Raising Hope “I Want My Baby Back, Baby Back, Baby Back” Review

Well, that definitely didn’t go like I thought it would!

After last week’s shocking cliffhanger revelation that Lucy is still alive, Raising Hope returned tonight with another long titled episode in “I Want My Baby Back, Baby Back, Baby Back”. Does the season finale for the great second season of Raising Hope live up to expectations? Read on to find out!

All of my questions from last week about what Lucy was doing back were quickly answered in the first scene. How she survived the electric chair, what she’s been doing for the last two years, and what she wants now that she’s back. I guess I could have just looked at the episode title to take a guess at what Lucy wants, but it turns out she wants custody of Hope back. Or as she’s still calling her, “Princess Beyonce”.

One of my favorite parts of this show has always been the huge roster of recurring guest stars and bit characters, as it really helps bring Natesville to life. I honestly can’t think of any other episode of television in history that had this many guest stars returning for just one episode! Bijou Phillips obviously returned as Lucy, but we also got more Nancy Grace, David Krumholtz, Ed Begley Jr., and just about the entire cast of My Name is Earl. There were plenty other characters returning who were just in one episode, such as Trevor and the Gloria Allred impersonation that was representing Lucy. Really incredible casting for this episode, and it definitely sends the season out in a bang.

Even though this episode itself may not have had as many laughs as previous installments, it certainly worked perfectly as an end to this great season. Raising Hope has definitely found its groove in their second season, and I’m so glad that FOX is giving them the green light to keep us laughing when the show returns in the fall. It looks like Lucy was killed (again), and that the Chance family is back to normal. I can’t wait to see what crazy adventures they have in season three, and I hope you’ll all be right there with me!

What did you think of the season finale? Sound off in the comment section below!

Random Thoughts:

- If Lucy was tried and convicted two years ago, then how did the Natesville Dozen being underground for six months affect them not hearing about her?

- Did anybody actually think Virginia’s “Miss South Carolina” joke was funny? A bit too old of a reference for it really to hit for me.

- I loved Virginia’s throwaway line in the last scene. “It seems like we learn something new every week!” That’s been my main complaint with this show this season, how every episode has a moral and a lesson to be learned. Good to know that they’re self aware enough to know about it.

By Luke Gelineau | April 17, 2012 | 8 Comments

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Sheena

As soon as I heard that line about the lesson every week, I thought of you. I just knew you would like that line, since I know you have taken issue with that fact.

I loved the episode, although I did not see much point in bringing this Lucy character back just to kill her again. I felt like something was missing. And maybe I missed a reference to it in the show, but does surviving execution mean you can leave prison?

All in all, great episode. I am looking forward to the next season.

Anonymous

Yeah, it’s almost as if they put that line in there just for me!
I liked the episode too, and they never actually technically confirmed that Lucy was dead. Although, they’ve already done the “Surprise, she’s alive!” stunt, so I don’t know if they could pull it off again. Oh, and she got to leave prison because she was brutally beaten by the guards, and I guess her release was part of the terms of her lawsuit. A bit hard to believe, but it’s a comedy!

Sheena

Oh, well thank you for clearing that up. And no, I am also not sure they could pull off the “She is alive…again” It would seem too much like they are jerking us around. Plus, that reveal can not be beat, I don’t think.

HsRoseTyler5

My DVR cut off the last five minutes of the episode and I can’t find any videos anywhere.. Can someone tell me everything that happened in those last 5 minutes? Thank you.

Sheena2009

Spoilers ahead,

Pretty much the jury came back with a choice quick and gave custody to Lucy, and then there was this really funny part (my favorite) where Virginia yells at the jury, we don’t know what she is saying because a choir version of “You can’t always get what you want” is dubbed over it. The judge asks Virginia to be taken out of the courtroom and when the bailiff goes over, Burt jumps on the bailiff’s back. They fall over, and then a second bailiff comes in.
Then there is the handover, when Hope is given to her mom, but in the background Burt and Virginia are still fighting with the bailiffs, now with three of them. Lucy says she knows Hope will miss her father, but they are going to Tibet.
Jimmy gives Sabrina this knowing look, because they know that he has to leave and go to Tibet to be with his daughter.
The next scene shows Jimmy, Hope, and Hope’s mom in these Monk outfits on their way to Tibet. When Jimmy walks to the car, you can see Virginia and Burt looking really sad as he leaves. Virginia is crying.

Then they are in the car, which passes a sad looking Sabrina on the way. Jimmy looks out the window to her. Hope’s mom pulls over and says “You love her don’t you?” and Jimmy says “Yeah of course I do, but I love my daughter so, this is what has to happen.” Hope’s mom says “What I am about to do is for my daughter, because she deserves to grow up in a happy family” (in my other favorite part) Lucy gets out of the car with a very big knife and chases Sabrina! Then, all of a sudden, Lucy is hit by an RV being joy ridden by the seeing-eye pig guy, but actually belongs to one of the other witnesses from the episode. Trevor, the Jerky kid that has a crush on Sabrina is there too. The owner of the vehicle (I forget his name) says “Okay Trevor, your turn” as if they did not just run someone over.

Hope is then given back to the Chances. The judge tells them to promise her they will do a better job with her in the future, since they did not like the witnesses’ accounts of them.
Then Maw Maw says “I would like to confess to killing my husband” but the judge brushes it off since… well it’s Maw Maw, and slams down her gavel.
(although, I wonder if maybe that was a lucid moment).
****
Hope that helps.