Waiting for God (BBC-1 1990-1994, Graham Crowden, Stephanie Cole)

The misadventures of the elderly has always seemed to strike a chord with British comedy viewers, from Dad’s Army to Last of the Wummer Wine it seems we enjoy watching OAP’s not behaving as they should, mainly I guess because we’d like to think that’s how it should be and not settling into that just living out your days routine.

Waiting For God is no exception, this BBC sitcom follows the elderly Tom Ballard (the brilliant Graham Crowden) and Diana Trent (the equally brilliant Stephanie Cole) who find themselves stagnating in the Bayview Retirement Village; With rooms next door to each the two team up to rail against what they see as the inadaquacies of their current situation, main focus of their frustration is the pernickety (and annoying) manager of Bayview, Harvey Bains (Daniel Hill).

Created and written by Australian ex-pat and former actor Michael Aitkens (he had a major role in 1970’s classic Power Without Glory), Waiting For God is a funny series made stronger by the towering performances by its two leads.

production details
UK / BBC One / 46×30 minutes 1×45 minutes / Broadcast 28 June 1990 – 27 October 1994

Writer: Michael Aitkens
Producer: Gareth Gwenlan

cast
Graham Crowden as Tom Ballard
Stephanie Cole as Diana Trent
Daniel Hill as Harvey Bains
Janine Duvitski as Jane Edwards
Sandra Payne as Marion Ballard
Andrew Tourell as Geoffrey Ballard