3 ms·

"It would appear that the American report leaves some important questions unanswered, some of the evidence is inconclusive, some findings have been questioned,

"It would appear that the American report leaves some important questions unanswered, some of the evidence is inconclusive, some findings have been questioned, and the figures are open to interpretation and different results might come from a widened, more detailed study over a longer time scale." [1]—words that killed any possibility of science under the umbrella of the political since 1981. I don't understand why the author needs to qualify: "Yes, Minister is one of the most seminal British political satires", it simply is the most seminal political satires [2], together with the follow-up, Yes, Prime Minister [3]. [1] Around minute 25 of the episode 4, season 2. [2] Of course, some might say de gustibus, however, even Veep could not succeed in combining wit, humor, and relevancy in such a manner. Not to even mention the unique use of the English language: any of the Humphrey-ian soliloquyial verbiages is up there with any speech from Hamlet and above. The fact that there are so few episodes certainly helps in keeping the essence dense. [3] https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086831/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086831/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

db48x 4y ago
I tend to agree. It’s definitely a British television show, but it wipes the floor with any other political satire I’ve ever seen, British or otherwise. Of course I haven’t watched all the television shows that ever aired, so… top 5 at least.
- ly3xqhl8g9 4y ago
  I watched the Zelenskyy political comedy series [1], well, because of the implication. In the same period, 2015-2019, there is also Au service de la France [2]. They both have their moments, but they cannot deliver the constant overflow of satirical point-counterpoint in the same manner as Yes, Minister. [1] Servant of the People, https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6235122/?ref_=nm_knf_t_3 https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6235122/?ref_=nm_knf_t_3 [2] https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4367560/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4367560/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
- dadadad100 4y ago
  “The thick of it” is right up there. Less about the process and more about the bullying. It’s creator then created Veep.
  - ly3xqhl8g9 4y ago
    And in between Veep seasons made The Death of Stalin [1] in 2017: Steve Buscemi as Nikita Khrushchev is all I have to say. [1] https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4686844/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4686844/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
    - dghf 4y ago
      And Jason Isaacs as Marshal Zhukov, with a Yorkshire accent because why not?
      - ly3xqhl8g9 4y ago
        The accents were a brilliant move: instead of making them speak English with a Slavic accent, they use only heavy English accents as to demarcate and indicate the provenance of the speaker in the same manner as if they spoke actual Russian, Georgian, Ukrainian, and so forth. 'Director Iannucci explained the decision to Metro: “I felt Russian accents would just kill the comedy dead,” he said. “It makes the whole thing artificial. It makes you feel like you’re not there. And I want people to feel like they’re there.”' [1] [1] https://slate.com/culture/2018/03/in-praise-of-the-accents-in-the-death-of-stalin.html https://slate.com/culture/2018/03/in-praise-of-the-accents-i...
- GeekyBear 4y ago
  The bit on which group of people read which newspaper is an absolute gem. https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/yes_prime_minister/quotes/ https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/yes_prime_minister/quotes/
  - tialaramex 4y ago
    Note that particular gag is somewhat older, here's an article dating it to 1973: https://www.dirtyfeed.org/2021/04/what-the-papers-say/ https://www.dirtyfeed.org/2021/04/what-the-papers-say/ [The writers for Yes Minister acknowledged that this wasn't their invention] The "tits" punchline used in later versions of the joke makes more sense in an era where the association between the role of Prime Minister and male gender is shaken, which in 1973 may still have seemed like a distant future possibility - whereas by the time Yes Minister was first broadcast Margaret Thatcher was in 10 Downing Street.

db48x 4y ago

I tend to agree. It’s definitely a British television show, but it wipes the floor with any other political satire I’ve ever seen, British or otherwise. Of course I haven’t watched all the television shows that ever aired, so… top 5 at least.

ly3xqhl8g9 4y ago
I watched the Zelenskyy political comedy series [1], well, because of the implication. In the same period, 2015-2019, there is also Au service de la France [2]. They both have their moments, but they cannot deliver the constant overflow of satirical point-counterpoint in the same manner as Yes, Minister. [1] Servant of the People, https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6235122/?ref_=nm_knf_t_3 https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6235122/?ref_=nm_knf_t_3 [2] https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4367560/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4367560/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
dadadad100 4y ago
“The thick of it” is right up there. Less about the process and more about the bullying. It’s creator then created Veep.
- ly3xqhl8g9 4y ago
  And in between Veep seasons made The Death of Stalin [1] in 2017: Steve Buscemi as Nikita Khrushchev is all I have to say. [1] https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4686844/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4686844/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
  - dghf 4y ago
    And Jason Isaacs as Marshal Zhukov, with a Yorkshire accent because why not?
    - ly3xqhl8g9 4y ago
      The accents were a brilliant move: instead of making them speak English with a Slavic accent, they use only heavy English accents as to demarcate and indicate the provenance of the speaker in the same manner as if they spoke actual Russian, Georgian, Ukrainian, and so forth. 'Director Iannucci explained the decision to Metro: “I felt Russian accents would just kill the comedy dead,” he said. “It makes the whole thing artificial. It makes you feel like you’re not there. And I want people to feel like they’re there.”' [1] [1] https://slate.com/culture/2018/03/in-praise-of-the-accents-in-the-death-of-stalin.html https://slate.com/culture/2018/03/in-praise-of-the-accents-i...
GeekyBear 4y ago
The bit on which group of people read which newspaper is an absolute gem. https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/yes_prime_minister/quotes/ https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/yes_prime_minister/quotes/
- tialaramex 4y ago
  Note that particular gag is somewhat older, here's an article dating it to 1973: https://www.dirtyfeed.org/2021/04/what-the-papers-say/ https://www.dirtyfeed.org/2021/04/what-the-papers-say/ [The writers for Yes Minister acknowledged that this wasn't their invention] The "tits" punchline used in later versions of the joke makes more sense in an era where the association between the role of Prime Minister and male gender is shaken, which in 1973 may still have seemed like a distant future possibility - whereas by the time Yes Minister was first broadcast Margaret Thatcher was in 10 Downing Street.