5 ms·

I grew up watching Yes, (Prime)? Minister. The 70s to the early 80s were really the golden age of British TV. This show, Blake's 7 (if you like sci-fi and haven

by cletus 4y ago

I grew up watching Yes, (Prime)? Minister. The 70s to the early 80s were really the golden age of British TV. This show, Blake's 7 (if you like sci-fi and haven't seen this it's still great, go watch it), Dr Who's golden years (ie Tom Baker), even the Goodies. probably even Grange Hill (which had a high school student die of a heroin overdose). One particularly prescient piece was the Nuclear Deterrant [1]. Even 40+ years ago this episode argued that nuclear weapons were mostly pointless because you'd never use them and instead you should invest in smart weapons. The linked segment even has a line that the Soviets can't take Western Europe, they can't even hold Afghanistan. Consider that in light of Ukraine. Think about where munitions have gone and "smart" weapons are particularly prevelent. And of course the writing and performance for Sir Humphrey in particular was absolutely top notch. [1]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o861Ka9TtT4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o861Ka9TtT4

secondcoming 4y ago
This [0] clip about Opinion Polls and National Service was an Ah-ha moment for me [0] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahgjEjJkZks https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahgjEjJkZks
marcosdumay 4y ago
It doesn't say they are pointless. It says one would never use them (there is no worst case scenario that wouldn't became worse by using them), but for them not to be used, one has to have them. Or, basically, it explained MAD.
- pixl97 4y ago
  Also the salami tactics episode was great.
  - dingosity 4y ago
    Don't you mean the "british offal tube" episode?
    - labster 4y ago
      Brexit means Brexit.
- smcin 4y ago
  Yes, you have to have them because your rivals do. In order to make sure each other never actually uses theirs. It's all perfectly logical you see.
hnbear 4y ago
Yes, Minister was the original series. Yes, Prime Minister was a follow-up after Jim Hacker is elected Prime Minister. The series is just a continuation and just as funny, or more so.
- derefr 4y ago
  I don't think the GP comment was asking a question in a parenthetical; rather, they were expressing the names of both shows together using regular-expression syntax.
  - valarauko 4y ago
    Makes sense. In my case, I probably would have phrased it as a question myself, since I did watch them as a kid but honestly couldn't tell you which one of those I used to watch.
  - Mordisquitos 4y ago
    True, though GP made a subtle mistake in not moving one space into the optional capture group. It should have been for example /Yes,( Prime)? Minister/, lest it were to match Yes, Prime Minister Yes, Minister
    - frupert52 4y ago
      Thank you Bernard. That will be all
    - neruthes 4y ago
      No, Bernard. That question was purely rhetorical.
  - InCityDreams 4y ago
    Source?
    - waterhouse 4y ago
      https://www.regular-expressions.info/optional.html#greedy https://www.regular-expressions.info/optional.html#greedy
dingosity 4y ago
Yup. Kind of amazing what you can do with decent stories. Blake's 7 and 70s Doctor Who were notorious for cheezy effects, sets, props and costumes. But the stories really were pretty decent. Blake's 7 eventually annoyed me by how slow it progressed, but if you relax and accept that it's slower than your typical trek episode, it's perfectly fine. The same era saw Survivors, The Tripods and Children of the Stones. Cheezy effects but very decent stories and still worth watching.
- raffraffraff 4y ago
  After Stephen Greif left Blake's 7 and they replaced him with that awful guy, every episode with Space Commander Travis in it was excruciating. Apparently Mr Greif died last December.
karencarits 4y ago
> Nuclear Deterrant Also on Nuclear Deterrant: https://youtu.be/N6Et35vPYLg?t=184 https://youtu.be/N6Et35vPYLg?t=184 > Jim: Sometimes wonder why we need the weapons > Sir Humphrey: Minister, you are not a unilateralist? > Jim: Sometimes wonder, you know > Sir Humphrey: Well then you must resign from the government! > Jim: Nonono, I am not that unilateralist. The Americans will always protect us from the Russians, wouldn't they? > Sir Humphrey: Russians? Who's talking about the Russians? > Jim: Well, independent deterrent... > Sir Humphrey: It's to protect us against the French! > Jim: The French? But.. But.. They are our allies! And partners! > Sir Humphrey: Well, that are now, but they've been our enemies for most of the past 900 years. If they have got the bomb, we must have the bomb
- helmholtz 4y ago
  > Sir Humphrey: I gather there's an airborne battalion in the air. > Jim Hacker: Sounds like the right place for it. With the best shit-eating grin ever. I love Yes Prime Minister with all my heart. And the event leading up to it: > James Hacker : Hello? Yes, Ronnie. I want the president of St George's Island to extend an invitation to Britain to send an airborne battalion on a goodwill visit. No, just a friendly gesture. Goodwill. Yes, at once, please. Thank you. > [hangs up] > James Hacker : He seemed to think that 800 fully armed paratroopers was an awful lot to send on a goodwill visit. > Israeli Ambassador : No, it's just an awful lot of goodwill. > James Hacker : [phone rings] Oh, yes, Paul. You know you have an airborne battalion on standby in Germany? Never mind how I know. Well, since it's not being used, I want them to fly straight off to St George's Island. [Pause] Sort of between Africa and India. A goodwill visit. Just showing the flag. They have been invited. Yes. Leave in... six hours. Yes, an *instant* goodwill visit. Tell your press office to announce it at once. No, no, leave me out of it. A *routine* visit. All right - a routine *surprise* visit. Well, say they were invited earlier, but the NATO exercise got in the way. Now they're not needed, they're going anyway. All right. Nobody knows it's not true. Press statements aren't delivered under oath.
chadcmulligan 4y ago
Some great shows, if you're talking nuclear deterrent, 'Whoops Apocalypse' was a great mini series from the same era, that I still revisit now and then.

by cletus 4y ago

secondcoming 4y ago

This [0] clip about Opinion Polls and National Service was an Ah-ha moment for me [0] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahgjEjJkZks https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahgjEjJkZks

marcosdumay 4y ago

It doesn't say they are pointless. It says one would never use them (there is no worst case scenario that wouldn't became worse by using them), but for them not to be used, one has to have them. Or, basically, it explained MAD.

pixl97 4y ago
Also the salami tactics episode was great.
- dingosity 4y ago
  Don't you mean the "british offal tube" episode?
  - labster 4y ago
    Brexit means Brexit.
smcin 4y ago
Yes, you have to have them because your rivals do. In order to make sure each other never actually uses theirs. It's all perfectly logical you see.

hnbear 4y ago

Yes, Minister was the original series. Yes, Prime Minister was a follow-up after Jim Hacker is elected Prime Minister. The series is just a continuation and just as funny, or more so.

derefr 4y ago
I don't think the GP comment was asking a question in a parenthetical; rather, they were expressing the names of both shows together using regular-expression syntax.
- valarauko 4y ago
  Makes sense. In my case, I probably would have phrased it as a question myself, since I did watch them as a kid but honestly couldn't tell you which one of those I used to watch.
- Mordisquitos 4y ago
  True, though GP made a subtle mistake in not moving one space into the optional capture group. It should have been for example /Yes,( Prime)? Minister/, lest it were to match Yes, Prime Minister Yes, Minister
  - frupert52 4y ago
    Thank you Bernard. That will be all
  - neruthes 4y ago
    No, Bernard. That question was purely rhetorical.
- InCityDreams 4y ago
  Source?
  - waterhouse 4y ago
    https://www.regular-expressions.info/optional.html#greedy https://www.regular-expressions.info/optional.html#greedy

dingosity 4y ago

Yup. Kind of amazing what you can do with decent stories. Blake's 7 and 70s Doctor Who were notorious for cheezy effects, sets, props and costumes. But the stories really were pretty decent. Blake's 7 eventually annoyed me by how slow it progressed, but if you relax and accept that it's slower than your typical trek episode, it's perfectly fine. The same era saw Survivors, The Tripods and Children of the Stones. Cheezy effects but very decent stories and still worth watching.

raffraffraff 4y ago
After Stephen Greif left Blake's 7 and they replaced him with that awful guy, every episode with Space Commander Travis in it was excruciating. Apparently Mr Greif died last December.

karencarits 4y ago

> Nuclear Deterrant Also on Nuclear Deterrant: https://youtu.be/N6Et35vPYLg?t=184 https://youtu.be/N6Et35vPYLg?t=184 > Jim: Sometimes wonder why we need the weapons > Sir Humphrey: Minister, you are not a unilateralist? > Jim: Sometimes wonder, you know > Sir Humphrey: Well then you must resign from the government! > Jim: Nonono, I am not that unilateralist. The Americans will always protect us from the Russians, wouldn't they? > Sir Humphrey: Russians? Who's talking about the Russians? > Jim: Well, independent deterrent... > Sir Humphrey: It's to protect us against the French! > Jim: The French? But.. But.. They are our allies! And partners! > Sir Humphrey: Well, that are now, but they've been our enemies for most of the past 900 years. If they have got the bomb, we must have the bomb

helmholtz 4y ago
> Sir Humphrey: I gather there's an airborne battalion in the air. > Jim Hacker: Sounds like the right place for it. With the best shit-eating grin ever. I love Yes Prime Minister with all my heart. And the event leading up to it: > James Hacker : Hello? Yes, Ronnie. I want the president of St George's Island to extend an invitation to Britain to send an airborne battalion on a goodwill visit. No, just a friendly gesture. Goodwill. Yes, at once, please. Thank you. > [hangs up] > James Hacker : He seemed to think that 800 fully armed paratroopers was an awful lot to send on a goodwill visit. > Israeli Ambassador : No, it's just an awful lot of goodwill. > James Hacker : [phone rings] Oh, yes, Paul. You know you have an airborne battalion on standby in Germany? Never mind how I know. Well, since it's not being used, I want them to fly straight off to St George's Island. [Pause] Sort of between Africa and India. A goodwill visit. Just showing the flag. They have been invited. Yes. Leave in... six hours. Yes, an *instant* goodwill visit. Tell your press office to announce it at once. No, no, leave me out of it. A *routine* visit. All right - a routine *surprise* visit. Well, say they were invited earlier, but the NATO exercise got in the way. Now they're not needed, they're going anyway. All right. Nobody knows it's not true. Press statements aren't delivered under oath.

chadcmulligan 4y ago

Some great shows, if you're talking nuclear deterrent, 'Whoops Apocalypse' was a great mini series from the same era, that I still revisit now and then.