Yes Minister (TV Series) The Compassionate Society (1981) User Reviews

Great start to the second series

[snoozejonc · 9/10 · 29 March 2021]

Hacker delves into the administrative dealings of the health service.

This is a humorous episode with Hacker crusading once more against the inefficiency of the government services to its citizens and opening a fairly volatile can of worms. The eventual resolution is very clever.

The themes in this one are as relevant today as when it was when written with the NHS being in such a precarious position. This makes the banter between characters feel very relevant.

As ever the dialogue is fantastically written with the main actors on great form delivering it as usual. I love it when Paul Eddington goes into his Churchill style delivery.

8.5/10 for me.

Season two

[safenoe · 8/10 · 27 December 2023]

Season starts with Peter Whitmore taking over the directorial duties from Sydney Lotterby, who later directed all the Yes, Prime Minister episodes. Sydney Lotterby directed all but one of the Yes Minister season one episodes, with Stuart Allen directing the first episode.

Here England's health department is center stage and if it's anything like here in America, then much work is needed.

Jonathan Lynn co-created and co-wrote Yes, Minister with Antony Jay. Interestingly, Antony Jay received a knighthood to become Sir Antony Jay but to this day Jonathan Lynn hasn't. Yet Jonathan Lynn went on to direct Clue, Nuns on the Run, My Cousin Vinny, and The Whole Nine Yards so it's strange init that Jonathan has been overlooked for a knighthood.