Yes, Prime Minister

I enjoyed reading the post about Fawlty Towers. (A LEMON SQUASH, A GIN AND ORANGE, AND A SCOTCH AND SODA!) :)

I'm curious, though: do you also enjoy Yes, Prime Minister? I consider it to be the best political comedy of all time (even though there's not much competition). My favourite episode was "One of Us" involving the sheepdog on Salisbury Plain.

I think Paul Eddington was hysterical as the PM--and I always enjoyed Sir Arnold's aristocratic poise. Any other fans here?

I really love them. I also enjoy The New Statesman, Rik Mayhall's political comedy.

As well as its predecessor, Yes Minister.

affilliate..Saturday nights @ 10:30.

this is probably my fourth or fifth go around with this series.

Wit, style, satire marvelous actors..love it love it

Speaking of Sir Arnold, does anyone know what kind of glasses he wears? I see that style on all sorts of actual British lords and business leaders--I think a man in "Are You Being Served?" wore them too.

I asked some British friends (one who was in politics) how close to reality that series got -- their reply was -- very close.

Yes Minister is the one that comes before "Yes, Prime Minister" -- and that's the one that was closer to the lower ranking politicians experience. The Civil Servants seem to run the show and the battle is between the elected politicians and the career guy -- the "Yes" refers to the Career Civil Servant replying to the elected politician.

The colonies have the same system -- they still have appointed Governors -- and then the Career Civil Servants who are posted to the colonies. Canada, Australia and the other wide spread colonies (several Caribbean islands,)have appointed Governors. Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean -- is inhabited and operated by Americans but it is a British Colony -- stolen from the people whose ancestors had been slaves on the island several generations ago. The "Governor" of that island remains in the UK. Strange bedfellows the UK and USA.

I am particularly fond of this one: Jim is interviewing a man to become Governor of the Bank of England. He asks if he reads the Financial Times, since the man brought along a copy. The man said he didn't read it. Jim then asks if he doesn't read it, then why does he have a copy of it. "It's part of the uniform!" the man says.

I always think of college professors who toted around the NY Times and Washington Post, but had no idea what was inside them!

love it love it!

the way things work in government. :-)