 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Raising Hope
Common Sense Media says
Quirky family sitcom about young dad has lots of heart.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this quirky sitcom from the creator of My Name Is Earl deals with single fatherhood (resulting from unprotected sex), exploring them within the context of family bonds and learning life lessons. Some of the humor is based on stereotypes about lower-income families, and there's a fair bit of sexual innuendo (as well as shots of characters in their underwear or partially naked -- though no sensitive body parts are shown) and cigarette smoking. References are also made to murder and capital punishment; fantasy violence is also visible. Despite all of this, the series ultimately sends positive messages about both parenthood and family.
What's the story?
Offbeat sitcom RAISING HOPE stars Lucas Neff as Jimmy Chance, a 23-year-old pool skimmer looking for a higher purpose in life. After discovering that he fathered a baby girl during a one-night stand with a convicted killer, Jimmy chooses to raise his daughter rather than give her up for adoption. But being a single father isn't easy, especially when he's relying on his wacky family for help, including his strong-willed mother, Virginia (Martha Plimpton); his goofball dad, Burt, (Garret Dillahunt); and his incoherent great-grandmother, Maw-Maw (Cloris Leachman). Jimmy's sarcastic friend/co-worker Sabrina (Shannon Woodward) often offers her unique brand of guidance, too. It's definitely crazy, but together the Chance family figures out that while they may not be rich or perfect, the one thing they can offer baby Hope is a lot of love.
Is it any good?
Raising Hope has plenty of madcap comedy to offer thanks to the antics of its eccentric cast of characters. But amidst all the quips and zaniness is a heartfelt story about a young man who willingly takes responsibility for his child and about a family who, despite all its problems, genuinely cares enough to help him throughout this journey.
Some of the show's slapstick-like humor comes from stereotypes about lower-income families, as well as topics like teen/unwed pregnancy and aging. But these themes are offered within the context of learning life lessons, growing up, and discovering what it really means to be a parent. Best of all, the show successfully offers these lessons in a way that's both funny and heartfelt.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about what's funny. Is it appropriate to use topics like murder or single parenthood to make people laugh? Why or why not?
Can humor be used to teach people about serious issues? How? Are there any issues that you think TV writers and/or comedians should never poke fun at?
What stereotypes does Raising Hope reference in its jokes/humor? Is that OK? When is and isn't it appropriate to use stereotypes?
- Show:
- All members
- Parents
- Teens & kids
AGE
Naive.
Naive in some ways , but still heartfelt comedy.few rude things, but still for kids.Great family comedy.
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
Fox show making Tues. Night T.V. worth it
This show's a riot! It's just so funny. I've finally found something to watch on Tuesday Nights. They always find some issue and make it funny. My only concerns for yonger-ish kids are language and sexual behavior. It's a great show and if you watch it you'll understand.
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
very ifffy for preteens but k for older children and teens
its a very hilarious show that i love to watch, it may have the uses of the word a word and b word but it is very intresting, it comes on at 9pm tuesdays on fox.
Was this review useful?
|
|
Kid, 12 years old
May 7, 2011
AGE
middle school is around age
haha super funny show! i love it mama is soo funny
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
I loved My Name is Earl. It's was hilarious and very moving. AND GOT CANCELED! INCOMPLETE! GRRR! .....now that i'm done ranting. It's the same here. Dark humor and touching moments seem to go hand in hand in this show. Such in the first episode, Virginia tells Jimmy to drop Hope off at the fire station (to get rid of her), and looks down at Hope endearingly and says, "You wanna go see the fire trucks, precious?" XD
Yet, close to the end, while Jimmy cannot get Hope to go to sleep, she and his father come into his room and sing Hope to sleep with the same that they used to sing to Jimmy.
The show is funny and cute. :D
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
awsome
its 1 of the best shows ever it teaches people to be positive and educates them in a way the show is really funny
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
i rate this title ON for ages 13+
The good stuff
*
Messages:
Despite the fact that it sometimes relies on blue-collar stereotypes for laughs and mines issues like teen pregnancy and dementia for humor, the series ultimately offers positive messages about the importance of family and commitment.
*
Role models:
Jimmy willingly takes responsibility for his daughter and tries hard to do the right things for her -- even though he often doesn't have a clue about what that is. The Chances aren’t perfect, but they genuinely care about each other and are willing to help Jimmy raise Hope.
What to watch out for
*
Violence:
References to murder and capital punishment (all done in a light tone). One scene briefly shows someone in the electric chair. People are occasionally hit with things like TV sets, but no injuries are visible. Baby Hope is sometimes seen flying through the air and/or involved in other mishaps, but she's unharmed.
*
Sex:
Some strong sexual innuendo. References to teen pregnancy. Jimmy has unprotected sex during a one-night stand (not shown); other hook-ups are implied. People are shown in their underwear. The term “weiner” is used to refer to male genitals. Men are shown peeing in the bushes, but no nudity is shown. Great-Grandma sometimes wanders around topless (shown from the back).
*
Language:
Words like “pissed," “ass,” and "weiner" are audible.
*
Consumerism:
Occasional notable placement of books like David Sedaris' Naked and other products.
*
Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
Members of the Chance family frequently smoke (Virginia in particular always seems to have a cigarette in her mouth); there's some comedic discussion of why this isn't good for babies. Beer and other drinks are occasionally consumed.
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
Fox does an outstanding job promoting Raising Hope, which airs Tuesdays at 9/8c following Glee. They make it seem like it's one of the most original half-hour comedies about a poor family to come about since My Name Is Earl was canceled in 2009, but it's essentially an average sitcom. The premise is wildly zany (very reminiscent of Raising Arizona without coming off as a bad rip-off) but the execution of the jokes is just okay. For a surreal show like this, it's surprisingly sitcommy and formulaic. However, Raising Hope is a very warm show and has this contagiously positive charm that will make you want to keep watching each and every week. All of the characters are very well-rounded, lovable, and three-dimensional (Lucas Neff plays Jimmy Chance perfectly) and that's more than enough to balance out the repetitive writing formula of each episode. I've grown to care way too much about Jimmy and his family to stop watching Raising Hope because it's formulaic and every episode feels the same. You know a show is good when the characters are so interesting and multi-faceted that you could care less about the quality of the writing (which is just average for every episode; I haven't seen a bad episode so far). I would love to have Jimmy as a friend or simply have the Chances as neighbors!!! Before you watch, just be on the lookout for the occasional sexual situation or profanity. Give it a shot if you haven't already!
Was this review useful?
|
|
| Topics: | misfits and underdogs |
| TV rating: | TV-14 |
| Network: | Fox |
| Cast: | Garret Dillahunt, Lucas Neff, Martha Plimpton |
| Genre: | Comedy |
Review It
Great alternatives handpicked by our editors
Already seen it? What do you think?
More from Common Sense Media
Top advice and articles
