A Very Cramped Train | Yes, Minister | BBC Comedy Greats

All of the Ministers cram into Jim's room to try and fix a big problem.
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#Comedy #YesMinister

[@suryasanjay5687]

The panic on his face when he says "Irish" and frantically searches under his seat. Masterclass.

[@littlepanda1027]

I don't really get this scene, do you mind explaining it please

[@suryasanjay5687]

@@littlepanda1027 sure thing. So, the reference here is to the IRA, or the Irish Republican Army. It's a group that fought against the UK for independence of Northern Ireland, among other things. One of their preferred ways of assassinating a high value target was to put bombs under the chairs they sat in. For example, Lord Mountbatten was killed in 1979 while he was on a fishing trip. A bomb went off under his seat on the fishing boat, killing him instantly.

[@littlepanda1027]

@@suryasanjay5687 thanks!

[@croonyerzoonyer]

@@suryasanjay5687 no. He wasn’t killed instantly, he survived but his legs were almost entirely gone. He died shortly after being pulled from the water.

[@neilgerace355]

A few months earlier, war hero Airey Neave was murdered by the INLA when they placed a bomb under the seat of his car. It too blew his legs off.

[@fuzzballzz36]

"Well yes, it is indeed a catastrophe. A tragedy. A cataclysmic, apocalyptic, monumental calamity. And you did it!" I love Sir Humphrey's speeches!

[@The_Persiflager]

The "Imperialist Yoke" line deserved a much bigger laugh than it got.

[@TonyRule]

*_"Humpy?"_* _Sly smile_ Hawthorne was so great.

[@melissamarsh2219]

I love how Jumbo just tosses Bernard

[@krtmddhs]

"welcome to standing committee" lol

[@kim2894]

Fun fact: Privy council meetings with the Queen is done literally standing up so that the meeting will proceed with speed

[@SanderSovrlic-alesov]

Humpy: “Well, we’re all agreed, then, that the mountain should go to Mohammed.” Foreign Secretary: “No, no, no, Jim’s going!”

[@user-mw8um6mc3v]

Bernard laughing for real. This is such a great scene.

[@azarisLP]

This scene has it all. A throwback to the classic Marx Brothers scene, nuanced quips at British foreign policy of the past, and a few fat jokes thrown in for good measure.

[@JimC]

The writers did base the scene on that. But after the episode was aired, they found out things like that actually did occur with PM Harold Wilson, who liked traveling by train.

[@JohnSmiffer]

"Make that 2 hardboiled eggs..."

[@professornuke7562]

@@JohnSmiffer ** HONK HONK HONK**

[@vikramkrishnan6414]

Humphrey's smile when Hacker says Humpy

[@ankemwigaroa1999]

Why humpy?

[@jonathanh5872]

Probably my favourite part of all of yes, minister AND yes, prime minister and it’s less than 2 seconds!

[@ankemwigaroa1999]

I still don't get the reference. And it's been one year. Can't believe I rediscovered this old comment.

[@vikramkrishnan6414]

@@ankemwigaroa1999 because up until then Humphrey is an authority figure, and then he has a silly nickname

[@andyrob3259]

@@ankemwigaroa1999 it also shows he has a group of ‘friends’ that have Nick names for each other & are more casual with each other - probably since university days. Again the ‘old boys networkz’

[@briancuthbertson6448]

I love the way Bernard keeps peeping up from below the bottom edge of the picture.

[@zico739]

The gunboat bit is just perfect lmao.

[@richardw3470]

Of course, the country would be landlocked.

[@brendan722002]

Jumbo: "No Minister you carry a lot more weight!"

[@uditgururani1472]

Sir Frederick and Sir Humphrey humpy and Jimbo always make me laugh. Look how sir Frederick greets the foreign secretary so courteous.

[@michaelbehan6222]

Jim’s comment to Permanent Under Secretary for Foreign Affairs ‘I think you’ll carry more weight’! Brilliant. Poor Jumbo without arguing to do.

[@DH-qe5py]

If this is not comedy gold, i don't know what is.

[@jenniferkonstant5920]

Agreed

[@gnhansen29]

Even Margaret Thatcher enjoyed Yes Minister

[@dvolkov76]

Documentary?

[@Starold1]

@@dvolkov76 documentary gold

[@amatya.rakshasa]

Humphrey knows from the get go that the paragraph is a bargaining ploy but he lets Hacker sweat as long as possible. hahahahahah

[@jonamore2102]

2:50 "Humphy?" made me scream with laughter

[@songangte29]

2:19 "This will be like the Black Hole of Calcutta" 😂😂😂

[@deadmanomegagaming4061]

I recently found out what the black hole of calcutta was and it makes it all the more funny

[@ThexVaultxTech]

Thank you for reposting Yes Minister clips, I love the show and only recently got into it a few years ago.

[@paulkerrigan9857]

I think it’s still incredibly relevant in this day and age. Such good writing!

[@rubindai6687]

Hope they can resell the full show in such a high resolution

[@Plethorality]

We will have egg all over our faces! Not egg, minister, just imperialist yoke. Or scotch egg?

[@hyeonglee3840]

that kills me 4 real

[@diwanumam1507]

Presumably.

[@Tomsfilipsons]

It's "imperialist yolk". Sincerely, Cpt. Obvious

[@slitor]

@@Tomsfilipsons "yoke" sounds like "yolk" thatsthejoke.jpg

[@tmanepic]

And two hard boiled eggs

[@Rushmore222]

Riffing on the old Marx Brothers Night At The Opera crowded stateroom scene. Well done.

[@oonst011]

My favourite YM scene of all time. In fact one of the best British comedy scenes of all time.

[@SkyHigh2252]

"Welcome to the standing committee!" LOL

[@Wanderer628]

'This is like the black hole of Calcutta!' lol, talk about an obscure joke.

[@kirkskywalker1701]

And *dark* humour

[@caraxes_noodleboi]

Lot's of uncommon references - Mountain shall go to Muhammad, the use of the word 'puccah'

[@dipro001]

can you guys explain both? Sorry, i am too young, i guess.

[@caraxes_noodleboi]

@@dipro001 'Black hole of Calcutta' refers to the so called 'Black hole Tragedy'. Black hole was a very small dungeon cell used by the East India Company to punish Bengali prisoners at the Fort William in Calcutta. After the EIC and the Nawab of Bengal Siraj-ud-daulla had a disagreement over building fortifications (Siraj had asked the the British to stop building them, they didn't listen), Siraj attacked Fort William. The British troops, being less in number, deserted except for few soldiers and a guy named Holwell. FW fell and Siraj's forces took the remaining British soldiers and put them all in the Black hole with the intent to deal with them the next morning. BH being small and poorly ventilated, it is said most prisoners died from the heat and lack of air. Holwell survived and later testified in Britain that Siraj had put 146 prisoners in the Black hole and 123 of them died. This was used to generate hate in Britain as an example of barbarism of the Indians and EIC rebuilt the FW and the army. They also built a monument in Calcutta called the 'Holwell Monument' to honor the dead. Now the details of the event are debated. Later historians, both British and Indians have challenged Holwell's claims. We know the battle happened and Siraj's army did put the captives in the Black Hole. But the number was not nearly as high as 146. It is also said Siraj personally never ordered them to put the prisoners in the BH and he didn't even deal wih them personally. The low ranking officers out of resentment for the British had done that. Here, the reference is that the train compartment is like the small Black hole cell and they are going to suffocate to death like those prisoners. Hope this helps!!

[@dipro001]

@@caraxes_noodleboi oh dam! Thanks for the extensive details. I will look into it. I am a bit surprised that such a juicy bit of history slipped my radar. Cheers (I mean there is a gentleman by the name of Amrut from the Indian embassy who would like to have an urgent word with you).

[@oa194]

My all time favorite British series, such magnificent acting and genius writing. If only they could have taped more seasons 😢. May the ones that went early Rest In Peace ❤️ If there is any unreleased raw/behind the scenes footage/taping please release!!! 🙏🏻

[@Blackcomanche]

@TheRenaissanceman65 I believe John Nettleton (who played Sir Arnold Robinson) is still alive. So is Eleanor Bron...there are other members of the cast of Yes Minister and Yes, Prime Minister who are still around.

[@applejuice5272]

3:19 Love how the fire safety notice is gibberish

[@w1521]

The number of times I've watched this show, and I'd never noticed that! Great spot!

[@winternow2242]

I remember watching this in-flight while flying to London in the summer of 1988.

[@KamsPoliticalPredictions]

They had those entertainment systems back in the '80s?

[@winternow2242]

@@KamsPoliticalPredictions I think it was still one screen per cabin. The movie was "No Way Out" with Kevin Costner.

[@KamsPoliticalPredictions]

@@winternow2242 Huh. Well, the more I know.

[@Krzyszczynski]

What amuses me about this is that there was a real-life Sir Frederick Stewart, an eminent geologist who, round about the time this series was set, was a top-level advisor to the government on science policy and expenditure. I got to speak with him a time or two as a very junior member of the Civil Service team assisting him.

[@adegbeyekayodecoadegbeye8077]

Can't stop laughing! Glad to rediscover 'Yes, Minister'.

[@josemaria8177]

Truly one of the best satires ever made! This show shouldn't be so relevant and current in 2020!

[@rfichokeofdestiny]

It's relevant in every country around the world too, even though the setting and details are out of date.

[@silenthunteruk]

Inspired by a real event apparently, namely a crisis meeting in a sleeper compartment.

[@laurentdrozin812]

And the..... Irish (gasp)...

[@SpyrosKoronis]

(looks for bombs under his seat)

[@user-mw8um6mc3v]

Bernard is laughing his head off

[@morbius109]

2:33 - Welcome to the standing committee! LOL

[@kokoeteantigha389]

We could sing "Abide with Me"! Hahahaha!!! 😅😂

[@ETIENNE8100]

A Brilliant tv series ,so difficult to find a good one like that today

[@user-lj5gj9zw8w]

You are right.

[@XxEpIcFrOzEnzZxxx]

The Thick of It is probably the most recent I can think of. Not as charming of course, but just as cutting

[@fuzzballzz36]

Scripts aren't keenly intelligent like this any more, you're right. It's a lost art because no one cares about quality any more.

[@lachyt5247]

The Australian comedy TV series The Hollowmen is quite an excellent political satire, much cleaner than The Thick of it. Rather than focusing on the clash between politicians and civil servants it explores how ridiculously reliant politicians are on their officials. Also explores similar themes to this of navigating through the extremely cautious, status quo oriented bureaucracy. Definitely the closest thing I've come across the YM/YPM.

[@lewisgreen1633]

John Savident is a great actor...

[@leerobinson590]

God bless Jumbo. R.I.P x

[@KissTheGreat]

Welcome to the standing committee!

[@shashanksingh7750]

"Blackhole of Calcutta" 😂😂

[@MatthewPlato91]

Only the second episode but I love them slipping in Hacker's learning of Humpy as a nickname. He uses it on occasion for the rest of the series when teasing or taunting Humphrey.

[@nn.roberts]

0:15 ++ Reading glasses in those days were really something for themselves...

[@mayoite160]

"not egg minister just imperialist yoke" XD

[@josephbennett2457]

I didn't know Fred Elliot was in the foreign office before becoming a butcher in Weatherfield.

[@mscott3918]

He was looking for a better work life balance.

[@ianpatterson6552]

@ Joseph Bennett previously he was a Prussian General at Waterloo (1970).

[@cassylow9418]

@@ianpatterson6552 and before that an air flying officer with sir Laurence Olivier 😜

[@monicaerikson118]

Hilarious scene, completely brilliant! 😁👍

[@glenjoshuawattsjoshua520]

It's Fred Elliot, I say it's Fred Elliot 😄😄

[@aryaaswale7316]

Black hole of Calcutta. Oof that’s a reference not all would get

[@poshboy111]

Wonderful stuff

[@dessamill3567]

It is really ironic here if you think about it: (1) Britain is currently a western free nation (2) while the Buranda will become a "people republic" which means it is communist dictated country. (3) But the president of Buranda will come to Britain to make speeches about freedom which will embarrass Britain if he succeeds. How ridiculously funny is this!

[@notrut]

'No Minister, I think You carry more weight ...' Dumpff They're both sadly now dead.

[@nkt1]

Nonsense, John Savident is still alive.

[@reasonablyserious]

Ah, nice to meet the 8th Duke of Chiswick again

[@Charger425]

I'd go with Option #7, and send in a gunboat 😜

[@FrugalOverFifty]

Loved this show. So sad I can’t find it streaming anymore. (Editing in early 2022: I am able to view this on BritBox in the US, and I've now watched the whole series multiple times. 😆 )

[@basselalhindi]

Try Dailymotion

[@sumedh17]

Prime Video! All hail Amazon!

[@tara5047]

it's on britbox if you have that!

[@FrugalOverFifty]

@@tara5047 Ooooo - good to know! I have AcornTV but not BritBox right now.

[@oa194]

I was wondering the same for years! Thanks for all the tips!!

[@dtvfan24]

2:42 lol

[@williamdrijver4141]

"A tragedy, a cataclismic, apocalyptic monumental calamity". Many years later Blackadder sounded like Sir Humphrey 🙂

[@xobxob]

At first glance, the screengrab looked like a scene from the Sopranos!

[@jenniferkonstant5920]

LOL it does!

[@badhorse84]

good old days...we just send a gun boat...OH wait France fisherman :-))) 2021

[@TerryTheNewsGirl]

That poster behind Hacker's head: foreign language or just straight-out jibberish?

[@DomWeasel]

Appears to be Welsh.

[@know-it-alltoknow-nothing4150]

Lifted from the Marx Brothers' A Night at the Opera

[@jonnnyren6245]

The Foreign Secretary is Mr. Hilton Cubitt from the Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.

[@julianhweatherall2253]

Normally discussed over a fine single malt in the lounge car....

[@matictelic]

2:11 and yet they just sent 2 gunboats to the Channel islands

[@mikeparcej839]

God bless John Savident.

[@koenven7012]

Of course Sir Humphry will be there to manip.... professionally guide Hacker.

[@Period8Productions]

Nice nod to The Marx Brothers

[@childofthe50s53]

RIP John Savident

[@captainjackpro3792]

😁

[@eddievhfan1984]

You notice in the background, the warning signs are all gibberish?

[@hchcey]

2:50

[@blethigg9320]

Presumably when it was broadcast the picture quality of the average TV would have been far too low to notice.

[@johnking5174]

Well spotted, the writers Anthony Jay and Jonathan Lynn did this to see if the viewers were clever enough to spot it. Remember this was 1980, not many people had video recorders and the show was watched once and that was it if you did not have a VCR.

[@johnking5174]

@@blethigg9320 625 line UHF picture quality was usually fine, it is that unlike us now watching this close up on a laptop or PC, viewers would be sitting in their living rooms in front of the TV, something a rarity now in 2020.

[@lachyt5247]

Looks like Welsh

[@maqboolfida786]

Bernard got to smell those he works with..a lot more closely.

[@anuragsharma5630]

2:40

[@eamonnsiocain6454]

This is an old Marx Brothers gag.

[@smorris12]

Read the text of the fire notice over Jim's shoulder towards the end...

[@Garfie489]

i believe its in Welsh :P

[@microtree47]

Looks like nonsense to me

[@ahmedamine24]

@@microtree47 Doesn't look like anything to me.

[@danielyeshe]

@@Garfie489 It is very blurry but I can say with confidence that is not Welsh!

[@Garfie489]

@@danielyeshe Reference to it being a load of gibberish :)

[@arnavmathur7646]

Which episode is this

[@josephturner4047]

Abide with me. The new English national anthem.

[@sumedhdeshpande9797]

Which season and episode is this?

[@pranjalsharma8960]

season 1 episode 2 the official visit

[@yourmum69_420]

this made me feel claustrophobic just to watch

[@petyrkowalski9887]

I say its big Fred, I say..

[@irishpatriotv2575]

0:04 did somebody call?

[@atomicexistentialism8428]

*Checks car hood quickly*

[@zhubotang927]

I suppose in the old days they did send a gunboat. Thankfully the old days were over.

[@DomWeasel]

These days the US sends a carrier battlegroup.

[@mannycalderon449]

👽

[@-amosc.presley-7192]

*Also! Where the Heck have me been, when that Tv Show came out? sUch a 1st Timer to see that comedy works at Use. So! CHEER$.*

[@-amosc.presley-7192]

@anshuman jha, thnx for sharing/

[@Pa-tk1dx]

RIP John Savident. Great scene. Bernard laughing fir real is a treat.

[@imaginevinee]

A cramped Roomette and not train

[@luke68stevens]

British Rail first class sleeping car berth...

[@fuzzballzz36]

There's only one Minister. The rest are civil servants. Just FYI.

[@mscott3918]

There are two ministers. Hacker and the Foreign Secretary. Just for information.

[@fuzzballzz36]

@@mscott3918 you're right, there are two. Cheers.

[@user-ov7rg5qk6w]

Кто из России?

[@georgeevstafyev7417]

Да, господин министр

[@ivanvoronov3871]

Да

[@purefoldnz3070]

Why does everyone in this look like Colin Firth?

[@kroidenfravest9931]

Hush! Don't tell anyone, but all the roles in the show were played by Colin Firth in various guises. I would say he did a bloody good job too. No one has ever spotted this until you came along and saw straight through it! :D

[@tribefenatic]

oh yes i remember this one, that episode where jim hacker tried to put Africa's name in the mud by calling it a tinpot little african country. smh... disgraceful of him.

[@jeromefitzroy]

They should cast off their imperialist yoke! Independence for Scotland! Reunification of Ireland!

[@Mourtzouphlos240]

Here here.

[@DomWeasel]

@@Mourtzouphlos240 *Hear hear

[@atomicexistentialism8428]

As an Englishman. I wait for the day with excitement and nostalgia. If it is the will of the people, then it must be done. Though I will miss our dear Celtic friends.

[@simona4315]

BritishArrogance personified - calling it the black hole of Calcutta!

[@ds1868]

Not really. It's just a reference to a historical event. Look it up.

[@jj66te]

There was even a taste of poetic justice since the "black hole" where the British soldiers were confined was a dungeon within the British Fort William in Calcutta which fell to the troops of Siraj ud-Daulah.

[@mscott3918]

Oh dear. Trying to prove your woke credentials? It's a reference to an actual historical event. Although of course history has to be rewritten now. Why is it that lack of a sense of humour goes with ignorance?

[@Universalbibliotek]

In our time, this scene would surely have already been cancelled by our sanctimonious woke moralists

[@makhan4908]

Booooooooooooiring

[@makhan4908]

@TheRenaissanceman65 I would rather watch teletubbies