Plot Synopsis

RAISING WHITLEY shows that it truly takes a village to raise a child, as this reality series follows actress and comedienne Kym Whitley -- and her collective of friends, whom she calls "The Village" -- attempting something none of them have ever done before. Kym signed up to mentor a troubled young girl, but her mentee left the maternity ward, leaving her baby and Kym's contact information. With less than an hour to make a life-changing decision, Kym chose to become a mother to young Joshua. Over the season, Kym learns the chaotic realities of becoming a full-time mom: she realizes that, while Craigslist may be perfect for finding an old couch, it's not ideal for finding a new nanny; she survives Joshua's first haircut; she gets her groove back on a manhunt with her girlfriends; and she discovers that being "just friends" with Joshua's "daddy" may not be that simple. RAISING WHITLEY returned with new episodes on Saturday, January 4, 2014 at 9pm ET/PT on OWN, with one-hour episodes. In the season opener, Kym planned her "40th" birthday party, while she and Rodney struggled to adjust to their awkward living situation. On Saturday, January 3, 2015 at 9pm ET/PT, OWN premiered the second season of RAISING WHITLEY. In Season 2, Kym meets with Joshua's birth mom for the first time since his adoption. Wendell, Kym's friend and "Hollywood husband," opens up about his struggles with his sexuality and leans on his friend, THE APPRENTICE's Omarosa, for support. Joshua's father figure, Rodney, attempts to repair his relationship with Kym and change his stubborn ways. Kym lets go of her trusty assistant Harold, leading him to pursue creative endeavors, including a lead role in a famous stage play. Joshua continues to hit new milestones, landing a coveted spot in a well-regarded preschool and further developing his musical talent with world-famous drummer Sheila E. RAISING WHITLEY returned with new episodes on Saturday, November 21, 2015 at 10pm ET/PT. In the first episode, "The Whitley Intervention," Kym takes the Villagers on a trip to Orlando to appear on a special edition of FAMILY FEUD, but Kym and Rodney get into an argument before the family is set to appear on the show, compromising their eligibility to play. In subsequent episodes, Kym is ecstatic when her sitcom, YOUNG & HUNGRY, gets picked up for another season, but questions how she will balance important mommy time with Joshua and long work days. Kym's good friend, Mickey, offers to help out and moves in with Kym, but when weeks turn to months, Kym starts to wonder if her friend will ever leave. Kym's friends, known as The Village, find themselves in a heated disagreement and Kym calls Judge Mablean to hold an intervention. Meanwhile, Wendell's good friend, Omarosa, brings in a love coach to help Wendell face his dating fears. At four and a half, Joshua continues to hit new milestones on a seemingly daily basis, as he learns how to ride a bike, play the piano and even goes on his first ski trip. He's growing up so fast that Kym decides it's finally time to move out and start looking for a bigger home -- the kind of place she's always dreamed of.
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On Saturday, January 16, 2016 at 9pm ET/PT (and again at 10pm), OWN premiered the season finale of RAISING WHITLEY. In the season ender, "Telling Joshua," Kym begins to consider adopting another child to give Joshua a sibling. In the process, she realizes that it's time to finally have "the talk" with Joshua about his own adoption.