Jonathan Lynn and Antony Jay’s collaboration resulted in what appears to be one of the most clever and funny comedies ever produced. The highly diverting portrayals combined with a skillful use of language offer a disturbing look at how "democratic" government really works, as well as highlighting the persistent lack of skill and effectiveness among some—or even many—of our elected officials. Paul Eddington is excellent portraying the politically inexperienced Minister ("Jim Hacker MP") within the fictional, yet entirely believable, Ministry of Administrative Affairs – an unbelievably unnecessary governmental division that serves as a catch-all for issues that more important people wouldn’t want to deal with. Nigel Hawthorne embodies "Sir Humphrey," the cunning figure pulling strings as permanent secretary; the top civil servant who intends to follow his minister's directions, but only when it aligns with what his bureaucratic colleagues desire. Caught between these two is Bernard Woolley (Derek Fowlds), the private secretary, who shares a similar innocence to his boss but possesses a more grounded sense of idealism—and also tends to say the wrong thing fairly often. A particularly strong aspect of this series is how the characters develop over time. The unfortunate "Hacker" begins to understand how to navigate the system and eventually achieves some successes against "Sir Humphrey" and his methods. This trio presents a quick, thoughtful examination of government shortcomings that remains relevant and entertaining nearly four decades later. It led to “Yes, Prime Minister,” which is also outstanding! Anyone with an interest in political humor or simply good comedy should watch it.

Source on TMDB