Humphrey... Made A Mistake | Yes, Minister | BBC Comedy Greats

[@tobys_transport_videos]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 _"Obviously I'm not a trained lawyer or I wouldn't have been in charge of the Legal Unit!!!"_ Sir Humphrey cracks me up everytime!!! 🤣🤣🤣

[@susanhughs1031]

Mixed Gauge, Of Course, BUT This Is The Whitehall Civil Service All Over,!!! And It's Been Going On For The Last 400, Hundred Years, At Least, After All The Whitehall Paper Suffers And Pen Pushers, Got Us Into The First World War, WW1, 1914--1918, And For WHAT, WHAT Was Achieved,!!!! Stinking Communism and Bolshevikim, And The POXEY So-called Common Market EU, And You Can Forget The Notion That We The UK Went Into The POXEY So-called Common Market To Brake It Up From The Inside,!!!?? That's A Load Of CRAP, !!!!!!!!!!!!!, I'M Glad You Like This Video,💪👍 You've Obviously Got A Great Scene Of Humour,!!!! Good Luck Stay Safe And Well And Healthy 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇬🇧🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿😁😂 BUT It's Quite Serious, Because This Has Been UK Government's Since The Late 15, Century, 500, Year's,. Useless Politicians Getting Job's They NO Nothing About,. Jeremy Hunt Ring Any Bell's,👍, ?????????????????,.

[@ScorpiusZA.]

This describes politics perfectly. I do love that line personally also.

[@CiceroLounge]

Sir Humphrey : "I was under pressure! We were overworked there was panic!" Timeless!

[@yvonnetomenga5726]

I was laughing so hard at the end, I couldn't see the screen because my eyes were squeezed shut. 🤣

[@Paul-A01]

While funny, I doubt the Mail will just accept an empty folder when they were willing to write about "ministers ratting on their manifestos"

[@0w784g]

"It was a marvellous winter... we lost no end of embarrassing files!"

[@millomweb]

It would have been equally good for me had it not been for the press reporting the loss of so many flies.

[@JD-nd1oz]

Like the Windrush papers and documents that provided evidence of Commonwealth British Citizens with legal right to reside in the UK.

[@davebennett2482]

@@JD-nd1oz FGS shut up

[@harripursiainen5420]

1:30 "I forgive you" the priestly manner how Eddington says it, has made it one of the best sceenes in the show. Especially because sir Humbrey goes 0 to 100 sweeping this under the rug.

[@jacksawildjackschan9469]

One who identifies himself by use of the perpendicular pronoun, likes this.

[@yyylhhh6879]

that would include around half of the entire human population so no

[@colmivers]

The perpendicular pronoun is "you"

[@happyhedgehog6450]

@@colmivers it's "I". The all knowing Google just told me haha.

[@TheMonolith20001]

@@colmivers you is very perpendicular.

[@MrHappyinperth]

@@TheMonolith20001 twice

[@jamesbond7425]

Nigel Hawthorne had such an incredible memory, reciting paragraph after paragraph. Apparently he could still recite them many years later. Brilliant actors and a once off of a kind series.

[@fransbuijs808]

Not only that, he made the character believable. The way he says thank you minister is like he really means it.

[@Warriorking.1963]

They tried a series with different actors, it was dire.

[@ugolomb]

I remember a documentary about Yes Minister where one of the script-writers said he was rather horrified to discover that Hawthorne retained all their long speeches for Humphrey. "Here's a man with a decent brain, and we've been cluttering it with all this junk", he said. (I forget whether it was Lynn or Jay who said it.)

[@dmkappa62]

Thats quite the compliment coming from 007. Thank you both for your service to the crown!

[@j.johnson3520]

It's definitely a treasure of work. I never seem to tire of watching any of it - and I always seem to learn something knew everytime I do! Now *that's* an achievement for just a TV show.

[@jkolorath]

"Obviously I am not a trained lawyer or I wouldn't have been in charge of the legal unit"! That's British type bureaucracy in a nutshell. Indian one is a more chaotic version of it.

[@allenjenkins7947]

There is strong evidence that both were products of the East India Company.

[@jkolorath]

@@allenjenkins7947 Of course. Brit bureaucracy was shaped by colonialism. Indian one was designed by colonizers. Indian elites after independence tried hard to adapt it. One way or the other!

[@jonathanfraser321]

Delighted to learn that independence left some positive legacy-and you have better tea

[@jkolorath]

@@jonathanfraser321 yeah man. In a way. Just like appreciating the regrowth of hair after cancer treatment.

[@stephenhunter70]

Then there's the Aussie version, rather more in line with the Indian version but with the added expediency of moving all the public servants to another responsibility every 12 months or so.

[@jeanc819]

Pure genius having Hacker forgive Humphrey by the waving of the hand like a priest forgiving a sinner.

[@heli0s101]

Christ forgives, the priest is just a vessel of sorts.

[@NeidalRuekk]

Come now, no politicians have ever been sinners!

[@andyguy0610]

Utterly Utterly brilliant. A first class script expertly delivered by two fantastic actors. Both sadly no longer with us, but thanks to classic stuff like this they will never be forgotten.

[@JobiWan144]

This show was so perfect. Nigel Hawthorne (Sir Humphrey) and the writers often get the credit they deserve, but Paul Eddington holds his own in the acting department. In context, as I recall, Hacker already knows that Sir Humphrey was responsible, but he has to pretend like he doesn't. Eddington does a marvelous job conveying this feigned reaction of surprise through his tone and facial expressions. "Chef's kiss" moments like this one are a big reason why "Yes Minister" / "Yes, Prime Minister" is in my top 5 favorite comedy shows... maybe even #1.

[@dogwalker666]

Agreed they made an excellent team.

[@101Mant]

As I recall as the series progressed the writers would write dialogue for Hacker but sometimes add the comment that if Paul could convey it with his facial expression he didn't need to say anything.

[@dogwalker666]

@@101Mant the mark of a born actor.

[@SpectatorAlius]

They tried a remake years later, but it was just so lacking, so short of the original, it was a complete flop.

[@richardlloyd2589]

Nigel - the best speeches. Derek - the best one-liners. Paul - the best facial expressions. Writers - the best sources. Us - recipients of the best political documentary. Ever.

[@pavarottiaardvark3431]

A lot is rightfully said about Nigel Hawthorne's brilliance. But don't neglect Paul Eddington - there's such a brilliant subtlety to his tiny movements at 0:50

[@millomweb]

In a vid on Paul it revealed that he tweaked scripts (with approval) such as removing some dialogue and replacing it with facial expressions. Nigel, seems equally capable.

[@mymartianhome]

At first i thought "I don't know why i watched this, i have the full box set and every so often i binge watch." Then I realised sometimes a small dose of perfect beauty is what is needed and not the whole barrel.

[@jeremye4248]

Perfectly said.

[@subhashnm]

I first read it as "a small dose of perfect bureaucracy...". That wouldn't be too far, would it?

[@3gor73]

Love it when hacker gets one over Humphrey

[@chengwang411]

Me2 😆

[@LanternOfLiberty]

Nigel Hawthorne was an excellent actor and his lines were the ones that brought out the true message of the British political system. That said, I completely agree with you that the story needs a few moments here and there where sir Humphrey's taken down and notch or three.

[@andrewdavidson6495]

Episode The Key is my fave where Hacker really does a number on Sir Humphrey

[@3gor73]

@@andrewdavidson6495 Sir Humphrey: Prime Minister, I must protest in the strongest possible terms my profound opposition to the newly instituted practice which imposes severe and intolerable restrictions upon the ingress and egress of senior members of the hierarchy and will, in all probability, should the current deplorable innovation be perpetuated, precipitate a constriction of the channels of communication, and culminate in a condition of organisational atrophy and administrative paralysis, which will render effectively impossible the coherent and co-ordinated discharge of the function of government within Her Majesty's United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland! Hacker: You mean you've lost your key?

[@andrewdavidson6495]

@@3gor73 yep and sounds so much better as he is clearly flustered after having set off all the alarms after climbing out his woindow to walk around outside of building!

[@baardkopperud]

"Well obviously I'm not a trained lawyer, or else I wouldn't have been charge of the legal unit!" 🤣

[@simpleNomadUK]

Strange how Jarvail Singh hasnt said that at the Horizon enquiry

[@jonathanfraser321]

Brilliant performance from Nigel Hawthorne. To go from tears and humiiiation, desperation and panic , to competency and still finish 1 step head with his pride, self respect and air of assurancce restored and remember that horribly difficult speech at the same time is unmatched.

[@alexxoaibi3882]

Paul Eddington is one of the most underrated comedians.

[@suvonil_]

He deserved a BAFTA. Good acting is not just about memorizing long monologues.

[@josemaria8177]

Probably my favourite moment of the entire show. The role reversal was so masterful! Nigel Hawthorne and Paul Eddington were two amazing actors

[@harryturner8701]

Where...

[@quintuscrinis8032]

@@harryturner8701 this episode began with Sir Humphrey seeking out the minister to accuse him off improper behaviour, and ends with this scene of the minister summoning Sir Humphrey to give him a telling off for a serious mistake.

[@geoffscott5066]

The thinking man's no.1 comedy series. Sublimely brilliant writing and acting.

[@mattevans4377]

Or in other word's, comedy. Comedy that doesn't make you think, isn't really comedy at all.

[@00bikeboy]

As a former member of Canada's federal public service, I can assure you that this show's portrayal is so accurate it's simply uncanny. And funny as hell to boot.

[@unrealuknow864]

One of Hackers first big wins against Humphrey. He really stepped up his game after this.

[@SmartStr33t]

The identity of the official whose alleged responsibility for this hypothetical oversight has been the subject of recent discussion is not shrouded in quite such impenetrable obscurity as certain previous disclosures may have lead you to assume. But not to put too fine a point on it, the individual in question is, it may surprise you to learn, one whom your present interlocutor is in the habit of defining by means of the perpendicular pronoun.

[@jonathanfraser321]

To me this ranks with a shakespeare solloquy-impossible to learn, and requires much concentration. plus which the brilliance of Nigel Hawthorns' facial expressions-something you dont worry about in the theatre

[@SmartStr33t]

@@jonathanfraser321 It's the gift that keeps on giving. The fact you think you are waiting at the end of it all for a simple "me", but he ends with "one whom your present interlocutor is in the habit of defining by means of the perpendicular pronoun" is absolutely brilliant.

[@chrislogan2557]

I love this show, and I especially love the episodes where Jim gets one over Humphrey, it doesn't happen very often but it's good to see Humphrey brought down a peg or two occasionally.

[@windfury1980]

I just realized the line that ends the document, "Could cause damage to friendly governments" covers the UK government itself, because of course you're friendly towards yourself. So buried in all that claptrap the real reason is present and true.

[@mardus_ee]

But it's valid as-is, too, because anyone questioning the issue would automatically have to consider foreign relations. Embarrassing a friendly government would damage relations, and enemies (the Soviet Union back then) would gloat in glee.

[@davidforster9171]

Comedy at its best, 3 fine actors sadly missed

[@stephennewton5697]

Wonderful Comedy, Nigel Hawthorne was very well cast as Sir Humphrey Appleby and did an excellent job of memorising his lines. A lesser man would have failed miserably.

[@rezimonavardisashvili393]

This should have included conversation between Bernard and Jim before this scene. "Do you think what I think?" marvelous series with splendid acting

[@jkolorath]

I dont think so minister I am not thinking anything

[@MurrayJoe]

@@jkolorath or his classic line, ... “I don’t know minister, I don’t know what you don’t know.”

[@thhseeking]

Bernard: "Sir Humphrey's coming around". Hacker: "Why, did he pass out?". I suspect that was ad-lib, and when Sir H. comes into the room, he's genuinely surprised because Hacker is laughing into his tie, trying not to lose it!.

[@WeirdWonderful]

Humprhey is always so smug and superior, it's a welcome sight to see him be on the other side for once.

[@Ozzy_2014]

The series will never be topped.

[@agenttheater5]

I love how much Hacker was enjoying making Humphrey squirm for once

[@janesmith9024]

Amazing, so well written. It was I, he said. I sometimes think I am the only person left standing in the UK who says (correctly) it was I.

[@altudy]

"It was I" was scripted in order to link back to "perpendicular pronoun". "It was me' is in fact grammatically correct. "It was I" is a genteel over correction by people who have been taught to avoid saying "Me and Billy are going to the cinema". It's similar to people who are taught not to drop their h's and who compensate by putting an 'h' in front of words where none exists. eg 'hepic' instead of 'epic'.

[@lauterunvollkommenheit4344]

"Predicate complements of infinitives of copulative verbs without expressed subjects go into the nominative case, whereas predicate complements of infinitives of copulative verbs with expressed subjects go into the objective case."

[@michaelprobert4014]

@@lauterunvollkommenheit4344 This sounds like it was from the programme !

[@angrytedtalks]

I too.

[@lauterunvollkommenheit4344]

@@michaelprobert4014 It's from "The End of the Road" by Barth.

[@DreamteamCarlo]

I don't know how I haven't discovered this series earlier, but this is sheer brilliance. Now I'm watching individual scenes on YT, max. 2 per day because there's only a very limited supply of these gems. So much quality in 3-4 minutes, script, performance, and setting alike.

[@tolep]

Maybe I am old fashioned, but... The Pirate Bay is still a thing.

[@Ozzy_2014]

1979/80/81. Labour kicked. Thatcher's conservatives were in ( IRL) but the point is this could be either party coming into power. And hacker would be your centrist at home in either party. Left of the Conservatives or the right of the Labour. It had to be neutral and accessible to everyone regardless of affiliation.

[@RJSRdg]

@@Ozzy_2014 Yes, the first season of YM was actually recorded under the Labour Government but broadcast was delayed because of the 1979 General Election. Even afterwards, a number of incidents in the series were based on things that had happened under the Labour Government that the writers were told about by "anonymous sources", like the "Emergency Communications Room" in Qumran. It also helped that the writers came from opposite ends of the political spectrum, so their differing perspectives helped to ensure neutrality.

[@sgtg4600]

Comedy Greats? Comedy Genius of the highest order. 🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧

[@tacitus6384]

"Humphrey..." That delivery lol.

[@angrytedtalks]

Nearly 40 years ago. Blimey.

[@atzuras]

I can see all those officers cheering at the great flood.

[@aliwakanda7327]

*When faced with difficulty* *Humphery*: (sighs) (start talking like trains)

[@Fr0st1989]

"Obivously I'm not a trained lawyer or I wouldn't have been in charge of the Legal Unit!" lmaooooo

[@MijmerMopper]

Honestly I would suggest that the document that describes the documents that are released and the cause for certain unavoidable exemptions should count as a document that has been released.

[@robdenaro4215]

So beautifully written.

[@conservativemike3768]

... “and I thought it might go something like this.” My favorite line.

[@stevepashley795]

The best show on the planet. Nigel Hawthorn was the greatest. He made that show

[@fransbuijs808]

In Dutch politics, it still goes like that.

[@tullochgorum6323]

Here in the UK too - it was ever thus... This brilliant series hasn't really aged - it captured eternal truths about the political process.

[@krakendragonslayer1909]

In ancient Egypt it was also like this

[@andrewbriers1166]

28 thumbs down at the time of writing.i dread to think what thei r idea of funny is

[@rontanser9369]

It’s such a shame they can’t make good comedy is like this anymore

[@davebennett2482]

its the bbc we are talking about....crap now

[@johnking5174]

2:40 - Doesn't this remind you of the recent Covid inquiry, where emails, texts, documents etc, all suddenly disappeared or were deleted.

[@nigeltocknell3093]

If Boris Johnson saw this now he'd be thinking "now why didn't we do that for the Covid Inquiry..."

[@pjtdecor]

The writer also wrote Thatchers speeches for years,its basically real life in Westminster at that time!

[@mscott3918]

It certainly is. I began my career in the seventies at the Foreign Office. I'd call this a training video.

[@pjtdecor]

@@mscott3918 what a time to be at FO!!! You must have tale or two!

[@ChristopherDazey]

The English language has soooooo much filler in it.

[@cholesterol6703]

Ah, yes ... freedom of disinformation.

[@lomax343]

"This is what we normally do..." As in once a week, or so.

[@johnmccrossan9376]

Of the civil service was just a little bit less corrupt it'd be amazing what they could accomplish

[@laughingachilles]

The writing here is just not something we see today. Brilliant doesn't begin to cover it.

[@BrianCuthbertson]

This is repeated precisely in December 2023 by Michael Gove's plan to withhold funding from South Cambridgeshire Council because of their 4 day week trial, even though they have continually been submitting data showing that it is already improving efficiency.

[@perjensen3959]

As a non english person I find the subtitles especially in this episode very convenient.

[@sugarnads]

Am i weird. Ive NEVER had any trouble understanding Sir Humphrey.

[@johnking5174]

2:38 - The moment you realise Sir Humphrey always covers his backside even when he is confessing to his minister.

[@olutomiakinsanya]

Everything here is timeless...check out the countdown 😂😂😂

[@edwardegan4120]

Thank you for posting. My favourite scene in the entirely brilliant and incomparable, Yes Minister.

[@helenheeney2284]

Very best show ever superb

[@gavbr210]

How to deliver the lines which make absolutely no sense to me, but still make me laugh 😂

[@Bonzman]

Civil service speak or as it's better known Gobbledegook!😵🥴😂

[@mikestamos2078]

World class acting ELITE

[@dereks1264]

"...the perpendicular pronoun..." HOOT!!!

[@paulqueripel3493]

The floods were one year out, 1968.

[@elaadt]

The perpendicular pronoun. Pure gold.

[@petermasting4769]

;

[@thebagfather4633]

dont make them as good as this anymore

[@mauricestevenson5740]

I note some posted comments praising the writing which is, admittedly, fantastically fantastic. It is not easy to write dialogue unless you are or have access to a life-time speaker of the language the dialogue is going to be written in. And then you have to get actors who can speak the dialogue as though they have been speaking it since birth. These snippets of dialogue from "Yes, Minister" and "Yes, Prime Minister" are spoken by Nigel Hawthorne and Paul Eddington in a manner that they have been listening to and learning for many, many, many years.

[@michaelvidal1971]

As I was only around 2 at the time can I just check were there floods in 1967 and how bad were they.

[@SignumInterriti]

It's not "me", but it may well be "one who your present interlocutor is in the habbit of defining by means of the perpendicular pronoun"

[@AlexCBrandon]

When Humphrey is against the wall are some of the best moments in these series!

[@irelandaintreal2945]

humphrey can be ruthless but when he acts like a kicked little puppy i feel so bad for the guy haha

[@greggweber9967]

2:57 Do we have any "bad" floods, fires, or other things?

[@VanNguyen0312]

Perpendicular pronoun 🤣🤣🤣……………….I

[@TheLastOilMan]

And we thought that this was humour, not fact

[@millomweb]

Did you ?

[@laf4891]

The floods of 1967😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@rambapat900]

why dont they make stuff like this now a days , why ???

[@drmamdooh99]

British comedy at its finest!!!!

[@GiliGulu1969]

Greatest documentary ever

[@samdumaquis2033]

This is beautiful

[@studiobencivengamarcusbenc5272]

It was I ! 😂😂😂

[@gregormcnee3990]

This is Matt Hancock

[@xanderanderson6673]

Zero what

[@azadecenani7622]

😄😄😄

[@Nahid1347]

🙂

[@kills26]

It's not true, that only the good die young. it's simply the case that we are more prone to miss them, both of these legends went too young.

[@MonaMarMag]

I w ten właśnie sposób robili z ludzi idiotow .

[@dennish300]

Yes! ZERO if it continues... ZERO FREEDOMS, ZERO CHOICE, ZERO. SO .... RESISTANCE IS MANDATORY!

[@dralanblacker8471]

IT'S ACTORS LIKE THESE WHO FORM THE BEDROCK OF BRITISH LIFE, TO WHICH STANDARD EVERYONE IN THE PERFORMING ARTS MUST STRIVE TO ACHIEVE, HOWEVER UNLIKELY THEY ARE TO SUCCEED.

[@stephenphillip5656]

You're shouting at us... (Caps lock on)

[@InstrumentAaa]

Which season and episode is this?

[@tolep]

The Skeleton in the Cupboard

[@RJSRdg]

Series 1, Episode 6.

[@Vauataf3346]

Anyone know which episode this was?

[@achloist]

The Skeleton in the Cupboard. Season 3, episode 3.

[@Vauataf3346]

@@achloist thanks!

[@davebennett2482]

brilliant

[@spacemissing]

There are equivalents of Sir Humphrey in the US federal government. I would like to toss all of them out and prevent them from being replaced.

[@julianshepherd2038]

America's minimalist approach to government is certainly paying off in the pandemic. That's sarcasm. The TV program is satirical comedy not the literal truth.

[@thechosenone1533]

@@julianshepherd2038 This is one of the most accurate shows ever.

[@TestTestGo]

What is interesting is in the context of the show the minister is pretty incompetent and only really concerned with his own image, but does have some policy ideas that he wants to implement for the benefit of the country whilst Sir Humphry is hyper competent but only interested in maintaining the status quo. They both need each other for the system to function. Sack Humphry and it would all fall apart within days.

[@walesdoesntsuck6635]

@@julianshepherd2038 'minimalist' sure mate, the American government isnt overbearing at all. That's sarcasm too.

[@hidayatsatari1315]

Mon dieu Daves US all from all evil!.

[@hidayatsatari1315]

Buton Giorno mes amis!.

[@igimyoume1515]

Another Great USA American Satire

[@dogwalker666]

Err what ?

[@kojoarmah3915]

Come again?

[@sarahjones8396]

American?!

[@KR_SinSZ]

Oh look. It's the troll who comments on BBC clips that the British shows are American. Right on cue.

[@dogwalker666]

@@KR_SinSZ how ridiculous you could not get more British than yes minister, he must be bonkers.

[@tim7052]

Nigel Hawthorne was a master of his craft. Superb diction, delivery and timing - with an incredible ability to remember and faultlessly deliver huge, complex monologues - he truly was one of the greatest actors of the modern age!! Indeed, his portrayal of the character Sir Humphrey Appleby, coined a term in the British Civil Service: "To do an Appleby" - to deftly escape/solve a problem with Appleby's craftiness and cunning. What a legacy!! Thank you for the joy you gave, and R.I.P. Sir Nigel. 👍

[@yufengchen4944]

Love from China! In fact, the Chinese translator is Premier Li's wife.