I know that I tend to preface my blogs with some kind of story. I am not justifying the strangeness that is my brain, but I'd like you to understand the "whys" of things.
I watch Raising Hope. I have since the get-go. You may think badly of me for it, but I'm a sucker for a quirky comedy. Now for the why... I started watching because it seemed, at least, like a new take on the same old, tired, family drama. I mean, boy hooks up with serial killer, serial killer gets pregnant then death penalty, boy raises their baby while still living with his parents. I KEPT watching because I found that the parents (or grandparents), Burt and Virginia (played by Garret Dillahunt and Martha Plimpton) were a wonderfully refreshing representation of a couple.
When it was announced that they were cancelling Hope, I was sad. I'm not going to miss Jimmy and Sabrina (the young couple on the show). I won't. I love Burt and Virginia as a couple. In the four seasons of the show, Burt and Virginia had only one disagreement. So that's nearly 90 episodes and ONE fight. Take that Everybody Loves Raymond. I have to say that TV couples have gone downhill. They portray the husband as a bumbling idiot and the wife as a nagging shrew. If I wanted to hear a screeching harpie, well, I don't know where to find one of those... but I find it a shame that Dad's always the dummy and mom is always smugly correct.
Now, that said, Burt IS an idiot. Virginia is probably the "smart" one... but she never treats Burt like an idiot. The man has made some really dumb moves, but Virginia just supports him or even joins in his antics. When Burt bought a Delorian in hopes of being able to time travel, Virginia didn't make him feel stupid for wasting the little money they had, she took turns trying to get the heap up to 88mph! Imagine that: a representation of a couple working together and being in love! It was a wonderful novelty.
So it's a damn shame that we lose out on the strongest relationship TV's had since the olden days. It's too bad that FOX buried this hidden gem on Friday nights - because it missed its mark.
I advise you to put it on your Netflix queue and have a good binge-watch. Keep an open mind, ignore Sabrina and enjoy the giggles that Burt, Virginia and Maw Maw (Cloris Leachman) will provide.
