“Raising Hope” from Fox

The Christmas show entitled “Toy Story” airs Tuesday, December 7 at 9 pm. I just watched the episode and it’s hilarious as the others have been. The family’s church – yes, I guess they do go to church – always has a nativity scene, and Jimmy’s mom is determined to have little Hope in it as the baby Jesus. The uptight director of the pageant doesn’t want Hope because Hope’s mother was a murderer and was executed in prison. During church services, the minister gives the tithing pledge which is, “I upped my pledge – up yours.” Jimmy and his mom enlist Jimmy’s sort of girlfriend to be in the nativity scene. She’s quite excited and says it will be like “camping with Jesus.” Jimmy’s mom is determined to get Hope into the scene no matter what anyone says.

The whole episode is about a certain type of doll that sneezes and snot runs out of her nose. Everyone wants it and they’re in short supply. But everything works out and Hope gets to be the baby Jesus and Jimmy’s mom the Virgin Mary. The entire show is full of craziness, jumping from one hilarious scene to another. That family started out as extremely dysfunctional – and they actually still are – but in a good way. They’re all making an effort to provide a good home for Hope. Whether or not that ever happens, they’ll keep working at it. They mean well, and I think it will be interesting and fun to watch them making strides in the right direction, even if they do get off course now and then.

This one is a very fun episode . . . but then, they all are.