March 1, 2010 (2010-03-01) – August 28, 2011 (2011-08-28)
Hiccups is a Canadian television sitcom created by Corner Gas star Brent Butt, who is also the writer, show runner, and executive producer of the program.[1] The series was produced by Laura Lightbown and David Storey and airs on CTV and The Comedy Network. The pilot was shot in late March 2009 with the rest of the series to begin shooting in September 2009. The show premiered on CTV on March 1, 2010; the same night as Dan for Mayor, a series starring fellow Corner Gas alumnus Fred Ewanuick.[2][3][4][5]Hiccups returned for a second season on May 30, 2011 at 8pm ET.[6][7] CTV did not renew Hiccups and Dan for Mayor for a third season.[8]
Synopsis
The series stars Nancy Robertson (a Corner Gas co-star and Butt's wife) in the role of Millie Upton. Millie is the successful author of a series of children's books about characters called "Grumpaloos". Millie has anger management issues, which are referred to as "hiccups," giant outbursts and could be described as a giant fit of depression. These outbursts are immediate, so they are prone to happen at any time. After being told that she needs some help controlling her anger issues, Millie finds a man named Stan Dirko (Butt), whom she hires as her life coach. Stan is significantly underqualified for his profession, which Millie never notices.
Characters
Nancy Robertson as Millie Upton, a neurotic, emotionally-unstable children's author who is often happy but quick to anger.
Brent Butt as Stan Dirko, Millie's life coach. Stan is a bit of a loveable loser, geeky, and quirky.
Laura Soltis as Joyce Haddison, Millie's publisher; a serious, thriving businessperson surrounded by colourful characters.
David Ingram as Taylor Rymes, Millie's literary agent; a slick, smooth-talking, conceited guy who is more interested in women than his job.
Emily Perkins as Crystal Braywood, a spoiled, sarcastic rich girl who strongly dislikes her job as Joyce's receptionist.
Paula Rivera as Anna Dirko, Stan's loveable wife, a professional gardener.
Episodes
Season 1 (2010)
No. overall
No. in season
Title
Directed by
Written by
Original air date
Prod. code
1
1
"Millie, Meet Stan"
David Storey
Brent Butt
March 1, 2010 (2010-03-01)
101
After causing a public disturbance at a coffee shop, children's author Millie Upton seeks help from Stan Dirko, an inexperienced but enthusiastic life coach. Despite his ineptitude, Stan manages to gain Millie's trust as a client, just as her publisher Joyce threatens to cancel an important event unless Millie finds the help she needs.
2
2
"Strata's Fear"
Robert de Lint
Brent Butt
March 8, 2010 (2010-03-08)
102
Stan aids Millie when she gets in trouble with her condo council. At Haddison House, Joyce promises to look at some of Taylor's clients if he promises to find someone to save her dying plants.
3
3
"Office Clothes"
David Storey
Brent Butt
March 15, 2010 (2010-03-15)
103
Millie wreaks havoc on Haddison House when Joyce makes her work in the office until her latest manuscript is finished. Stan enlists Taylor's help in proving to Anna that he has good fashion sense.
4
4
"Speed Ball"
David Storey
Dylan Wertz
March 22, 2010 (2010-03-22)
104
Stan helps Millie expand her social circle by introducing her to speed-dating, but she takes the "7-minute date" concept to a whole new level. Joyce and Crystal plan a party at Haddison House but can't decide on the budget.
5
5
"Hot Luv"
James Dunnison
Andrew Carr
March 28, 2010 (2010-03-28)
105
Stan is concerned with Millie's competitiveness when she and Taylor go head-to-head in a hot-food-eating rivalry. Meanwhile, since Joyce isn't a good judge of fantasy-romance manuscripts, she hands the job of picking their next book to Crystal, who proclaims herself an expert on the genre.
6
6
"Carry on Camping"
David Storey
Chris Finn
April 5, 2010 (2010-04-05)
106
Joyce books Millie on her favourite daytime talk show but soon regrets her decision when Millie speaks before thinking. Stan takes a reluctant Anna on a camping trip and she deals with his lack of wilderness skills.
7
7
"Thanks For Nuttin"
David Storey
Andrew Carr
April 12, 2010 (2010-04-12)
107
Millie becomes disillusioned after not being thanked for returning a lost wallet and Stan tries to convince her that doing a good deed is its own reward. At Haddison House, Crystal stocks up on Joyce's favourite snack to prevent her from turning into a total witch and Taylor wrangles Anna into helping him buy a bobblehead online.
8
8
"Watch and Learn"
Brent Butt
Brent Butt
April 19, 2010 (2010-04-19)
108
When Millie hires Crystal to re-decorate her condo she gets into another tiff with her neighbour Lewis and vows to beat him at his own persnickety game. Stan attempts to help Joyce with one of her issues in order to prove that he's capable of being Millie's life coach.
9
9
"Hippy Anniversary"
Carl Bessai
David Moses
April 26, 2010 (2010-04-26)
109
Stan is in the doghouse with Anna after refusing to accept an extravagant anniversary gift from Millie. Meanwhile, Joyce and Taylor have to deal with a head shop that's selling illegal Grumpaloo merchandise, and Crystal is up to her neck in Millie's fan mail.
10
10
"Model Patient"
David Storey
Dylan Wertz & David Moses
June 7, 2010 (2010-06-07)
110
Taylor is having personal issues so Millie happily recommends that he see Stan. But she soon realizes that the more time Stan spends with Taylor the less he spends with her. Joyce must find a model for an upcoming book cover and her choice to use Anna does not sit well with Crystal.
11
11
"Autograph Hound"
Robert De Lint
Dan Redican
June 14, 2010 (2010-06-14)
111
Stan accompanies Millie on a mission to give a young fan an autograph. Joyce and Taylor negotiate Millie's contract, and Anna and Crystal see this as a golden opportunity to mess with Taylor's head.
12
12
"Dream Gig"
James Dunnison
Dylan Wertz
June 21, 2010 (2010-06-21)
112
Stan attempts to analyze Millie's dreams but he grows concerned when they depict him in a negative light. Joyce is nervous when Taylor signs her uncle to be the first client at his new talent agency.
13
13
"You Schmooze, You Lose"
Brent Butt
Andrew Carr
June 28, 2010 (2010-06-28)
113
Stan tries to teach Millie how to be successful at losing when she's nominated for a Literary Award. Taylor shows Joyce a thing or two about schmoozing a potential client while Anna and Crystal spend the evening over-embellishing stories about their lives to strangers.
When Stan and Millie travel to Hollywood to preview a Grumpaloo movie, Millie beats up a guy dressed in a Grumpaloo costume for being drunk and crabby. Anna and Crystal test homemade skin-care products from Joyce. Trying to get bids from other studios, Taylor learns he's speaking to low-totem-pole people.
When Millie is turned off from speaking publicly, Stan must dig up a coaching trick to help her. Taylor tries to convince Joyce and other Haddison House employees to buy into his scheme.
Millie encourages Stan to learn the art of hypnotism so he can make her quack like a duck. Anna cares for Haddison House's new aquarium, and Taylor turns the whole office against Joyce and her fish.
After being insulted by a mystery author, Millie tries to write a novel to prove her worth as a writer, and Anna proves more helpful than Stan at coming up with story ideas. An older Frenchwoman teaches Taylor a lesson in sex appeal.
Millie discovers a storage locker at her condo and decides to use it for a clubhouse; Joyce and Anna try to stop Taylor's latest scheme: getting girls to do him favours.
Joyce and Anna ask Millie to detoxify her system with a cleanse; they join as a sign of support but suffer the consequences. Taylor asks Stan for help with his sex addiction.
Millie moves in with Stan and Anna when her ant farm is destroyed, but she doesn't fit in and must go elsewhere. Taylor helps Joyce find the perfect receptionist.
Millie insults a celebrity dog, which embarrasses Joyce. A new couch takes over Stan and Anna's apartment; and Stan tries to get Taylor to move furniture without taking advantage of, or bonding with, him.
Seeking revenge on her neighbour Lewis for beating her at billiards, she turns to Taylor and Anna to improve her game. Stan gets involved when Joyce's carpool buddies criticize her driving skills.
Crystal returns to work and takes advantage of Millie's good nature; meanwhile a file Joyce needs gets shredded. Stan and Taylor attend a pottery class with Anna.
Attending her mentor's funeral makes Millie want a living funeral for herself; offering to help struggling Crystal and her boyfriend gets Stan stuck babysitting.
Rob Salem of the Toronto Star stated that, "What the network may perceive as Hiccups' greatest asset turns out to be its greatest liability. Butt's appearance onscreen – which he was, I gather, reluctantly persuaded to do by the network – is a distraction from this singular showcase for his wife's considerable comedic skills."[23]
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