Following on from Yes Minister, Jim Hacker is now Prime Minister and Sir Humphrey Appleby is Cabinet Secretary. Bernard is also along for the ride, as Hacker's personal secretary. As in their previous roles, their jobs often devolve into a battle of agendas, ideals, wills and wits between Hacker and Sir Humphrey.
Very similar formula to Yes Minister - the political ideals and poll-focus of the Prime Minister versus the practicality and preference to maintain the status quo of the civil service, with quite of few of Sir Humphrey's personal agendas thrown in for good measure.
The main difference from Yes Minister is that everything is now at a higher level, and includes international diplomacy, defense projects and spending, education, local government - broader, national issues.
Therein lies the problem with Yes, Prime Minister. Because of Yes Minister's lower level, its plots, issues and solutions were much more plausible. So plausible the series should be used in teaching Political Studies. Yes, Prime Minister, by comparison, feels contrived, and downright silly, at times.
Fortunately this is a comedy, not a drama, so plausibility isn't a top concern. Still, it helps.
When it comes to the humour, while still quite funny, this series seems less original than its predecessor, and happy to retread old jokes and use formulaic gags. Worst of all, Bernard, who was the face of innocence and the straight man to the machinations of Hacker and Sir Humphrey in Yes Minister, has been reduced to making lame puns and other one-liners.
The writing is just not as tight or finely-crafted as in Yes Minister.
This all said, it does make some great points about government and always does so in a very humorous fashion. Some issues raised are well ahead of their time and the laughs come thick and fast.
Not as great as Yes Minister but still very good.
Very similar formula to Yes Minister - the political ideals and poll-focus of the Prime Minister versus the practicality and preference to maintain the status quo of the civil service, with quite of few of Sir Humphrey's personal agendas thrown in for good measure.
The main difference from Yes Minister is that everything is now at a higher level, and includes international diplomacy, defense projects and spending, education, local government - broader, national issues.
Therein lies the problem with Yes, Prime Minister. Because of Yes Minister's lower level, its plots, issues and solutions were much more plausible. So plausible the series should be used in teaching Political Studies. Yes, Prime Minister, by comparison, feels contrived, and downright silly, at times.
Fortunately this is a comedy, not a drama, so plausibility isn't a top concern. Still, it helps.
When it comes to the humour, while still quite funny, this series seems less original than its predecessor, and happy to retread old jokes and use formulaic gags. Worst of all, Bernard, who was the face of innocence and the straight man to the machinations of Hacker and Sir Humphrey in Yes Minister, has been reduced to making lame puns and other one-liners.
The writing is just not as tight or finely-crafted as in Yes Minister.
This all said, it does make some great points about government and always does so in a very humorous fashion. Some issues raised are well ahead of their time and the laughs come thick and fast.
Not as great as Yes Minister but still very good.