Classic series and cheaper than the DVDs, these are yours to keep
Meet the bewildered Rt Hon James Hacker, his scheming and equivocating Permanent Secretary, Sir Humphrey Appleby and of course, Bernard, the piggy-in-the middle. This great value boxed set contains the complete series one, two and three – every single episode until Jim Hacker rises to become prime minister. Easily the sharpest political comedy every written, with clandestine help from real civil servants, this is satire that bites so close to home it sometimes seems more like a documentary. Don’t let the fact that it was Margaret Thatcher’s favourite show put you off, this does the impossible: it makes politics not just fun but hilariously funny.
*** Use code TUBE50 ***
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8 comments
davewave
13 Feb 165#1
Hacker: Who else is in this department?
Sir Humphrey: Well briefly, sir, I am the Permanent Under Secretary of State, known as the Permanent Secretary. Woolley here is your Principal Private Secretary. I too have a Principal Private Secretary and he is the Principal Private Secretary to the Permanent Secretary. Directly responsible to me are ten Deputy Secretaries, 87 Under Secretaries and 219 Assistant Secretaries. Directly responsible to the Principal Private Secretaries are plain Private Secretaries, and the Prime Minister will be appointing two Parliamentary Under-Secretaries and you will be appointing your own Parliamentary Private Secretary.
Hacker: Can they all type?
Sir Humphrey: None of us can type. Mrs Mackay types: she's the secretary.
Minister: Pity, we could have opened an agency.
Sir Humphrey: Very droll, Minister.
Hacker: I suppose they all say that, do they?
Sir Humphrey: Certainly not, Minister. Not quite all...
Not so good if like me one is on slow broadband connection plus I would rather have the DVD set so thanks for the heads up, I just ordered a used Boxset via an Amazon seller for £1.88 inc P&P!
Had I not seen your deal I would not have noticed the set for £1.88. :smiley:
plainjane1983
13 Feb 16#3
Great series!! Heat added :smiley:
WBRacing
13 Feb 164#4
Funny, intelligent, brilliantly acted comedy.
A fabulous example of the adage "they don't make 'em like they used to."
jasee to WBRacing
13 Feb 16#5
The later series with different actors just didn't make it
Raspberry
13 Feb 161#6
... and relevant. This clip about replacing Polaris is just as relevant the current debate about Trident link
Proveright
14 Feb 16#8
Should be made part of the schools curriculum.
Although a comedy it was based on fact. The Civil servants behind the scenes really run the country . The episodes can now be viewed in a historical context . The Data protection act, the efficient hospital without any patents , appointing inquires to not come up with the truth, appointing a certain judge so that the outcome is predetermined, the honours system, the old boys net work, covering up civil servant mistakes costing the tax payer millions, trying to cut the civil service, building a new motorway , they all subsequently became true in real life.
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Opening post
Meet the bewildered Rt Hon James Hacker, his scheming and equivocating Permanent Secretary, Sir Humphrey Appleby and of course, Bernard, the piggy-in-the middle. This great value boxed set contains the complete series one, two and three – every single episode until Jim Hacker rises to become prime minister. Easily the sharpest political comedy every written, with clandestine help from real civil servants, this is satire that bites so close to home it sometimes seems more like a documentary. Don’t let the fact that it was Margaret Thatcher’s favourite show put you off, this does the impossible: it makes politics not just fun but hilariously funny.
*** Use code TUBE50 ***
You can stream programmes you’ve bought online instantly when signed into BBC Store and BBC iPlayer via your browser on mobile, tablet, PC or Mac.
To watch purchases without an Internet connection or when you’re abroad, download them to your PC or Mac using the BBC Store Downloader.
8 comments
Sir Humphrey: Well briefly, sir, I am the Permanent Under Secretary of State, known as the Permanent Secretary. Woolley here is your Principal Private Secretary. I too have a Principal Private Secretary and he is the Principal Private Secretary to the Permanent Secretary. Directly responsible to me are ten Deputy Secretaries, 87 Under Secretaries and 219 Assistant Secretaries. Directly responsible to the Principal Private Secretaries are plain Private Secretaries, and the Prime Minister will be appointing two Parliamentary Under-Secretaries and you will be appointing your own Parliamentary Private Secretary.
Hacker: Can they all type?
Sir Humphrey: None of us can type. Mrs Mackay types: she's the secretary.
Minister: Pity, we could have opened an agency.
Sir Humphrey: Very droll, Minister.
Hacker: I suppose they all say that, do they?
Sir Humphrey: Certainly not, Minister. Not quite all...
Had I not seen your deal I would not have noticed the set for £1.88. :smiley:
A fabulous example of the adage "they don't make 'em like they used to."
Although a comedy it was based on fact. The Civil servants behind the scenes really run the country . The episodes can now be viewed in a historical context . The Data protection act, the efficient hospital without any patents , appointing inquires to not come up with the truth, appointing a certain judge so that the outcome is predetermined, the honours system, the old boys net work, covering up civil servant mistakes costing the tax payer millions, trying to cut the civil service, building a new motorway , they all subsequently became true in real life.