Waiting for God (TV Series) Foreign Workers (1991) User Reviews

Lying, cheating, badmouthing...funny episode.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 8/10 · 1 July 2023]

Harvey is trying to save costs at Bay View and insists on a workforce of illegal immigrants. Tom is desperate to regain his youth, and begins a course of exercise and vitamins.

Fair to say this was of its time, the attitudes and views of an older generation, where foreign workers weren't perhaps quite up to scratch, and clearly none of them would have possibly spoken a single word of English.

There are definitely a tonne of stereotypes here, but I can forgive that, it was made back in 1991, things have changed somewhat. In fairness it is a very funny episode.

Harvey is on top form, saving money wherever he can, even aiming for a shorter work force.

Duvitski is delightful as Jane once again, her delivery is priceless as always. Her limitation of phrases is quite something.

8/10.

The idiot Baines has yet another scheme to cut spending at Bayview.

[planktonrules · 8/10 · 3 December 2023]

Throughout "Waiting for God", Harvey Idiot Baines comes up with scheme after scheme to cut spending at Bayview. In this case, he's determined to fire the English staff and replace them all with illegal aliens which he can pay next to nothing. This means that Jane's days at Bayview are numbered...unless Tom and Diana somehow thwart Baines once again.

The other plot here is about Tom. He's determined to get in good shape but WAY overdoes it...to the point where he nearly kills himself.

Overall, this is yet another excellent installment of a series which seems to never have a misfire. Enjoyable, well written and well worth seeing.

What about the workers?

[ygwerin1 · 8/10 · 24 September 2020]

Waiting for God is one of my absolute favourite TV comedies, and I really enjoy the characters and actors performances.

But to an extent it could be said that in some ways its, simply pandering to cultural stereotypes.

In other words the old British preoccupation born out of Empire, of the idea of the 'Johnny Foreigners'. And the concomitant patronising habit of talking slowly in 'Pigeon English', to anyone who is of a different nationality than English.

We see it in Diana's attitudes towards for instance Antonio, the Portuguese gardener/handyman. And her atypical English attitudes towards the Welsh, Irish and Scots.

The Manager of Bayview Harvey Bains is desperate to show to the Board running the Home, that he can control the cost of running the place. He is doubtless following their cheapskate guidelines of minimum cost, and maximum profits especially for the avaricious shareholders.

Baines is typical of such a ruthless mercenary type operator, though in his case its combined with incompetence.

We can see the Management attitudes clearly expressed, by the Idiot Baines in wanting to employ the illegal workers. Being illegal means that they have absolutely no rights whatsoever, if they try to claim anything they will be deported. Which means that they have to work for whatever money they can get, and suffer the worst working conditions.

From Tom's attempts to get fit we see a wonderful attitude, to aging from the Professor Susan Speed.

Tom who is away with the fairies for a fair percentage of the time, and took the exercise advice too far for his own physical health.