The BEST episodes of Yes Minister

Every episode of Yes Minister ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Yes Minister!

This is the story of the endless battles between the Government in the form of Jim Hacker, a brand new Cabinet Minister and the Civil Service of his department run by Sir Humphrey Appleby. Stuck in the middle of it all is civil servant Bernard Woolley.

Last Updated: 1/5/2024Network: BBC TwoStatus: Ended
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A Question of Loyalty
star
8.46
151 votes

#1 - A Question of Loyalty

Season 2 - Episode 7 - Aired 4/6/1981

Jim and Sir Humphrey pass the buck to protect each other when they appear before a select committee investigating charges of waste in Hacker's ministry, until Jim's higher loyalties are called upon.

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The Writing on the Wall
star
8.40
214 votes

#2 - The Writing on the Wall

Season 1 - Episode 5 - Aired 3/24/1980

A rumour starts that Jim's department is about to be axed. So with help from Sir Humphrey, they try and defeat the Prime Minister's plans.

Directors: Sydney Lotterby
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The Death List
star
8.37
188 votes

#3 - The Death List

Season 2 - Episode 3 - Aired 3/9/1981

When Jim learns that when in opposition he was bugged by the secret service, he decides to bring in legislation to kerb the bugging. only to find out that he is on the death list of a group of terrorist's, and the best way to find them, is by bugging phone lines

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Big Brother
star
8.20
312 votes

#4 - Big Brother

Season 1 - Episode 4 - Aired 3/17/1980

When the Government is planning to introduce a national database, Jim wants to bring in safe guards, but Sir Humphrey stalls until with some help from the opposition, Jim gets his way.

Directors: Sydney Lotterby
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The Devil You Know
star
8.17
235 votes

#5 - The Devil You Know

Season 2 - Episode 5 - Aired 3/23/1981

When Jim is betrayed by a Cabinet colleague over his plans to bring in jobs for British workers, he thinks about leaving Westminster and becoming a European Commissioner, But when Sir Humphrey learns who his replacement will be, he tries to change Jim's Mind.

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The Skeleton in the Cupboard
star
8.16
147 votes

#6 - The Skeleton in the Cupboard

Season 3 - Episode 3 - Aired 11/25/1982

Jim uses a costly mistake from Sir Humphrey's past to escape chastising an efficient local council for being late with their paperwork.

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The Moral Dimension
star
8.15
144 votes

#7 - The Moral Dimension

Season 3 - Episode 4 - Aired 12/2/1982

Jim is forced to back down about exposing bribery used to obtain a lucrative foreign contract when Bernard allows a valuable vase from a foreign government to be undervalued so that Mrs. Hacker can keep it.

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Equal Opportunities
star
8.11
120 votes

#8 - Equal Opportunities

Season 3 - Episode 1 - Aired 11/11/1982

Jim decides to promote more women to high civil service positions despite Sir Humphrey's opposition.

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Open Government
star
8.09
344 votes

#9 - Open Government

Season 1 - Episode 1 - Aired 2/25/1980

Jim Hacker wins a seat in the election and is given a cabinet post in the new government He meets the permanent secretary for his department Sir Humphrey Appleby but Jim decides to change the way things are done in the civil service so Sir Humphrey starts a plan to stop him

Directors: Stuart Allen
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The Bed of Nails
star
8.01
162 votes

#10 - The Bed of Nails

Season 3 - Episode 5 - Aired 12/9/1982

Jim accepts an unpopular position pushing a transportation bill desired by No 10, but opposed by everyone else.

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The Right to Know
star
7.99
232 votes

#11 - The Right to Know

Season 1 - Episode 6 - Aired 3/31/1980

Jim faces rebellion at home and in the office over the removal of protected status from a badger habitat, while he tries to circumvent Sir Humphrey's efforts to keep him ignorant of things.

Directors: Sydney Lotterby
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Jobs for the Boys
star
7.97
182 votes

#12 - Jobs for the Boys

Season 1 - Episode 7 - Aired 4/7/1980

Jim goes on radio to support the Solihull project a Government, union and private enterprise building scheme, that he has inherited from the last administration, but unknown to him the project is close to bankruptcy, Sir Humphrey hopes to save the deal by offering a Quango to the director of the bank involved

Directors: Sydney Lotterby
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The Middle-Class Rip-Off
star
7.95
139 votes

#13 - The Middle-Class Rip-Off

Season 3 - Episode 7 - Aired 12/23/1982

Jim and Sir Humphrey collide when Jim acts as an MP to sell an art gallery and museum in his district to support a popular local football club.

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The Challenge
star
7.94
138 votes

#14 - The Challenge

Season 3 - Episode 2 - Aired 11/18/1982

When Jim tackles local council administration and civil defense, he runs afoul of a BBC interviewer.

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The Quality of Life
star
7.91
230 votes

#15 - The Quality of Life

Season 2 - Episode 6 - Aired 3/30/1981

Sir Humphrey uses Jim's promise to keep a popular city farm project open to get special permission for an additional nine floors on a proposed skyscraper.

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The Greasy Pole
star
7.88
209 votes

#16 - The Greasy Pole

Season 2 - Episode 4 - Aired 3/16/1981

Jim has the chance of creating jobs,and saving a chemical company, when they are offered the chance to manufacture a highly dangerous chemical, but when the news gets out that it might be too dangerous, he has to back down.

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Doing the Honours
star
7.88
277 votes

#17 - Doing the Honours

Season 2 - Episode 2 - Aired 3/2/1981

When Jim learns that he can block civil servant's honours, he blackmails them into cutting their budgets, but when he hears that he might be in line for an honorary degree, he has to back down.

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The Official Visit
star
7.85
308 votes

#18 - The Official Visit

Season 1 - Episode 2 - Aired 3/3/1980

When the leader of an African country is killed in a coup, his successor, who is an old friend of Jim's, comes in his place. They negotiate a £50 million deal to help buy oil exploration equipment.

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The Whisky Priest
star
7.85
166 votes

#19 - The Whisky Priest

Season 3 - Episode 6 - Aired 12/16/1982

Jim faces opposition from all sides when he learns that British munitions have been sold to terrorist groups and he decides to start an inquiry into how it happened.

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The Compassionate Society
star
7.82
177 votes

#20 - The Compassionate Society

Season 2 - Episode 1 - Aired 2/23/1981

When Jim learns that a brand new hospital still has no medical staff, but hundreds of civil servants working there, he proposes that half of the civil servants be sacked and use the money saved to open wards with medical staff.

Directors: Peter Whitmore
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The Economy Drive
star
7.79
272 votes

#21 - The Economy Drive

Season 1 - Episode 3 - Aired 3/10/1980

Jim Hacker is determined to reduce the Civil Service, but he is frustrated by Sir Humphrey, and the only numbers he can alter are the numbers of tea ladies.

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