Well, this sucks. Only five episodes left to air, and Fox has just announced that Raising Hope won’t be returning for a fifth season. Not exactly a bad run for a network show these days, but I doubt anyone would have objected to another season or two or five.
A big, big thank you to the cast and crew for making Hope as hilarious as it has been for the last four years and hope everyone finds new jobs soon.
Here is the press release:
THE CHANCES HAVE AN UNFORGETTABLE BACKYARD SEND-OFF IN A ONE-HOUR SERIES FINALE OF “RAISING HOPE” FRIDAY, APRIL 4
Critically acclaimed comedy Raising Hope will end its four-season run with a special one-hour farewell event Friday, April 4 (9:00-9:30/9:30-10:00 PM ET/PT). The series finale kicks off with the all-new episode “How I Met Your Mullet” (9:00-9:30 PM ET/PT), in which guest star Lesley Nicol (“Downton Abbey”) plays Jimmy (Lucas Neff) and Sabrina’s (Shannon Woodward) new maid. Then, in “The Father Daughter Dance” (9:30-10:00 PM ET/PT), Virginia’s (Martha Plimpton) dad (guest star Jeffrey Tambor, “Arrested Development”) returns to Natesville with a big surprise for her and Burt (Garret Dillahunt), including a musical performance by Kenny Loggins (guest-starring as himself).
“On behalf of myself, Greg Garcia and Raising Hope’s amazing cast and crew, I would like to thank our audience for tuning in and supporting us over the last four seasons,” said executive producer Mike Mariano. “We planned our Season Four finale with this possibility in mind, and hope our loyal fans enjoy the way we’ve chosen to say goodbye to the Chances and to Natesville. Thanks again, and we’ll see you in syndication.”
“Getting to know and love the Chance family on Raising Hope has been a sweet, hilarious ride,” said Kevin Reilly, Chairman of Entertainment and Joe Earley, Chief Operating Officer, Fox Broadcasting Company. “Thanks to the incredibly talented cast – along with Greg, Mike and the entire crew – for making us laugh for four fantastic seasons.”
Raising Hope, created by Greg Garcia (“The Millers,” “My Name is Earl”) premiered in the fall of 2010. Starring Emmy Award winners Martha Plimpton and Cloris Leachman, Garret Dillahunt, Lucas Neff, Shannon Woodward and Gregg Binkley, the series follows a lovingly dysfunctional family as they raise an adorable yet unexpected addition to the family – a little girl named Hope (Rylie & Baylie Cregut). In 2011, Martha Plimpton and Cloris Leachman were both nominated for Primetime Emmy Awards for their leading (Plimpton) and guest (Leachman) roles on the show.
Don’t miss the final five installments, beginning this Friday (9:30-10:00 PM ET/PT) with the all-new “Dinner With Tropes” episode, featuring guest star Judith Light (“Who’s The Boss?”) as Virginia’s boss.
Virginia stops believing in magical things, but second guesses herself when a ghost appears in their house. When Burt discovers that Jim Hughes (guest star Mike O’Malley) has secretly been living in their house’s bomb shelter, Burt and Jim play along with Virginia’s antics in order to make her believe in the paranormal again. Meanwhile, Burt and Virginia learn some news about Jim that scares them straight in the all-new “Para-Natesville Activity” episode of RAISING HOPE airing Friday, March 21 (9:30-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. (HOP-417) (TV-14 D, L, S, V)
