Yes Minister (TV Series) The Bed of Nails (1982) User Reviews

Transport Muggins

[snoozejonc · 9/10 · 21 July 2021]

Jim Hacker is appointed 'Transport Supremo' to devise an integrated transport system.

This is a strong episode that amusingly shows the politics behind unpopular government policies and the strategic leaking of information to the media.

It has a refreshing plot with Hacker and Sir Humphrey actually on the same side for the majority of the episode. Seeing them working as a team is great fun and ironically shows that when ministers and the civil service work together they can be quite formidable.

As ever we get lots of sharp, satirical insight into the workings of the civil service, plus the added bonus of seeing that old chestnut of the leaked dossier put to good effect.

The banter is as strong as ever with plenty of insults aimed at standard targets such as permanent secretaries, ministers and on a couple of occasions the London School of Economics. Bernard Woolley delivers another hilarious pedantic correction of metaphors used by Hacker and Humphrey.

Paul Eddington, Nigel Hawthorne and Derek Fowlds are on great for as ever.

For me it is an 8.5/10 but I round upwards.

Poisoned chalice

[safenoe · 8/10 · 27 December 2023]

The Bed of Nails debuted over 40 years ago, yet it's relevance in transport policy is very timely for modern times, especially since the pandemic with more people working from home. Anyway, here Minister Hacker is given the poisoned chalice of being transport czar.

Jonathan Lynn co-created and co-wrote Yes, Minister with Antony Jay. Interestingly, Antony Jay received a knighthood to become Sir Antony Jay but to this day Jonathan Lynn hasn't. Yet Jonathan Lynn went on to direct Clue, Nuns on the Run, My Cousin Vinny, and The Whole Nine Yards so it's strange init that Jonathan has been overlooked for a knighthood.