Best Episodes
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.
Written by Sophie and last updated on dec 28, 2022.
PS: The following content contains spoilers!
PPS: I will admit that parts of this page was written with the help of AI - it makes my work so much easier to not start from a blank page!
Jim decides to promote more women to high civil service positions despite Sir Humphrey's opposition.
The episode was rated 8.02 from 66 votes.
Jim accepts an unpopular position pushing a transportation bill desired by No 10, but opposed by everyone else.
The episode was rated 8.02 from 60 votes.
When Jim tackles local council administration and civil defense, he runs afoul of a BBC interviewer.
The episode was rated 8.03 from 63 votes.
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.
The episode was rated 8.04 from 68 votes.
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
The episode was rated 8.05 from 97 votes.
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.
The episode was rated 8.06 from 139 votes.
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
The episode was rated 8.09 from 169 votes.
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 football club.
The episode was rated 8.11 from 63 votes.
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.
The episode was rated 8.12 from 90 votes.
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.
The episode was rated 8.13 from 116 votes.
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.
The episode was rated 8.13 from 105 votes.
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.
The episode was rated 8.26 from 74 votes.
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.
The episode was rated 8.36 from 64 votes.
Jim uses a costly mistake from Sir Humphrey's past to escape chastising an efficient local council for being late with their paperwork.
The episode was rated 8.37 from 71 votes.
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.
The episode was rated 8.41 from 64 votes.
