Common Sense Media Review
By Melissa Camacho
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Quirky family sitcom about young dad has lots of heart.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Raising Hope
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 6 parent reviews
Based on 23 kid reviews
Kids say this show is funny but features a significant amount of sexual innuendo, making it potentially unsuitable for younger viewers without parental guidance. Although many find it hilarious and appreciate its family themes, the frequent adult content prompts mixed feelings about its appropriateness for children under 12.
- humor
- adult themes
- not for kids
- strong characters
- family values
- mature content
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
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.
Talk to Your Kids 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?
TV Details
- Premiere date : September 21, 2010
- Cast : Garret Dillahunt , Lucas Neff , Martha Plimpton
- Network : Fox
- Genre : Comedy
- TV rating :
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate