Series synopsis
Raising Hope is an American comedy family television series that premiered on FOX on September 21, 2010. It ended on April 4, 2014. It was created by Greg Garcia. It stars Bijou Phillips, Lucas Neff, Martha Plimpton and Garret Dillahunt.
James "Jimmy" Chance is a clueless 24-year-old who impregnates a serial killer during a one-night-stand. Earning custody of his daughter after the mother is sentenced to death, Jimmy relies on his oddball but well-intentioned family for support in raising the child.
Premise
James "Jimmy" Chance is a clueless 24-year-old who impregnates a serial killer during a one-night-stand. Earning custody of his daughter after the mother is sentenced to death, Jimmy relies on his oddball but well-intentioned family for support in raising the child.
Cast and characters
Leading cast
- Bijou Phillips as Lucy
- Lucas Neff as Jimmy Chance
- Martha Plimpton as Virginia Chance
- Garret Dillahunt as Burt Chance
- Shannon Woodward as Sabrina
- Cloris Leachman as Maw Maw
- Gregg Binkley as Barney Hughes
- Jaime Pressly as Donna
Supporting cast
- Tichina Arnold as Sylvia
- Phill Lewis as Donovan
Guest cast
- Fred Willard as Mr. Swift
- Katy Perry as Rikki Hargrove
- Ashley French as Mary-Louise
- Hilary Duff as Rachel
- Michael Rapaport as Michael
- Matt Winston as Stu
- Ryan Doom as Wyatt
- Travis Van Winkle as Philip
- David Krumholtz as Carl
- Jeremy Steel as Nate
- Matt Leonard as Big Kuhuna
- Greyson Chance as Young Jimmy
Episodes
This series spans 5 seasons with 94 episodes.
| Season | Episodes | First aired | Last aired |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 0 | 6 | September 20, 2011 | September 20, 2011 |
| Season 1 | 22 | September 21, 2010 | May 17, 2011 |
| Season 2 | 22 | September 20, 2011 | April 17, 2012 |
| Season 3 | 22 | October 2, 2012 | March 28, 2013 |
| Season 4 | 22 | November 15, 2013 | April 4, 2014 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Unaired Network Pilot Originally titled Keep Hope Alive. Olesya Rulin played Sabrina, the new love interest for Jimmy. Kate Micucci was cast as Jimmy's cousin. The role was originally created as a male named Mike. Fox decided to recast two roles from the pilot. Shannon Woodward replaced Olesya Rulin as Sabrina, Jimmy's new love interest. Also recast was the role of Jimmy's cousin, and the role reverted to male with the addition of Skyler Stone as Mike. With this, Kate Micucci's role changed from Jimmy's cousin to become Shelly, the cousin of his love interest Sabrina |
September 20, 2011 |
| 2 |
Adorable Stars: Meet the Hopes Season 1 Special Feature, meet the babies who played Hope |
September 20, 2011 |
| 3 |
Moments with Mrs. Chance Season 1 Special Feature - Funniest moments with Martha Plimpton as Virginia |
September 20, 2011 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Pilot A 23-year-old man must enlist his family to help him raise a baby that is the result of a one-night stand with a wanted felon. |
September 21, 2010 |
| 2 |
Dead Tooth Jimmy asks Sabrina's cousin to baby-sit Hope so he can return to work. Burt tries to persuade Virginia to quit smoking. |
September 28, 2010 |
| 3 |
Dream Hoarders The family baby-proofs the house as Hope learns to crawl. Jimmy visits the grocery store in hopes of seeing Sabrina. |
October 5, 2010 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Prodigy When Jimmy watches a home video of himself as a thirteen-year-old, he discovers that he was a musical prodigy with a promising career as a singer and pianist until a horrible accident involving a golf putter rendered him talentless. Jimmy recruits Burt, Virginia and Maw Maw to help him rediscover his lost abilities. |
September 20, 2011 |
| 2 |
Sabrina Has Money When Burt discovers that Sabrina is the daughter of his wealthy new client, he lets the family in on her secret. Embarrassed by her family’s wealth she reluctantly introduces the Chance family to her father, Cap. Meanwhile Jimmy decides Hope should have rich friends and begs Sabrina to take him to her sister’s party where Sabrina’s insecurities become apparent. |
September 27, 2011 |
| 3 |
Kidnapped When a ponytailed hippie named Jack who kidnapped Burt twenty years ago unexpectedly pays the Chance family a visit, they discover that Burt's disappearance wasn't all it appeared. Meanwhile Jimmy's jealousy creeps out when Sabrina anxiously awaits a text from her boyfriend Wyatt. |
October 4, 2011 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Not Indecent, But Not Quite Decent Enough Proposal At the funeral for Sabrina's grandmother, Nana, the Chance family meets Tamara (Melanie Griffith), Sabrina's mother; Nana's last will and testament has a significant impact on Sabrina and Jimmy's relationship. |
October 2, 2012 |
| 2 |
Throw Maw Maw from the House, Part One A visiting social worker sees how the Chances take care of Maw Maw and suspects elder abuse; Sabrina asks Jimmy to get rid of a beloved t-shirt. |
October 9, 2012 |
| 3 |
Throw Maw Maw from the House, Part Two The Chance family devises a plan to break Maw Maw out of the nursing facility; Jimmy worries about his future sanity. |
October 16, 2012 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Déja Vu Man Burt and Virginia decide to investigate when a strange man keeps popping up in the Chances' lives. Maw Maw reveals a secret about Virginia's past. |
November 15, 2013 |
| 2 |
Burt Bucks Burt and Virginia introduce Natesville to a new bartering system called "Burt Bucks," that looks an awful lot like a pyramid scheme. Jimmy questions his masculinity after Sabrina saves his life. |
November 15, 2013 |
| 3 |
Ship Happens When Sabrina learns Jimmy never went on a family vacation as a kid, she decides to take Hope on a trip and prove to Burt and Virginia that family vacations aren't necessarily stressful. |
November 22, 2013 |
Production
Release
| Original network/platform | FOX |
|---|---|
| First aired | September 21, 2010 |
| Last aired | April 4, 2014 |
| Runtime | 30 minutes |
| Status | Ended |
| Schedule | Friday at 21:30:00 |