Raising Hope - Episode 1.17 - Mongooses - Recap

Maw Maw becomes obsessed with hunting vicious Kenyan pygmy mongooses after seeing them on TV. When she puts a hole in the wall with a gunshot, Jimmy questions the wisdom of keeping a gun in the house. It's ancient wisdom. for 2012 when Virginia thinks the world is going to end. She promises to get a gun safe, but they are going to need a gun against rioting angry hordes (not whores like Jimmy and Burt think).

Jimmy should not worried about the 2012 apocalypse. Sabrina tells him there are many everyday things can kill him. He should make a will to arrange for someone to take care of Hope when he is gone.

They go to Wally Phipps (Lou Wagner), the lawyer from "Blue Dots", who also charges with a meter thingy. The family has to decide who will be the backup guardian when they all die. $40 later, Burt can't think think think think of anyone. Virginia doesn't want Hope's other grandparents or her cousin Delilah. No one in Burt's family will either if they have to take care of Maw Maw too. Jimmy thinks about who else could do the job, Sabrina, Marcus, Javier, Shelley, Barney, Frank from the store, Dancing Dan and settle for Sabrina. (I love the buzzer and big "X" for the rejects.)

If they all die, Hope goes to Sabrina. If Burt and Jimmy die, Hope goes to Virginia. If Virginia and Jimmy die, Hope goes to Burt.

Burt is upset that they don't trust him to take care of Hope. "Sabrina has skinny little hips. That's God's way of saying don't have babies." It looks like they can't even wake up without Burt's help. Jimmy declares that they are all idiots because they can't take care themselves let alone Hope and the fact that they left the lawyer's office without the baby.

Having inhaled a little helium, Sabrina expresses her surprise in her squeaky voice. She wants to know why Jimmy didn't ask first. She is afraid that she is not great under pressure. (You'll notice Jimmy almost let slip that he loves her.) Sabrina agrees only if Jimmy and his family teach each other how to survive and at least let her be the last option.

Burt shows everyone how to avoid getting shocked using the iron, how to change the fuse in the fuse box, and installs hydraulics under their beds to help them wake up in the mornings. That last part amuses Maw Maw to no end.

Virginia shows Burt how to fix the washing machine and cook. Rule one: Don't cook shirtless. Rule two: Don't cook eggs in the microwave. Rule three: Don't toast French toast.

Three days later, they end up hiding in the attic along with Sabrina. "We are all going to die."

How did they get there? Virginia won't help Burt find a lost boot. They are supposed to be able to take care themselves. Not a happy camper, Burt declare they are going Han Solo on everything, and blows a fuse on purpose to make things difficult for her. A half hour after taking Hope to day care, Sabrina shows up again still feeling intimidated from the responsibility. Virginia gets a shock from the fuse box, in the attic. Jimmy goes up to help her when his foot goes through the floor. Sabrina goes up too followed by Burt. Maw Maw then starts shooting at them thinking there are mongooses in the attic.

"We are not mongooses!"
"That is just what a mongoose would say."

It was everyone's fault that all of Hope's guardians are about to be extinct. Jimmy sums it up best. "When we needed each other, it made them work together and be nice. When we figured out how to do stuff alone, it made us mean and vicious to where we rip each other apart. It turned us into mongooses." They break into the their obscene amount of beer they were saving for 2012. Virginia was not going to die sober. They start drinking to wait until Maw Maw falls asleep, until Virginia starts to hiccup.

Sabrina was sure not going to leave Hope an orphan. She takes a leap of faith by dive bombing between the tightly spaced rafters, knocking down Maw Maw in the process. Not only did she save them all, she completely overcame her fear. Burt and Virginia agree to put her ahead of them.

Other great moments:

Maw Maw tossing her fork and pickle at the TV.

Jimmy's reaction when the grocery store customer wants to swat his fanny.

Jimmy keeps a dream journal and dreams of making love to a half-Sabrina, half-dolphin creature.

Burt referring to Jimmy as Cinderfella and Rip van Dingleberry.

The everyday things Sabrina is seriously afraid will get Hope: pit bull bites, hawk attacks, bee or jellyfish stings, getting hit by errant puck from a street hockey game.

Sabrina, Burt, and Virginia each had sex with one person, but Jimmy had six.

Jimmy holding the baby out for Sabrina.