Series 1
Vision, integrity and a ruthless streak are the weapons of the political power. Unfortunately new Prime Minister Jim Hacker has none of these, but he does have the cowardice, desperation and a scheming, pragmatic Cabinet Secretary in Sir Humphrey...
All Episodes
Episode 1
The Grand Design
January 9, 1986
With his finger now on the nuclear button, Hacker plans his first act as Prime Minister to be a radical new defence policy.
Episode 2
The Ministerial Broadcast
January 16, 1986
Jim is coached in the world of show business as he prepares to address the nation on his defence policy.
Episode 3
The Smoke Screen
January 23, 1986
Jim favors abolishing smoking through heavy taxation but runs into strong opposition from the tobacco lobby and the Treasury department.
Episode 4
The Key
January 30, 1986
Office politics take precedence over national issues when Sir Humphrey and Bernard fall out with each other after Jim tries to restrict Sir Humphrey’s access to №10.
Episode 5
A Real Partnership
February 6, 1986
Sir Humphrey tries to get his scheduled pay raise even though increases for M.P.s have been put on hold for budgetary reasons.
Episode 6
A Victory for Democracy
February 13, 1986
Jim must take action to avert a Marxist takeover of a Commonwealth island nation despite the efforts of the Foreign Office to keep him ignorant.
Episode 7
The Bishop’s Gambit
February 20, 1986
Jim has to choose a new bishop but doesn’t like either the Church or Sir Humphrey’s choices.
Episode 8
One of Us
February 27, 1986
Hacker threatens to place Sir Humphrey on leave while a security inquiry looks into why he cleared a confessed Soviet spy many years earlier, so Sir Humphrey retaliates with a dog in distress on Salisbury plain.