Waiting for God backdrop
Comedy

The Best Episodes of Waiting for God

Every episode of Waiting for God ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of Waiting for God!

Binge this in 22h 30m•Peaking at 8.3/10

Refusing to succumb to old age, Tom Ballard and Diana Trent are a pair of seasoned delinquents that cause many headaches. Their uneasy alliance is destined to make life difficult at the Bayview Retirement Village.

Airs on
BBC One
BestEpisodes
WorstEpisodes
BestSeasons
AllEpisodes

Seasons5

All12345

Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
    Click to reveal
    Waiting for God Season 3 Episode 6 - Scandal
    8.3/10(49 votes)

    #1 - Scandal

    S3:E6

    Resident Dave Cartwright has died and at the wake the drink flows freely amongst the inhabitants of Bayview. Tom and Diana certainly have knocked it back and next morning wake up in bed together. Jane is shocked but Tom suddenly becomes very popular with the ladies in the home's bowling team.

    Director:Gareth Gwenlan
    Writer:Michael Aitkens

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  2. Waiting for God Season 3 Episode 9 - Sleeping Pills
    8.3/10(52 votes)

    #2 - Sleeping Pills

    S3:E9

    Diana collapses and is rushed to hospital where Baines tries, unsuccessfully to cop off with the lady doctor. Diana, wrongly, gets it into her head that she is dying of cancer and asks Tom to get her some sleeping pills so that she can end it all quickly. For Tom, however, there are limits as to what he will do for his best friend.

    Director:Gareth Gwenlan
    Writer:Michael Aitkens

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  3. Waiting for God Season 3 Episode 10 - Great Aunt Diana
    8.3/10(52 votes)

    #3 - Great Aunt Diana

    S3:E10

    The residents are getting wet waiting for a bus but when it arrives the driver claims that they cannot get on for free for another four minutes as they are too early, so Diana hauls him off the bus and Tom hi-jacks it on behalf of the residents. Later this will come in handy when a very pregnant Sarah arrives, seeking Diana's reluctant help to deliver her baby. Ultimately a girl arrives, unsurprisingly, Sarah calls her Diana.

    Director:Gareth Gwenlan
    Writer:Michael Aitkens

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  4. Waiting for God Season 5 Episode 8 - A Double Wedding?
    8.3/10(45 votes)

    #4 - A Double Wedding?

    S5:E8

    After confiding her doubts about marriage to Sarah, Diana has a raucous hen night with male strippers whilst Tom's stag night is a very staid affair. The befuddled Dennis Sparrow is to conduct the two wedding ceremonies separately but due to a double booking involving a funeral, a double wedding is on the cards after all - despite Marion's efforts to sabotage Tom's marrying Diana.

    Director:Gareth Gwenlan
    Writer:Michael Aitkens

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  5. Waiting for God Season 2 Episode 3 - Daisy Takes Charge
    8.2/10(56 votes)

    #5 - Daisy Takes Charge

    S2:E3

    Baines threatens Diana with expulsion unless she removes the partition but they both have more pressing matters to consider as Daisy becomes completely domineering, taking over the home with her ideas and threatening to get current staff sacked. Finally, Tom organizes a revolt against her, causing her to leave . . . and Diana to remove the partition.

    Director:Gareth Gwenlan
    Writer:Michael Aitkens

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  6. Waiting for God Season 3 Episode 4 - Harvey's Fiancee
    8.2/10(51 votes)

    #6 - Harvey's Fiancee

    S3:E4

    Baines meets a girl-friend, Lucy Maitland, at the hunt ball. His mother is coming to visit before going to stay with his sister so Jane poses as Lucy Maitland to put Mother off Harvey's new fiancee whilst Tom and Diana ham it up mercilessly pretending to be Baines' parents talking to Lucy. The result is that Lucy does not stay around and Jane has got her Baines back all to herself.

    Director:Gareth Gwenlan
    Writer:Michael Aitkens

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

    7. Trending NowTRENDING NOW

    The 20 WORST Episodes of Waiting for God

    READ
  7. Waiting for God Season 3 Episode 5 - The Estate Agent
    8.1/10(49 votes)

    #7 - The Estate Agent

    S3:E5

    After she has been accused of selfishness, Diana goes to work as a volunteer at a charity for elderly people and takes up the cause of an old lady about to be evicted by unscrupulous estate agent Janet Follett. Diana learns that Ms. Follett is Baines' new girl-friend and she has plans for Bayview which will not go down well with the residents. With a little help from Tom and her media background Diana sets out to expose Ms. Follett.

    Director:Gareth Gwenlan
    Writer:Michael Aitkens

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  8. Waiting for God Season 4 Episode 10 - The Conference
    8.1/10(39 votes)

    #8 - The Conference

    S4:E10

    There is to be a conference on the needs of the elderly held, and Diana is asked to be the local representative. At the same time Tom is waiting on tests to see if he has prostrate cancer, and so Diana researches the subject for the conference. Although the results of the test are as yet undisclosed, Tom declares his love for Diana.

    Director:Gareth Gwenlan
    Writer:Michael Aitkens

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  9. Waiting for God Season 1 Episode 1 - Welcome to Bayview
    8.0/10(82 votes)

    #9 - Welcome to Bayview

    S1:E1

    Tom Ballard is put in Bayview retirement home by drunken daughter Marion and her weak husband Geoffrey. Many of the residents are very passive but not retired journalist Diana Trent, whose mission in life is to annoy 'the idiot Baines' - Harvey Baines, the home's manager. Initially she thinks Tom is rather dotty but when he tries to organize the residents into action against the home's poor food she knows she has found an ally.

    Director:Gareth Gwenlan
    Writer:Michael Aitkens

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  10. Waiting for God Season 2 Episode 4 - The Thief
    8.0/10(53 votes)

    #10 - The Thief

    S2:E4

    Resident Betty claims that her sewing basket has gone missing and Tom and Diana decide to investigate. Not fully believing Betty's story they follow her and Tom intervenes when they see her apparently shop-lifting. Tom is arrested and conducts his own court case, being found not guilty of theft, but guilty of contempt of court. Later, Diana recalls that she had the sewing basket all along, having borrowed it from Betty and forgetting she still had it.

    Director:Sue Bysh
    Writer:Michael Aitkens

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  11. Waiting for God Season 1 Episode 6 - The Psychiatrist
    7.9/10(57 votes)

    #11 - The Psychiatrist

    S1:E6

    Baines decides that if Diana and Tom are seen to be mentally incompetent it will give him power of attorney over them and end all his troubles, particularly as the home is in financial difficulties. So he refers them to psychiatrist Dr.Darrow, for whom they act out a well-rehearsed pantomine of odd behaviour, leading the doctor to conclude that they are not mad, just a touch eccentric, with unexpected help coming from Sarah.

    Director:Gareth Gwenlan
    Writer:Michael Aitkens

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  12. Waiting for God Season 3 Episode 2 - Two Nasty Children
    7.9/10(53 votes)

    #12 - Two Nasty Children

    S3:E2

    Blaming Tom for introducing Marion to Dennis Sparrow, Geoffrey asks him to baby-sit his two children Skye and Tarquin, but they are little monsters who run rings round them. Fortunately, Diana is on hand to put them in their place. Baines decides to try computer dating to find his wife but Jane decides to put her oar in.

    Director:Gareth Gwenlan
    Writer:Michael Aitkens

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  13. Waiting for God Season 4 Episode 9 - Waterworks
    7.9/10(37 votes)

    #13 - Waterworks

    S4:E9

    After drinking a lot at a reunion, Tom has trouble passing water and becomes very sensitive about it. He tries to keep it from Diana but his secretive behaviour initially leads her to believe that he is seeing another woman. Ultimately, he sees a doctor and goes to hospital and she is upset that he had not told her the truth.

    Director:Gareth Gwenlan
    Writer:Michael Aitkens

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  14. Waiting for God Season 1 Episode 2 - A Trip to Brighton
    7.8/10(76 votes)

    #14 - A Trip to Brighton

    S1:E2

    Diana rows with chief carer Jane for calling her a senior citizen and Tom does his best to ignore Marion and Geoffrey. Diana's niece Sarah has left her Porsche at the home so Diana drives Tom to Brighton in it. Harvey Baines reports it missing and the couple are stopped by the police but explain that Diana has her niece's permission to use it and Harvey is threatened with arrest for wasting police time.

    Director:Gareth Gwenlan
    Writer:Michael Aitkens

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  15. Waiting for God Season 1 Episode 5 - Fraulein Mueller
    7.8/10(59 votes)

    #15 - Fraulein Mueller

    S1:E5

    Jane wants to become a nun so Baines sacks her and brings in stern German matron Greta Mueller, who is a tyrant and tells Sarah where Diana hid the Porsche. Tom cons Baines into making him the head of the Residents' Association and gets up a petition, which Baines thinks is to get rid of Diana, so he signs it. Actually it's to get rid of Greta, so he is forced to fire her and reinstate Jane.

    Director:Gareth Gwenlan
    Writer:Michael Aitkens

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  16. Waiting for God Season 2 Episode 6 - The Hip Operation
    7.8/10(60 votes)

    #16 - The Hip Operation

    S2:E6

    Diana falls and breaks her hip whilst throwing a brick at the home's incompetent South American gardener. She is taken to hospital where she rows with the Welsh doctor over a hip replacement operation and Sarah, about to marry Sam, comes to visit. Sarah knows that Diana dislikes Sam and wonders if she will try to stop the wedding..or even attend. In the end Diana turns up for her niece's big day, using a Zimmer frame. Marion, meanwhile, is not making a success of the beauty shop and Tom suggests Sam take back the franchise.

    Director:Gareth Gwenlan
    Writer:Michael Aitkens

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  17. Waiting for God Season 3 Episode 7 - Sabotage
    7.8/10(48 votes)

    #17 - Sabotage

    S3:E7

    Whilst Baines is ecstatic about his new car Tom and Diana plan a little holiday and start a vacation fund. Unfortunately, Geoffrey decides to invest the money in the new intensive care wing that Baines is having built for Bayview. When Tom finds out he and Basil show how creative they can be when somebody conveniently leaves a bulldozer lying around and the holiday is on.

    Director:Gareth Gwenlan
    Writer:Michael Aitkens

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  18. Waiting for God Season 3 Episode 8 - Politics
    7.8/10(43 votes)

    #18 - Politics

    S3:E8

    Diana decides that she would like to enter politics and stands as an independent candidate for the Residents' Party. Baines has been asked to stand for the Tories so Tom decides he will have some fun and join in the race too. Diana is forced to stand down when Baines threatens to sack care worker Jenny but Diana makes sure that this is used against him too and his political career is a non-starter.

    Director:Gareth Gwenlan
    Writer:Michael Aitkens

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  19. Waiting for God Season 4 Episode 5 - The Seance
    7.8/10(41 votes)

    #19 - The Seance

    S4:E5

    Whilst Mr. Kwok demonstrates karate to the Bayview males, who vie with each other to impress Jane, Tom is introduced to Jane's psychic, Marjorie Evans, and asks to be put in touch with his dead wife. A seance is duly organized, but Marion has bribed the medium to give a fake message, saying that Tom's wife disapproves of his relationship with Diana. Diana,however, exposes the plot.

    Director:Gareth Gwenlan
    Writer:Michael Aitkens

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  20. Waiting for God Season 5 Episode 1 - After The Operation
    7.8/10(36 votes)

    #20 - After The Operation

    S5:E1

    Diana visits Tom in hospital. His operation to clear his prostrate cancer has been a success and he returns to Bayview with her. Unfortunately Geoffrey, who has had yet another falling-out with Marion, decides he wants to move in with them again. Baines is rejected by an exclusive golf club because he is unmarried.

    Director:Gareth Gwenlan
    Writer:Michael Aitkens

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  21. Waiting for God Season 1 Episode 3 - Cheering Up Tom
    7.7/10(66 votes)

    #21 - Cheering Up Tom

    S1:E3

    Tom really thinks that he won't have to wait for God much longer when he says he is dying and is rushed to hospital. He is discovered to have had a heart attack but he becomes very depressed and talks about suicide,writing 'die on Thursday' in his diary. In order to talk him out of what she believes to be his plan to end it all Diana threatens to join him.

    Director:Gareth Gwenlan
    Writer:Michael Aitkens

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  22. Waiting for God Season 1 Episode 7 - The Helicopter
    7.7/10(59 votes)

    #22 - The Helicopter

    S1:E7

    With upcoming by-elections Councillor Ferguson is courting the grey vote and comes to the home. At the same time Diana, once a photo-journalist, takes Tom up in a helicopter to take aerial shots of local houses to sell to their owners. Among her shots is one of Ferguson and the Swedish nanny being very naughty on the lawn. This comes in very handy at scuppering Ferguson's plan to support a Japanese spare parts factory being built next to Bayview.

    Director:Gareth Gwenlan
    Writer:Michael Aitkens

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  23. Waiting for God Season 2 Episode 7 - Glamorous Grannies
    7.7/10(56 votes)

    #23 - Glamorous Grannies

    S2:E7

    Tom has a bet with Diana that she can't be nice to people for a work. Such untypical actions only lead to confusion. Baines wants to organize a glamorous grandmother contest for the old ladies in the home, the prize being a cruise for two. Since Basil wants to marry Betty, Tom approaches his son-in-law Geoffrey, whose firm are sponsoring the contest to let Betty win, but when Betty gets cold feet and refuses to enter, Diana, having made sure a journalist friend is present to expose any 'fixing' the contest; replaces her and wins. She lets Betty and Basil have the prize.

    Director:Sue Bysh
    Writer:Michael Aitkens

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  24. Waiting for God Season 3 Episode 3 - Looking for Work
    7.7/10(49 votes)

    #24 - Looking for Work

    S3:E3

    It's April and yet it's still very cold so the residents do not appreciate it when Baines turns off the central heating and suggest the residents go jogging to keep warm. Tom and Diana decide to get jobs to get out of the icy-cold home. Tom gets a job working with Geoffrey, but he is such a pain that ,in order to get rid of him, Geoffrey pays Baines to put the heating back on.

    Director:Gareth Gwenlan
    Writer:Michael Aitkens

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  25. Waiting for God Season 4 Episode 1 - Financial Difficulties
    7.7/10(41 votes)

    #25 - Financial Difficulties

    S4:E1

    Diana is horrified to find that she is unaccountably in the red and goes up to London to cause a fuss, only to discover that all her investments have gone into receivership. Back in Bayview, Tom's room is suffering from severe rising damp so Tom comes up with a solution that will sort things out for them both. They will live together in one large room. Diana accepts this but draws the line at being carried over the threshold.

    Director:Gareth Gwenlan
    Writer:Michael Aitkens

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

Best Episodes Summary

"Scandal" is the best rated episode of "Waiting for God". It scored 8.3/10 based on 49 votes. Directed by Gareth Gwenlan and written by Michael Aitkens, it aired on 10/15/1992. This episode scored 0.0 points higher than the second highest rated, "Sleeping Pills".