The Minister's New Transport Job Spells Trouble | Yes Minister | BBC Comedy Greats

The Minister has been offered an incredible opportunity, how weird then that half a dozen others have turned it down before landing on Jim's desk. Subscribe: bit.ly/BBCComedyGreats
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#Comedy #YesMinister

[@Jamie_Pritchard]

The moment it dawns on Sir Humphrey that Bernard is far more learned and possibly also more intelligent than he realised 😅

[@nedludd7622]

For that, this is one of my favorite sketches.

[@muenchhausenmusic]

@@nedludd7622Absolutely!

[@Atomix330]

"Or doubtless you would have recalled if you had not attended the LSE..." - Bernard Woolley; looking sharp, casting shade.

[@willemvanoranje1533]

Also notice the LSE's coat of arms on the tie of The Rt Hon. James Hacker.

[@martonk]

I love this comment

[@rantdmc]

Humphrey's quadruple take at Bernard rambling about Greek and Latin is the funniest part of this famous take. Humphrey of course, took a First in Greats at Oxford, so thus would have been common knowledge to him

[@Stiofan1979]

I love Bernard, he's hilarious. It's a shame they weren't all Knighted, and together. The three of them were fantastic together and really created the show we all love.

[@EmperorBlue]

Actually, Bernard was knighted and become head of the civil service later on. Jim, on the other hand, was kicked up stairs , after his time as prime minister. Interestingly enough, sir Humphrey spent his last days in an old people's home. If you are interested, read The Complete Yes Minister. It adds on to the show.

[@understand6970]

@@EmperorBlue I think he meant the actors and not the characters in the show.

[@EmperorBlue]

@@understand6970 ohh!

[@tortinwall]

@@understand6970 I think @haider was doing a Bernard.

[@michaelmina4519]

@@EmperorBlue Absolutely! Also 'The Complete Yes Prime Minister'. Sir Bernard Woolley in conversation with the editors and also comments inserted in parentheses by the editors are an added bonus.

[@justabritishguy4779]

The sheer look on Humphrey's face after Bernard's ramble of Greek at 3:27 is hilarious. He's like. "The hell...?"

[@BedsitBob]

I think he realised that Bernard could do his job, just as well as he does it.

[@justabritishguy4779]

@@BedsitBob Bernard was truly underrated in my opinion.

[@foddyfoddy]

It was actually Latin . . . "Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes".

[@EnglishTeacherSean]

Best triple-take in sitcom history!

[@PaulCashman]

Humpy looked almost terrified. What a fantastic show this was.

[@phrophetsamgames]

As someone who studied Latin I am glad to have followed at least half of what Bernard said.

[@x--.]

1:30 when our dear minister pouts he's "going to be Transport Supremeo" and Nigel Hawthorne can barely hold it together, he's so tickled by Paul Eddington's performance is just a delight to watch. He covers it very well but he clearly broke and who could blame him? It's just a nice human moment between them both. So great.

[@muenchhausenmusic]

I do think Paul Eddington's Jim Hacker is a tad bit underappreciated, this moment you gave is a prime example, such great acting 😍

[@BillCameronWC]

One of the few occasions when Sir Humphrey looked truly abashed by Bernard’s erudition, not just aghast at him “letting the cat out of the bag”. Of course it mostly went way over the head of Jim Hacker 😉.

[@qichen85]

Bernard's bit did exactly what it supposed to, because by the time Bernard finished his little tidbit, Jim and Humphrey are distracted enough that they are no longer at each other's throat and instead trying to work it out.

[@saoirsedeltufo7436]

Bernard was always the best character. Some of his moments, like this, were so perfect

[@graemebird2502]

Yes, he finally got more than a few seconds! And as a Latin and Greek teacher, I loved his (somewhat irrelevant) digression on Greek and Latin grammar.

[@jeffwood126]

@@graemebird2502 I am glad you exist, Graeme, and there should be more of you. I thought I had forgotten my very distant Latin lessons, but when I semi-retired to Italy, I found my school Latin insisted on speaking over my primitive Italiano. I received some odd looks. I blame my Latin and English teachers for making me into a Grammar Nazi, with a very low Party number.

[@michelguevara151]

the moment sir humphrey suddenly realized that bernard was more than his equal.. priceless

[@flashstudiosguy]

I quite agree, a sly one often overlooked..

[@Phil_Tutty]

Bernard's finest moment was in the scene where they are talking about who reads newspapers.

[@stephenphillip5656]

Bernard - the ultimate (Honours degree in Classics (Oxon)) pedant! All 3 protagonists are now no longer with us and YM/YPM is the ultimate example of the quality of British comedy from that golden age.

[@dmkappa62]

I love bernards rants as usually both humpy and hacker just stare for a second and move on. Fabulous show, fabulously written and acted.

[@peterbassey9668]

I think Sir Humphrey is appalled to see himself budding so admirably rapidly in Bernard.

[@theofficialdragon497]

Bernard: Uh, if you had look the trojan horse in the mouth minister, you would have found Greeks inside... but the point is it was the Greeks who gave the Trojan horse to the Trojans so technically it wasn't a Trojan horse at all, hence the tag Timio Danaos et dona ferentes. Which you recall is usually and somewhat innacurately translated as beware of Greeks bearing gifts or doubtless you would have recalled had you not attended the LEC. Minister: Yes, I'm sure Greek tags are all very well in their way but can we stick to the point. Bernard: Sorry, sorry, Greek tags? Minister: Beware of Greeks bearing gifts, I suppose the EEC equivalent would be beware of Greeks bearing an olive oil surplus Humphrey: Excellent, minister. Bernard: No, well the point is minister that just as the Trojan horse was infact Greek, just what you described as a Greek tag is in fact Latin. It's obvious really the Greeks would never suggest be wearing of themselves, if one can use such a participle, be wearing that is and it's clearly Latin, not because timio ends in o, because the Greek first person also ends in o. Though, actually there is a Greek word tim-ao meaning 'I honour' but the os ending is a nominative singular termination of the second declension in Greek and an accusative plural in Latin of course, though actually danios is not only the Greek for Greek it's also the Latin for Greek, it's vey interesting really. Minister: Yes, I take your point Humphrey

[@richardbrown1189]

Bernard getting the big monologue in this scene for a change!

[@helioliskfire5954]

The shade on the LSE hehe by a classics pedant.

[@chrislyne377]

Bernard is such a nerd and as a fellow nerd, this makes me vey happy

[@gurbindersekhon8240]

Another one of Hacker's Churchill moments!!

[@j.johnson3520]

Goodness. I'd completely forgotten about this clip. I now realise it must be Bernard's Yes, Prime/Minister's crowning scene of all - the quantity of monologue and the chaps' focused reaction to it. Can anyone think of a better one? It'd be nice if there was.

[@kel000001]

The tongue twister about the foreign office

[@TomboLP]

Perhaps the moment when his voice breaks when he refuses access to Sir Humphrey in "The Key"?

[@morbius109]

0:37 - Minister, this hideous appointment has been hurtling around Whitehall for the last three weeks, like a grenade with the pin taken out! LOL

[@siredith8846]

1:31 But I’m going to be transport supremo! 🤴

[@seriousshooters5051]

Sir Humphrey stumped, never seen such a thing.

[@siredith8846]

Take his key away from him!

[@stephenphillip5656]

@@siredith8846 Bernard, (hyperventilating), to PM Hacker... *"YOU* take his key away from him. That is, I'm not sure I have the authority to take his key and besides, he's bigger than me...."

[@sgt.thompson98]

​@@stephenphillip5656Hacker: "I'm giving you the power Bernard, I'm autorizing you."

[@kevinmahernz]

Brilliant! It's rare to hear Bernard say much, this one was informative and entertaining!

[@danieldickson8591]

That was a parade of verbal palaver worthy of Sir Humphrey himself.

[@thedoughnought7329]

I like how none of them even thought about buses.... just like real life.

[@JonatasAdoM]

Believe me, the last thing you'd want is a bus.

[@thedoughnought7329]

@@JonatasAdoM really? I think I'd prefer a bus than no bus.

[@xxxdumbwordstupidnumberxxx4844]

I think you could count that in the roads division.

[@videosrus8631]

Can't get as many Greeks in a bus. A wooden horse would be much bigger. Wouldn't go as fast, of course and only one would come along instead of two or three. Fares, please.

[@michaelbayer5094]

Great scene. Jim gets Churchillian while Bernard does his version of a Humphrey digression.

[@harishnunkoo509]

You’ve got to love Bernard. He can speak, indeed he can.

[@votemonty1815]

"Oh look, a park!"

[@iandhr1]

This is one of my favorite episodes of the series. Humphrey and Hacker are forced to work together.

[@MrSniperfox29]

To be fair, it's actually Humphrey digging Hacker out of the big hole he got himself (under the guise of "for the good of the department"). Obviously Humphrey doesn't want the department saddled with such a job but he still doesn't have to go to such lengths to keep Hacker safe at the same time.

[@pcmacintyre]

Many have suffered a Classical education, but few recall it so completely.

[@Rainb0wSeven]

Humphrey's reaction is so understated, yet is the best part of this scene. Just brilliant.

[@Horus_the_Lupercal]

There is a man who had to take both Greek and Latin in school and hates that he can't use his favorite subject in his day to day life.

[@ProfRonconi]

A masterful performance by all three, but Bernard (Derek Fowlds) is just amazing. To me, this is funniest bit of "Yes, Minister" ever. Indeed, I rate it as the funniest bit of British comedy ever, above Monty Python, Fawlty Towers even (God forgive me) The Black Adder. I love all these shows, but this piece of script, the performance and direction are just inimitable.

[@NeathSpadge]

One of the few shows that still crack me up after so many years of watching. Brit comedy at its absolute best.

[@markwilliams7461]

Hear 👂

[@michaelpolydorou5678]

This program is amazing, thrilled that my aunt has bought me the dvd collection. All actors are truely amazing to watch togeather and the script is so sharp . Humphrey /hawthorne makes every scene special .

[@cygil1]

There's a DVD collection? Since when?

[@lauterunvollkommenheit4344]

@@cygil1 I bought it about 15 years ago.

[@michaelbayer5094]

Your aunt is a wise mentor. Seek her counsel always.

[@JonatasAdoM]

"If I managed to pull it off" When then the grenade is going boom

[@beavisbutt-headson3223]

Nono, the pin has already been pulled

[@uppanadam74]

Bernard picking up sir Humphrey's habits!! LOL!!

[@SilverSurfer5150]

The whole cast was marvellous!!

[@233kosta]

Bernard is SAVAGE!

[@IshmaelSkyes]

Just a little bit like Baldrick, only with brains and a Classical education.

[@markwilliams7461]

Baldrick was played by a fool who turnes out to be a prick

[@videosrus8631]

But they always come up with 'cunning plans'.

[@hopseshopsidis]

its is worth learning Latin and Greek!

[@shelbynamels973]

"Romanes domus eunt!"

[@MrSniperfox29]

Hacker was being particularly stubborn in this episode despite Humphrey actually making a very good case that he'd been swindled.

[@namvu2362]

Although, he's been with Humphrey for 3 years, Humphrey probably makes a very good case for anything he wants!

[@jrd33]

One of Hacker's weaknesses is his ego. He always imagines he will one day achieve a Churchillian success, despite lacking any qualities which would make that likely.

[@rin_etoware_2989]

@@jrd33 oi, remember the Euro-sausage

[@muenchhausenmusic]

Good God. This whole bit from 1:49 to 3:35 is one of my ABSOLUTE FAVOURITE PARTS of Yes Minister 😂😂😂😂😍

[@tonyroberts9393]

Best comedy series

[@McRocket]

Humphrey's polite but utter confusion at Bernard's rant I quite enjoyed. ☮

[@gammakeraulophon]

Where do you find such a pristine digital upload? I have the DVD's boxset, and the visual transfer quality is terrible.. definitely looking like old TV of the time.

[@daviniarobbins9298]

Its on Britbox.

[@johnking5174]

This upload is from the BBC Studios archives which of course is superior quality

[@Galfredus]

In my social life, I've often found myself in Bernard's shoes, rattling on about medieval history, or Latin or Greek grammar (the writing is all the more impressive when you know that everything that Bernard is saying is completely accurate, and you even recognize the line he quotes from the Aeneid). And I'm pretty used to getting the same sort of blank stare that Jim Hacker had from others all the time. Bit sad really. If only I had a Sir Humphrey Appleby in my own life!

[@JonatasAdoM]

Humphrey even struggles to focus at the end

[@karthikn8536]

So does Britian have a single transport policy now?

[@readsomebooks666]

Of course not, they’re still facing these same problems. The only way you could get around all this is if you assigned it to someone or some group that is entirely unconcerned with being elected and was completely outside parliament and Whitehall. It’s the kind of thing the king would assign to a courtier back in the day.

[@grahamlait1969]

I'm not quite sure about the transport policy in Britian, which I understand is a small planet somewhere near Alpha Centauri, but Britain has had the same single transport policy for the past half century and it can be explained very simply. What we do is wait until the transport situation becomes utterly intolerable, be it road, rail, sea or air transport, and then improve it marginally until the next time it becomes utterly intolerable. Then we do the same thing again.

[@withonelook1985]

Of course it does. Which is the same as it has been since Brunel first introduced mass rail. Everything has stayed the same.

[@slots1407]

@@grahamlait1969 Is that you, Sir Humphrey?

[@idealicfool]

Pfft! Don't be silly.

[@thelastroman7791]

1:00 A bit of a nod to the future Yes Prime Minister?

[@mymartianhome]

Hacker and Appleby just listening to Bernard's baffling erudition.

[@JonatasAdoM]

Bernard - Precursor of Google.

[@lonlevinholler74]

Bernard at his best!

[@michaelscott6022]

The right people for the wrong job.

[@fredsmith-kingofthelunatic7810]

Poor Bernard.

[@brunokoch672]

Maybe the very best laugh in the whole series.

[@DomWeasel]

'Formulating policy means making choices. Once you do that, you please the people that you favour but you infuriate everybody else. One vote gained, ten lost.' I think this speech from Humphrey was the final nail in the coffin of my belief in democracy. Nothing gets done because its just one big popularity contest and the easiest way to be popular is to never make the tough, unpopular but necessary decisions. So nothing ever changes and nothing ever changes in politics is the point this show hammers home at every opportunity.

[@Fedacking]

When the Labour Party came in power in 1997 they especifically formulated a integrated national transport policy for Britain

[@DomWeasel]

@@Fedacking And nothing became of it. British transport remains a giant mess with rail companies lagging as much as ten years behind the rest of the developed world, British roads being famous for their poor condition and airport expansion caught in an endless battle with conservationists, NIMBYs and local politics.

[@Fedacking]

@@DomWeasel I mean the rest of the developed world are democracies so it seems to me that democracies can have better transportation. It can be done it's just that English politicians are incompetent

[@DomWeasel]

@@Fedacking Go to different countries and they'll tell you their nations have been dealing with the same problems for decades with successive governments promising to tackle the issue but never actually doing anything. In France, it's agriculture. In Japan, overcrowding. Every American administration of the 20th century claimed they would 'clean up' the streets but it ended up being time and outside investment that turned around places like New York, once known as the 'Big Rotten Apple' and crime remains a severe issue in the US; particularly murder.

[@Fedacking]

What do you mean in France it's Agriculture? The french agriculture is pretty good rn.

[@dubey_ji]

Even sir Humphrey was cautious of Bernard ? 😅

[@mizzyroro]

Question. Since the head of the Duchy of Lancaster is the soverign, shouldn't the title be the Duchess of Lancaster and not a Duke of Lancaster?

[@jamiemacleavy2482]

No, the Queen uses male titles for everything except the title of queen itself. Its quite antiquated but its something like as to avoid confusion as to who is in power

[@stevien196]

@@jamiemacleavy2482You are absolutely right. HM the Queen is the Duke of Lancaster. Were she not this she would not be queen.

[@stephenphillip5656]

Strictly speaking, the Cabinet position referred to in the clip should be "Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster" the holder of which deals with the running of the Crown Estates in the said Duchy (rents, maintenance etc,). In fact it is more of a ceremonial post although the holder is a member of the Cabinet. It allows the Prime Minister to appoint a senior minister as "Minister without Portfolio" (no defined duties) who will act as troubleshooter, advisor etc

[@FantasticOtto]

This is so accurate it almost makes me want to cry. In my country we have a problem with the rail signal system. It fails every two terms, which is why any current government never see the point in upgrading it: It’s incredibly expensive, only the politicians two terms down the line will claim the benefits by finally having a rail signal system that doesn’t suck and everyone else will have forgotten what you did in the first place. It’s easier to just blame yesterday’s governments and focus on instant voter gratification.

[@davidberan9612]

Sounds like my country of origin (Czechia).

[@NeathSpadge]

Sounds like so many countries

[@Mourtzouphlos240]

This is why the Communists work in 5 Year Plans.

[@videosrus8631]

Your country being. . . England? LOL

[@Bermondseybob]

No, it should say "beware of Trojan's, they're complete Smeg Heads!"

[@dallaskoivu502]

When the minister switches into Winston Churchill mode, it’s so transparent what he’s doing

[@martinrandall5836]

Thought that quote was from Di Vinci?

[@anthonylittle2396]

The Trojan horse was actually a Greek horse... This could be a meme

[@ProtheroeVideos1]

Best Prime Minister we ever had. Jim Hacker

[@aspd00]

Bernard is truly a student Humphry

[@kironmanuel7474]

How did Bernard know so much,?

[@stephenphillip5656]

Bernard had an Honours degree in Classics, studying Latin, Greek, history, high art etc. If he couldn't conjugate Greek & Latin verbs, quote from Euclid, be conversant with Greek philosophers etc, he wouldn't have got an Honours degree...

[@Opsinpelaaja]

which episode was this?

[@diegomolina9741]

Yes, Minister Series 3 Episode 5: The Bed of Nails

[@Opsinpelaaja]

@@diegomolina9741 ty

[@Taporeee]

Please don't ruin it with adding graphics to subscribe

[@kreb7]

Actually is phovou tous Danaous kai Dora ferondes. In Greeck

[@Maclabhruinn]

Surely you mean "Φοβού τους Δαναούς και δώρα φέροντες" :-)

[@danielyeshe]

The funny thing is that other countries do have integrated transport!

[@rishabhawasthi8825]

It's awesome. All three are dead. But awesome show

[@noeldown1952]

What's "the LOC" at 2:25?

[@christergellerman695]

It is LSE, London School of Economics.

[@bluecardholder]

London School of Economics, a university in London, as opposed to Oxford or Cambridge where most senior civil servants got their degrees. It's a constant theme of both Humphrey and Barnard rubbishing Hackers university as away of putting him down.

[@JJfromPhilly67]

There was an episode where Sir Humphrey mentions the universities, "both of them." Of course Cambridge is looked down upon by Sir Humphrey. Indeed when someone slanders him, saying he is an agent for a hostile government, Sir Humphrey exclaims, "But I didn't go to Cambridge!" The most notorious traitors of the 20th century went to Cambridge were "the Cambridge Five:" Kim Philby, Guy Burgess, Donald Mclean, Anthony Blunt, and John Cairncross.

[@dreamer_4937]

@TheRenaissanceman65 pointless and incorrect semantics. LSE awards its own degrees, making it a university in its own right. It is an independent, self-governing member institution of the UoL, which is a federal university. LSE is therefore not a college, not in the Doxbridge manner at least.

[@dreamer_4937]

@TheRenaissanceman65 I don’t know when you graduated but LSE has offered degrees in its own name since 2008. Perhaps you should follow your own advice.

[@gungdegalang4635]

King George III

[@anleathbrogandubh]

general who?

[@markswan3209]

Galtieri

[@stephenphillip5656]

Galtieri, leader of the Argentine junta during the Falklands War (March - June 1982).

[@markmark3315]

Galtieri initiated the Falklands war against UK, by which he gained a large boost right before re-election, but was soon removed from power after the loss of war. Margaret Thatcher gained a lot of popularity after winning the war as UK, whom is Hacker refering to.

[@mattevans4377]

Or he could just compromise so none are happy, point out they are all out to get him when they all kick up a fuss, and look like the underdog, amd voters like the underdog. Only problem is, that makes too much sense.....

[@speedmachine69]

Dear god that stupid "subscribe" banner tat needs to stop......... put that right in the bin...

[@richri1673]

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