Tom Willis

[BestTVever]

I hated this character, especially watching the show today. The character is the fat, white, dumb guy. Every line from Tom especially in the later seasons was something dumb. Every interaction was George making fun of his eating or Tom admitting he ate the icing from George's birthday cake. The character is so moronic especially in the later seasons. I get that he was one of few white guys on the show's main cast and the interracial marriage was fertile ground for George's jokes.
I try to imagine if his character was 160% different and he was smart and put George in his place along with his wife.
Tom started dumb and naive but the later seasons he was a complete idiot and only used as folly for the cast to make fun of. I think the reason it got so annoying is because of how long the series ran. If the show was only 1 or 2 seasons I suppose that sort of character could have worked. Similar to Good Times, the white characters were portrayed as idiots. I know the writers were making a point but watching today it just all looks really dumb.
In the early seasons George made fun of their interracial marriage. Once Jenny had the baby and the Willis's became better friends with the Jeffersons. Tom then was dominated by his wife and the interracial stuff took a back seat to Tom being fat, dumb, controlled, and cant control his eating.

[Fallon97]

Sorry. I disagree. I love Tom Willis.

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by BestTVever

I hated this character, especially watching the show today. The character is the fat, white, dumb guy. Every line from Tom especially in the later seasons was something dumb. Every interaction was George making fun of his eating or Tom admitting he ate the icing from George's birthday cake. The character is so moronic especially in the later seasons. I get that he was one of few white guys on the show's main cast and the interracial marriage was fertile ground for George's jokes.
I try to imagine if his character was 160% different and he was smart and put George in his place along with his wife.
Tom started dumb and naive but the later seasons he was a complete idiot and only used as folly for the cast to make fun of. I think the reason it got so annoying is because of how long the series ran. If the show was only 1 or 2 seasons I suppose that sort of character could have worked. Similar to Good Times, the white characters were portrayed as idiots. I know the writers were making a point but watching today it just all looks really dumb.
In the early seasons George made fun of their interracial marriage. Once Jenny had the baby and the Willis's became better friends with the Jeffersons. Tom then was dominated by his wife and the interracial stuff took a back seat to Tom being fat, dumb, controlled, and cant control his eating.

If you pay close attention you will notice he is only dumb and goofy in the presence of George. When George is not around he is normal

[BestTVever]

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

If you pay close attention you will notice he is only dumb and goofy in the presence of George. When George is not around he is normal

Thats a really good observation. You are right. He is serious and grounded when George is not around. But when they are near each other, Tom turns into an idiot. The eating and fat jokes got so old in the later seasons. Poor Tom was poked fun of, was the butt of all jokes, dominated by his wife, made no decisions, and George made fun of him.

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by BestTVever

Thats a really good observation. You are right. He is serious and grounded when George is not around. But when they are near each other, Tom turns into an idiot. The eating and fat jokes got so old in the later seasons. Poor Tom was poked fun of, was the butt of all jokes, dominated by his wife, made no decisions, and George made fun of him.

And when he dressed up as Mr. Starch that was just a little too much