Waiting For God – Season Four (1993/BBC DVD)

 

Picture: C+     Sound: C+     Extras: D     Episodes:  C-

 

 

This two disc set of Waiting for God, which ranked 37th in 2004’s Britain’s Best Sitcom poll, includes all ten Season Four episodes, plus a more insipid than usual Christmas episode. 

 

Though Waiting for God thrives by countering the stereotypical portrayals of the elderly in mass media, it unfortunately falls prey to repetitive writing, predictable plots, and, ironically, stereotypical characters, albeit behaving against type.  The overall arc of this particular season begins with Diana’s (Stephanie Cole) financial circumstances being so dire as to force her to bunk in with her friend, Tom (Graham Crowden).  The plots are as tired as might be; since old folks normally don’t go down these hoary old plot trails, what results is sort of a reverse Bugsy Malone.  As the season plays out its tired old chestnuts, there is a ramp up at the end with Tom having some prostate trouble that may or may not be serious indeed.

 

Talk about your season ending “cliffhangers,” cheerily accentuated by an exceedingly dismal “bonus” Christmas episode! 

 

Perhaps there is something that doesn’t quite translate across the pond or perhaps elder rights are advanced enough in the States to make all of this matter-of-fact, though that seems to be a somewhat questionable premise.  In any case, it is all much ado about very, very little.  If British sitcoms are your cup of meat, return to Are You Being Served reruns for genuine belly laughs, punctuated by the occasional heartfelt moments that will have to pass for serious if you value comedy in your sitcom.

 

 

-   Don Wentworth