourite. I can't find the quote, but the line from Humphrey about you either being in the business of selling weapons to anyone or no one was particularly profound.

There were a bunch of quotes that were great from episode and indeed many episodes but there don't seem to be any good full transcripts on the net sadly to pull from and put them in the thread.

The hospital that has no patients episode is another great one full of terrific moments and turns of phrases.

 

[Stoney Mason]

Finished off all the episodes in both series. It's very rare that you can say a comedy show has deepened your understanding and insight into the political system. Its one of the best things I've ever seen on television.

 

[Kowak]

Finished off all the episodes in both series. It's very rare that you can say a comedy show has deepened your understanding and insight into the political system. Its one of the best things I've ever seen on television.

spot on. i had studied politics at school and uni and i still learnt from it. its a great way of showing the control the civil service have(even if not as much as shown in the show)

 

[Stoney Mason]

spot on. i had studied politics at school and uni and i still learnt from it. its a great way of showing the control the civil service have(even if not as much as shown in the show)

In America I would argue the equivalent of the civil service has less power but even still the basis concepts of how and why government operates or doesn't operate in certain cases is wonderfully explored.

Like I said earlier in the thread, I would love to see an American version of this show but somehow I don't think we are capable of being as insightful nor as bitterly satirical towards our political process. It's just not part of our character.

 

[Takeda Kenshi]

I absolutely loved this show. So damn good.

I'll definitely check out The Thick of It

 

[Kowak]

best quote

Hacker: Don't tell me about the press. I know exactly who reads the papers:

* The Daily Mirror is read by people who think they run the country;
* The Guardian is read by people who think they ought to run the country;
* The Times is read by the people who actually do run the country;
* The Daily Mail is read by the wives of the people who run the country;
* The Financial Times is read by people who own the country;
* The Morning Star is read by people who think the country ought to be run by another country;
* And The Daily Telegraph is read by people who think it is.

Sir Humphrey: Prime Minister, what about the people who read The Sun?
Bernard: Sun readers don't care who runs the country, as long as she's got big tits.

I read The Times, thus i run the UK

 

[Woffls]

This show is funking brilliant. I watched it for the first time earlier this year and I'm rewatching it again now. It got a bit formulaic, but it really is very entertaining and thoroughly British.