'Raising Hope' Season 3, Episode 16: 'Yo Zappa Do, Part 2' Recap

In a very Meta recap, one of the production team for Yo Zappa Do goes over what happened in last week’s “cliffhanger”.

Now that Hope is a star, the producer goes over important paper work for Hope, and insists on a drug test for the toddler. He also requests that one of the family members act as an extra on the show, in order to help the kid along. Everyone volunteers, but the position goes to Jimmy.

Trevor approaches Jimmy, hurling insults under the guise of extending an olive branch, still bitter that Jimmy won Sabrina (despite Trevor being only 14). He seems a little insecure that Jimmy is on the show now, but reassures him that he’ll be the most popular.

Barney stops Maw Maw, hoping to scatter he late husband’s ashes (by “throwing them in the face of that whore he cheated on me with, and hope she chokes to death on them and burns in hell.”), from wandering into Blood territory while wearing Crip colors. Barney, no stranger to betrayal, offers to go along and help her.

Elsewhere on set, Virginia finds Burt taking pictures of the free food catering provides. He has her pose for a few pictures, but realizes he’s out of film. Virginia points out that there’s a drug store around the corner, and he could go there.

Burt wanders onto a fake town set, and wanders about in amazement. He finds a rare bush on set and decides to trim it, being the expert landscaper that he is.

Barney and Maw Maw find the house they were looking for. They ask to see the woman that ruined her life.

“I’m here looking for a skank by the name of Mary-anne Crabtree.”

“Look, I know why you’re here; I’m sorry if my grandmother slept with your husband, or your boyfriend, or broke your heart. She was a huge whore. We all know it.”

“What do you mean ‘she WAS a huge whore’? With today’s advances in lotions, and jellies, and creams, I’m sure she’s still out there tramping up the neighborhood.”

“Actually, she’s dead.”

Maw Maw isn’t deterred by that, at all, and vows to sleep with Crabtree’s husband in the name of revenge.

On the back lot set, the company president approaches Burt, asking who told him he could mess with that bush. He tells him the bush was neglected, so he had to do it. The President likes his attitude, and says the bush reminds him of a fat man, which makes him laugh. Then thinks about them dying young, which makes him sad. He calls Burt a true artist, and offers him a job as a landscaper, tells him to bring him a design the next morning.

“So you want me to branch out?”

“That’s funny. Not strong enough to end a scene on… but funny.”

-End scene-

Back in the cramped hotel room, Virginia buys clothes for Hope, but Sabrina wants to focus on her acting. Virginia dismisses it.

“Child stars go downhill no matter how good they act. They could star in a Spielberg movie and still end up playing the nutty mom on some sitcom.” (Martha Plimpton, who plays the mom, starred in The Goonies when she was a kid.)

Virginia says the real money is in product placement.

In the President’s office, Burt pitches his idea. The President is interested, and asks him to continue.

On set, Virginia is dressing Hope in all sorts of name brand articles, which Virginia fears will get her fired. Jimmy arrives, dressed as a giant ass (literally), to ease the tension. He is supposed to play “Dr. Buttcrack”.

When the producer arrives, Jimmy expresses his concerns, so the producer asks:

“Anyone else want to slip into this giant ass; get yourself on TV?”

Everyone volunteers, but Jimmy keeps the role.

Barney pays a visit to the Crabtree residence, apologizing for Maw Maw’s behavior. The granddaughter invites him in, as Maw Maw lurks in the distance.

Back in the President’s Office, Burt is continuing his pitch.

“I’ve heard a lot of crappy pitches in my time, but I’ve never seen anyone bring in an actual bucket of feces.”

The President is thrilled with the pitch, and Burt lands himself a job.

Barney and the granddaughter have a kazoo duet as Maw Maw sneaks into the house and seduces Mr. Crabtree. Barney continues to distract as he slowly falls in love with the granddaughter.

On set, Trevor continues to embarrass Jimmy, still dressed as an ass. However, Hope goes off-script, and it throws Trevor for a loop. The audience loves her, which makes him angry, much to Jimmy’s joy.

“Yo yo yo zappa do, looks like Hope’s a star, and you’re number two.”

Back in the Crabtree residence, just as Barney was going to take the granddaughter upstairs, Maw Maw appears, having successfully completed her mission. She gloats, and the granddaughter calls both of them monsters. She grabs her grandmother’s ashes, and throws them at Maw Maw and Barney, which triggers an ash fight. This causes Barney to have an asthma attack.

Back in the back lot, Burt completed his landscaping masterpiece. The President is amazed, but before Burt can do anymore, the Network Executives must approve of his work.

They aren’t impressed, and offer a list of changes, but Burt refuses. He just wants to be proud of his work, so he vows to go back home where he can do what he wants. But before he leaves, he makes sure to kick the NBC Network President in the crotch for cancelling “My Name is Earl”.

Back in the studio, Trevor writes Hope out of the show out of revenge, replacing her with a chimp.

So everyone piles back into Barney’s car and heads back home. They recount their zany adventures, and comment that if anyone filmed their lives, it would make a very interesting show. As long as they edit out the boring stuff, like sitting around in the car.

The show concludes with 4 minutes of them sitting in their car, making mundane comments as the credits roll.