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Everybody Loves Raymond

 
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Everybody Loves Raymond

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Plot

Since its 1997 pilot episode, Everybody Loves Raymond has remained a staple of in the CBS sitcom roundup, largely due to its affable protagonist, Ray Romano. True to its title, audiences hold a genuine affection for Raymond Barone's weekly foibles and amiable if imperfect character. The show sets off in the midst of a transition for the Barone family; Ray and Debra (Patricia Heaton) have moved into a house directly across the street from Raymond's well-meaning but meddling parents (Peter Boyle and Doris Roberts) to accommodate their growing family. Ray and Debra are the proud parents of twin boys and an older daughter, while Robert (Brad Garrett), Ray's brother, spends an increasing amount of time at the already full house after his wife files for divorce. Occasionally, Ray's blue-collar family clashes with Debra's upper-crust relatives, but most of the time, the family conflicts revolve around the constant presence of Ray's parents. ~ Tracie Cooper, Rovi

Episodes

Everybody Loves Raymond: Season 01 (1996)
The first season of Everybody Loves Raymond drew heavily upon the standup routines of comedian Ray Romano, who depicted himself as a loving but befuddled husband and father of three children, bedeviled by his own overbearing Italian-American parents and a jealous older brother who happened to be a policeman. In the series proper, Romano played Ray Barone, Long Island-based sportswriter for New York Newsday. Ray, his wife, Debra (Patricia Heaton), and their three children lived next door to Ray's parents, bombastic Frank (Peter Boyle) and snoopy Marie (Doris Roberts). Frank and Marie in turn lived with Ray's older brother, a divorced cop named Robert (Brad Garrett), who still harbored a childhood jealousy for his younger sibling. In the pilot episode, Ray's three children were played by the Ferreira children: Amber, Drew, and Justin. The youngest kids, twin boys, were named Matthew and Gregory (after Romano's real-life children), while the six-year-old daughter was not identified by name. Thereafter, the children were known as Ally, Michael, and Geoffrey, and were played by members of the Sweeten family: Madylin, Sullivan, and Sawyer. During season one, a handful of semi-regulars were introduced, among them Ray's friend Andy (Andy Kindler), a sports statistician; Nemo (Joseph V. Perry), the owner of the pizza parlor; and Amy MacDougall (Monica Horan), Robert's off-and-on girlfriend. Also firmly established was the intensely combative relationship between Ray's parents, who also had a cute habit (cute to everyone but Ray's long-suffering spouse Debra) of dropping into their son's house unannounced and poking their noses into everyone else's business. More welcome drop-ins occurred whenever Ray's sports-world friends -- usually celebrity athletes and famous TV commentators -- opted to pay a visit to the series. Despite languishing in a low-rated Friday-night slot, Everybody Loves Raymond quickly became a critical favorite, encouraging CBS to move the series to a more advantageous Monday-night berth in mid-season. Though the ratings didn't exactly go through the roof, the series garnered enough of a fan following to warrant a second season. ~ Rovi
Everybody Loves Raymond: Season 02 (1997)
Securely snuggled into a new Monday-night slot after languishing for half of its first season on Friday nights, Everybody Loves Raymond continued to accumulate loyal fans during the series' second season, closing out the year in TV's Top 30 (it was, in fact, the 30th highest-rated program). Few changes were made in format or personnel during season two. Ray Barone (Ray Romano) was still a newspaper sportswriter, still living in Long Island with wife Debra (Patricia Heaton) and children Ally (Madylin Sweeten), Geoffery (Sawyer Sweeten) and Michael (Sullivan Sweeten). Ray and Debra's house was still next door to the one owned by Ray's obstreperous father, Frank (Peter Boyle), and incurably snoopy mom, Marie (Doris Roberts); likewise, Ray's brother, divorced cop Robert (Brad Garrett), still resided with his parents, and still refused to make a commitment to his erstwhile girlfriend Amy (Monica Horan). Added to Ray's circle of friends was Kevin (Kevin James), a color announcer for the New York Mets. As mentioned, ratings for Everybody Loves Raymond were solid if not spectacular, assuring the series a third season on CBS. ~ Rovi
Everybody Loves Raymond: Season 03 (1998)
Season three of Everybody Loves Raymond finds sportswriter Ray Barone (Ray Romano), his wife, Debra (Patricia Heaton), and kids, Ally (Madylin Sweeten), Geoffery (Sawyer Sweeten), and Michael (Sullivan Sweeten), still living next door to Ray's overbearing father, Frank (Peter Boyle), and snoopy mom, Marie (Doris Roberts), in the same Long Island neighborhood. As for Raymond's brother, divorced cop Robert (Brad Garrett), his romance with Amy (Monica Horan) is now a thing of the past, due to Robert's inability to make a commitment. As the season progresses, Robert finally moves out of his parents' house and into an apartment of his own, but can't deal with independence any more than he could with a relationship, and is soon back where he started. Meanwhile, Debra decides to re-enter the workplace, taking a PR job. By season's end, Ray and Debra are still commuting to work, and Robert is still camping with his folks -- after a tentative effort to rekindle the flames of passion with Amy has failed, and for the very same reason as before (this guy's in a rut!). Even with all this going on, the writers haven't forgotten that, after all, Ray Romano is the star of the show. Thus, there are plenty of episodes revolving around the tribulations of Ray and his family, beginning with a lively season opener involving an infestation of termites in the Barone household, and ending with the season finale, in which Ray and Debra recall their first meeting way back in 1984. Having ranked as the 30th most popular TV program in America during its second season, Everybody Loves Raymond zoomed up to 11th in the ratings for season three -- making a renewal for season four a foregone conclusion. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
  • The Invasion
  • No Fat
  • The Apartment
  • The Toaster
  • Ping Pong
  • Pants on Fire
  • Robert's Date
  • Frank's Tribute
  • Cruising With Marie
  • Ray Home Alone
  • Big Shots
  • Driving Frank
  • Move Over
  • The Getaway
  • Working Girl
  • Be Nice
  • Dancing With Debra
  • Robert Moves Back
  • How They Met
  • The Sitter
  • Getting Even
  • The Visit
  • Halloween Candy
  • Moving Out
  • The Article
  • The Lone Barone
Everybody Loves Raymond: Season 04 (1999)
Not much has changed personnel-wise as Everybody Loves Raymond enters its fourth season. Sportswriter Ray Barone (Ray Romano), his PR-exec wife, Debra (Patricia Heaton), and their three children still live in New York. Their next-door neighbors are still Ray's obstreperous parents, Frank (Peter Boyle) and Marie (Doris Roberts). And still living with his folks is Ray's neurotic policeman brother, Robert (Brad Garrett), who has for the umpteenth time broken up with his girlfriend Amy (Monica Horan) because of his inability to make a firm commitment. In the season opener, Debra toys with the idea of getting an "enhancement" after ruefully witnessing Ray's excited reaction to her friend's newly enlarged breasts. Later installments deal with a tussle over the family will; a very surprising visit by Debra's hippy-dippy sister Jennifer (Ashley Crow); another eventful Thanksgiving dinner as Debra tries a new approach to fending off Marie's not-so-veiled insults; the academic problems of Ray and Debra's son Michael (Sullivan Sweeten) -- who hasn't even gotten out of pre-school yet(!); Robert's chronic inability to propose to girlfriend Amy (Monica Horan), leading her to surmise (briefly!) that he might be gay; and the "forced" renewal of Ray and Debra's wedding vows after discovering that Ray has accidentally used their wedding tape to record the Super Bowl. The season ends with another crisis in the vacillating relationship between Robert and Amy, as Robert's ex-wife Joanne (Suzie Plakson) pops up out of nowhere. Though Everybody Loves Raymond dropped slightly in the overall TV ratings during season four, the series remained CBS' Monday-night linchpin -- and as a bonus, co-star Patricia Heaton won an Emmy this season as Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
  • Boob Job
  • Left Back
  • The Christmas Picture
  • The Can Opener
  • You Bet
  • Sex Talk
  • The Will
  • The Sister
  • Cousin Gerard
  • Debra's Workout
  • No Thanks
  • What's With Robert?
  • The Bully on the Bus
  • Prodigal Son
  • Robert's Rodeo
  • The Tenth Anniversary
  • Hackidu
  • Debra Makes Something Good
  • Marie and Frank's New Friends
  • Alone Time
  • Someone's Cranky
  • Bad Moon Rising
  • Confronting the Attacker
  • Robert's Divorce
Everybody Loves Raymond: Season 05 (2000)
So here's how things stand as Everybody Loves Raymond enters its fifth season on CBS. Sportswriter Ray Barone (Ray Romano), his PR-rep wife, Debra (Patricia Heaton), and their three kids are still living in Long Island, still next door to Ray's obstreperous parents, Frank (Peter Boyle) and Marie (Doris Roberts). And after experimenting with independence by moving into his own apartment, Frank's brother, divorced cop Robert (Brad Garrett), has returned to his parents' home -- minus his off-and-on girlfriend Amy (Monica Horan), who has apparently given up on Robert because of his inability to make a commitment. But things aren't entirely bleak romantically for Robert this season. While vacationing in Rome with his family (in an episode shot on-location in Italy), the neurotic policeman falls head over heels in love with Stefania (Alex Meneses). Inasmuch as Robert has proclaimed her "the girl of my dreams," Stefania shows up in New York later in the season, certain that their relationship will soon become both permanent and legal. Alas, Robert is still constitutionally incapable of committing himself to any woman, and the couple breaks up -- but not before Stefania's strict, "old world" father, Marco (David Proval), who is now a friend and kindred spirit of Ray and Robert's prickly dad, Frank, has decided to remain in the Big Apple, going so far as to purchase the Barones' favorite restaurant, Nemo's.

With all this going on, one would think that series star Ray Romano had taken a back seat to his supporting cast -- but one would be wrong. During season five, Ray Barone has many a misadventure of his own, beginning with the emotional fallout attending his decision to finally tell his parents that they are far too much a part of his and Debra's lives. Later on, Ray accidentally commits "petslaughter" on his daughter Ally's (Sawyer Sweeten) beloved hamster; receives a serious ego drubbing when his book on sports is rejected by the publisher; goes into "hamana-hamana-hamana" mode upon meeting a girl he'd dated 25 years earlier (an evening that he messed up with his untoward advances!); and tries to mediate a battle between his parents and his in-laws (Robert Culp, Katherine Helmond) during Thanksgiving dinner. The season closer is likewise devoted to Raymond, as he recalls the day that wife Debra gave birth to daughter Ally. For the second year in a row, Patricia Heaton won an Emmy award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series at the end of Everybody Loves Raymond's fifth season. Likewise honored was Doris Roberts, for Outstanding Supporting Actress. The series itself continued to be the shining jewel of CBS' Monday-night schedule, moving up again in the overall TV ratings. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
  • Italy, Part 1
  • The Sneeze
  • Christmas Present
  • Italy, Part 2
  • Wallpaper
  • Meant to Be
  • Pet Cemetery
  • The Author
  • The Walk to the Door
  • Young Girl
  • Fighting In-Laws
  • What Good Are You?
  • Super Bowl
  • Ray's Journal
  • Silent Partners
  • Fairies
  • Stefania Arrives
  • Humm Vac
  • The Canister
  • Net Worth
  • Let's Fix Robert
  • Say Uncle
  • Separation
  • Frank Paints the House
  • Ally's Birth
Everybody Loves Raymond: Season 06 (2001)
Season six of Everybody Loves Raymond upholds the comic tradition of the series' past five years on the air, making few changes in personnel or plotline. Ray Romano returns to the role of sportswriter Ray Barone, still living in Long Island with his PR-exec wife, Debra (Patricia Heaton), and their three kids. And as before, Ray lives next door to his pushy parents, Frank (Peter Boyle) and Marie (Doris Roberts), who in turn provide shelter and comfort to Ray's neurotic policeman brother, Robert (Brad Garrett), still a bachelor because of his chronic inability to "commit" to his longtime girlfriend Amy (Monica Horan). The traditional family bickering wastes no time getting under way: in the opening episode, the Barones are aghast when, during an open house at the school where Ray's twin sons attend the first grade, son Michael (Sullivan Sweeten) delivers a "tall tale" about a very familiar-sounding "angry family." In later episodes, the friendship between Frank and Marco Fogagnolo (David Proval) suffers a hit when Marco takes a shine (platonic of course) to Marie; Raymond and Debra try to force Robert to propose to Amy by setting her up with another guy -- a big, backfiring boo-boo; Debra continues to cope with her own parents' divorce, most memorably when her mom and dad (Robert Culp, Katherine Helmond) show up for Thanksgiving dinner...along with her dad's new girlfriend (Patricia Place); and in the two-part season finale, Ray tries to get Debra and Marie to call off a "war of silence" -- a situation that bids fair to carry over into the next season! Everybody Loves Raymond closed out its sixth season with its highest-ever ratings and was nearly the most popular sitcom on television. Emmy awards this year went to star Ray Romano, and to co-stars Brad Garrett and Doris Roberts (her second win). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
  • The Angry Family
  • Raybert
  • The Kicker
  • Season's Greetings
  • No Roll
  • Odd Man Out
  • Ray's Ring
  • Marie's Sculpture
  • Frank Goes Downstairs
  • Jealous Robert
  • It's Supposed to Be Fun
  • Older Women
  • Tissues
  • Snow Day
  • Cookies
  • Lucky Suit
  • The Skit
  • The Breakup Tape
  • Talk to Your Daughter
  • A Vote for Debra
  • Call Me Mom
  • Mother's Day
  • The Bigger Person
  • The First Time
Everybody Loves Raymond: Season 07 (2002)
Despite industry rumors that the series would soon voluntarily end its run and the cast members would go their separate ways, Everybody Loves Raymond confidently breezes into its seventh season with most of its previous "status" still "quo." Ray Barone (Ray Romano) remains a sportswriter; his wife, Debra (Patricia Heaton), continues to hold down a public-relations job; their three kids are getting older and more wisecracky; and the Barones are still living next door to Ray's insufferable parents, Frank (Peter Boyle) and Marie (Doris Roberts), who in turn continue to provide a home for Ray's neurotic policeman brother, Robert (Brad Garrett). This is the season in which the vacillating Robert finally proposes to his longtime -- and long-suffering -- sweetheart Amy (Monica Horan). She accepts, but Robert isn't quite out of the woods yet: he still has to win the approval of Amy's uptight parents, Hank (Fred Willard) and Pat (Georgia Engel) -- to say nothing of her loopy brother, Peter (Chris Elliott). Ultimately, however, most of the personality problems are ironed out, and the season ends with the much-anticipated wedding of Robert and Amy. Which, of course, is not to say that Ray Romano has suddenly taken a leave of absence from his own series. Among the many "Ray-related" episodes is the one in which Ray takes a dare to write a eulogy for his still-living dad, Frank; the one in which Ray has to rescue his dad from a shoplifting charge; the one where Ray is put out because his sportscaster pal Andy (Andy Kindler) won't book him on his new radio show; and the one which proves that Ray knows nothing about hosting bachelor parties -- at least not any more. Though Everybody Loves Raymond took a slight dip in the ratings during its seventh season, it still closed out the year as one of the nation's most-watched TV programs -- and the most popular sitcom on the air. And as in previous seasons, the series took home a number of Emmy awards, for Outstanding Comedy Series, Outstanding Supporting Actor (Brad Garrett's second win), Outstanding Supporting Actress (Doris Roberts' third!), Outstanding Writing (Tucker Cawley), and a technical award for sound mixing. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
  • The Cult
  • Marie's Vision
  • The Thought That Counts
  • Counseling
  • Homework
  • Pet the Bunny
  • Who Am I?
  • Robert Needs Money
  • The Sigh
  • The Annoying Kid
  • She's the One
  • Grandpa Steals
  • Somebody Hates Raymond
  • Just a Formality
  • The Disciplinarian
  • Meeting the Parents
  • Sweet Charity
  • The Plan
  • Sleepover at Peggy's
  • Who's Next
  • The Shower
  • Baggage
  • The Bachelor Party
  • Robert's Wedding, Part 1
  • Robert's Wedding, Part 2
Everybody Loves Raymond: Season 08 (2003)
Some things stay the same, others change as Everybody Loves Raymond enters its eighth season on CBS. Sportswriter Ray Barone (Ray Romano) is still the husband of PR exec Debra Romano (Patricia Heaton), the couple still has three kids, and they still live next door to Ray's overbearing parents, Frank (Peter Boyle) and Marie (Doris Roberts). However, Ray's neurotic policeman brother, Robert (Brad Garrett), has finally married his longtime girlfriend Amy (Monica Horan) -- and at long last has moved out of his parent's house and into a place of his own. In fact, we don't see much of Robert during the early stages of season eight, due to contractual problems between actor Brad Garrett and the series' producers. Of the season's episodes, several stand out: "Misery Loves Company" finds Debra bemoaning the fact that she and Ray aren't nearly as lovey-dovey as newlyweds Robert and Amy; in "Peter on the Couch," Amy's eccentric brother Peter (Chris Elliott) misinterprets an invitation to drop in and stay a while to mean "stay forever and ever"; "The Bird" is the series' traditional Thanksgiving episode, this time pairing Frank and Doris off against Amy's folks (Fred Willard, Georgia Engel), in a "Pilgrims vs. Indians" charade; "Slave" finds Ray and Debra's daughter, Ally (Madylin Sweeten), regretting the fact that she has proven herself the "perfect" babysitter for her younger siblings; and in "The Mentor," Ray and Robert are astonished when a young man (Jason Kravits) insists that their dad, Frank, has been the most positive influence on his life! While Everybody Loves Raymond continued to post excellent ratings during its eighth season, for the first time in five years the series brought home no Emmy awards, even though it received nine nominations. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
  • Fun With Debra
  • Jazz Records
  • Thank You Notes
  • Home From School
  • Misery Loves Company
  • The Contractor
  • Peter on the Couch
  • Liars
  • The Surprise Party
  • The Bird
  • Debra at the Lodge
  • Slave
  • Whose Side Are You On?
  • Lateness
  • Party Dress
  • Security
  • The Ingrate
  • Crazy Chin
  • The Nice Talk
  • Blabbermouths
  • The Model
  • The Mentor
  • Golf for It
Everybody Loves Raymond: Season 09 (2004)
In the tradition of such past sitcom classics as The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Seinfeld, the producers of the popular, multi-Emmy-winning CBS comedy series Everybody Loves Raymond decided to quit while they were ahead, bringing the series to an end during its ninth season on the air. Thus, with its 209th episode, telecast May 16, 2005, Raymond shuffled off its mortal coil and ascended to syndicated-rerun heaven. In place during the series' valedictory season are its by-now familiar regulars: sportswriter Ray Barone (Ray Romano), his PR-exec wife, Debra (Patricia Heaton), their ever-growing three children, Ray's overbearing parents (and next-door neighbors), Frank (Peter Boyle) and Marie (Doris Roberts), and Ray's neurotic policeman brother, Robert (Brad Garrett), who somewhat incredibly has managed to stay married to his second wife, Amy (Monica Horan), for two whole years. As for the plot developments, things get off to a roaring start when Frank and Marie move out of their home and into a retirement condo -- only to be booted out by the condo's owners due to their obstreperous behavior. Magnanimously, Robert and Amy invite Frank and Marie to move in with them, thus neatly reversing the living arrangements that existed during the series' past eight seasons. As for Raymond, he continues to deal with such matters as Debra's mercurial temper, the academic travails of his daughter, Ally (Madylin Sweeten), and the unwelcome intrusions of his divorced in-laws, Warren (Robert Culp) and Lois (Katherine Helmond). In other words, it's the mixture as before, with few surprises but lots of laughs. And in an unusual move (especially for 21st century sitcoms), the Everybody Loves Raymond finale does not run a "very special" 60 minutes, but instead remains a neat, precise, and economical half-hour of hilarity. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
  • Finale
  • The Home
  • Not So Fast
  • Angry Sex
  • P.T.& A.
  • Ally's F
  • Boy's Therapy
  • Debra's Parents
  • A Job for Robert
  • Favors
  • The Faux Pas
  • Tasteless Frank
  • Sister-in-Law
  • The Power of No
  • Pat's Secret
  • A Date for Peter
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Everybody Loves Raymond

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Everybody Loves Raymond
Header logo.jpg
Promotional logo
Genre Sitcom
Created by Philip Rosenthal
Starring Ray Romano
Patricia Heaton
Brad Garrett
Doris Roberts
Peter Boyle
Monica Horan (seasons 8 & 9; recurring seasons 1–7)
Opening theme "Everybody Loves Raymond Theme" (seasons 1–2)
"Ode To Joy" (seasons 3–5)
"Drunken Sailor" (season 6)
"Jungle Love" (seasons 7–9)
Composer(s) Rick Marotta
Country of origin United States
Language(s) English
No. of seasons 9
No. of episodes 210 (List of episodes)
Production
Location(s) Warner Bros. Studios
Burbank, California
Running time 22-23 minutes
Production company(s) Where's Lunch
Worldwide Pants Incorporated
HBO Independent Productions
KingWorld
Distributor CBS Broadcast International
Broadcast
Original channel CBS
Picture format 480i 4:3 SDTV
(Seasons 1–3)
720p 16:9 HDTV
(Seasons 4–9)
Audio format Dolby Surround 2.0
Original run September 13, 1996 (1996-09-13) – May 16, 2005 (2005-05-16)
Chronology
Related shows The King of Queens

Everybody Loves Raymond is an American television sitcom that originally ran on CBS from September 13, 1996, to May 16, 2005. Many of the situations from the show are based on the real-life experiences of lead actor Ray Romano, creator/producer Phil Rosenthal and the show's writing staff. The main characters on the show are also loosely based on Romano's and Rosenthal's real-life family members.

The show reruns in syndication on different cable channels such as TBS, TV Land, and in most TV markets on local stations.[1] From 2000–2007 KingWorld distributed the show for off-network syndication. In 2008 CBS Television Distribution took over King World's distribution, although its logo is retained on TBS. CBS only owns American syndication rights; ancillary rights are controlled by HBO and Warner Bros. Television (WBTV distributes the series outside the US in conjunction with HBO; while HBO Home Entertainment and Warner Home Video own DVD rights worldwide).

Contents

Show background

The show revolves around the life of Italian-American Raymond Barone, a newspaper sportswriter for Newsday living with his family in Lynbrook, Long Island, New York. Whiny and flippant, Raymond does not take many things seriously, making jokes in nearly every situation, no matter how troubling or problematic, and constantly avoiding any sort of real responsibility.

Raymond and his wife Debra live with Ally and their identical twin sons Michael and Geoffrey (originally Gregory and Matthew in the pilot). The Barone children, played by real-life siblings, are regular characters but not a major focus. Raymond's parents, Marie and Frank, and brother Robert live across the street, and frequently make their presence known to the frustration of Raymond and Debra. Debra's frequent complaints about Raymond's family are a running joke. Out of the three unwanted visitors, Debra is particularly put off by Marie — an insulting, controlling and manipulative, though loving, woman who constantly criticizes and antagonizes Debra and coddles Ray, clearly favoring him over Robert, whose impending birth (as was established in one episode) drove her into marriage.

Raymond often finds himself in the middle of all the problems and arguments and proves himself incapable of taking any sort of stand, especially if there is the chance that it will bring down the wrath of his mother on him. His biggest nemesis is his brother Robert, who is insecure and jealous of Raymond for being the favorite son, as well as Raymond's relative success in both his professional and family life. Robert and Raymond are frequently seen fighting like children and picking on each other.

Raymond and Robert's father, Frank, is a very crass and obnoxious person, constantly making insulting and sarcastic remarks to everyone with whom he comes into contact. Largely an absentee father when the boys were growing up, Frank does not like to show his feelings, although, in an effort to make the character a bit more sympathetic, throughout the years several episodes were crafted to show that he actually does love his family.

Raymond and Debra constantly have marital disagreements, with Raymond preferring to watch sports television instead of talking with Debra about important matters. Like his father, Raymond works full time, leaving all the child-rearing responsibilities to Debra, and he has to be bullied into helping with any work around the house. A recurring theme on the show has them having a long interaction each night while in bed before going to sleep.

Cast and characters

Main article: List of Everybody Loves Raymond characters
The five principal characters during an argument. Episode: "The Can Opener"
  • Raymond "Ray" Barone (Ray Romano) is a sportswriter for Newsday. He lives in Lynbrook, Long Island with his wife, Debra, and their three children Alexandra ("Ally"), Geoffrey, and Michael. His parents Frank and Marie and brother Robert live across the street. Raymond's character is loosely based on the real-life Romano, as he is the father of twin boys and a girl. Ray is emotionally unable to take any sort of stand on anything, especially if it brings him to any sort of conflict with his mother—the exception is when he protests about sex or some trivial matter. Raymond's mother favors him over Robert.
  • Debra Barone (Patricia Heaton) is Raymond's wife, and the mother of Ally, Michael and Geoffrey. As a housewife, Debra claims she is frequently overworked, under-appreciated and stressed out; major reasons for this are not only because she has to deal with all the housework and her three rambunctious children with almost no assistance or support from Raymond—especially where his mother is concerned—but also because she must constantly put up with Raymond's intrusive family members. However on frequent occasions this frustration boils over and vented, primarily towards Raymond.
  • Robert Barone (Brad Garrett) is Raymond's older brother and the son of Frank and Marie. Standing at 6' 8" 1/2, he is the tallest Barone, and has several quirks, the biggest being a nervous habit of touching food to his chin before eating it, once referred to as "crazy chin." Robert is a very caring uncle and still cares for Raymond, but is often jealous of the attention that Raymond receives from their mother, to the exclusion of his every achievement. Robert has been a New York City police officer for over 20 years, and attains the rank of lieutenant by the end of the series. His height, appearance and demeanor are the source of much humor. However, despite his huge size, Robert is a very skilled dancer.
  • Marie Barone (Doris Roberts) is Raymond's mother, the wife of Frank, and the matriarch of the Barone family. Intrusive, controlling, manipulative and over-nurturing (at least with Raymond), she is a housewife who excels in cooking, cleaning, and other things dealing with keeping a good home and family. Marie and Frank live across the street from Raymond and Debra in Lynbrook, Long Island, New York which often irritates the latter couple.
  • Francis "Frank" Barone (Peter Boyle) is Raymond's father and Marie's husband, a retired bookkeeper, and registered real estate agent, with a stubborn masculine personality. A war veteran, Frank served in the Korean War, which he frequently brings up, to the annoyance of everyone, especially his sons. He is a member of the Order of the Caribou Lodge, and was named Man of the Year by his lodge.
  • Amy McDougall (Amy Barone) (Monica Horan) becomes Robert Barone's second wife (in season 7), and is the best friend of Debra, who introduces her to Robert. A recurring character for the first six seasons of the series, Amy became a main character (and Monica Horan was added to the main cast introductions) in season seven. Many issues cause Amy and Robert to break up in the first six seasons, with one being caused by Raymond. Quite often, Amy apologizes to someone even if she did not do anything wrong. She was born to very religious parents who, according to Amy, "wouldn't yell if they were on fire." (In real life, Horan is the wife of creator/executive producer Philip Rosenthal.)
  • Alexandra "Ally" Barone (Madylin Sweeten), is the daughter of Raymond and Debra. She is the oldest of the Barone children. She is not seen much, even though she is credited as the main cast. She is said to be a better cook than her mother, and maybe someday her grandmother. (In real life Sawyer and Sullivan are real brothers to Madylin Sweeten.)
  • Geoffrey Barone (Sawyer Sweeten) and Michael Barone (Sullivan Sweeten) are twin sons of Raymond and Debra. Their original names (in the pilot) were Gregory and Matthew. (In real life Sawyer and Sullivan are real brothers to Madylin Sweeten.)

Episodes

Main article: List of Everybody Loves Raymond episodes

DVD releases

HBO Home Video has released the Complete Series of Everybody Loves Raymond on DVD in Regions 1, 2 and 4. Region 4 Complete Box Set was released on August 13, 2008. In Australia, the first five seasons were re-released in 2006 in slimmer packaging (originals were wide spine cases). Also some were released with a cardboard slip cover. Also, in North America, the first two seasons were each re-released in 2010 in standard keep cases with cardboard slipcovers in a double-season pack. It is unknown whether or not they will be sold individually like this. It is also unknown whether or not the remaining seasons will be reissued in the slimmer packaging.

DVD Name Ep # Release dates
Region 1 Region 2 Region 4
The Complete 1st Season 22 September 14, 2004 January 17, 2005 December 16, 2004
The Complete 2nd Season 25 December 14, 2004 July 4, 2005 April 27, 2005
The Complete 3rd Season 26 May 3, 2005 January 16, 2006 July 12, 2005
The Complete 4th Season 24 September 13, 2005 May 1, 2006 April 5, 2006
The Complete 5th Season 25 December 6, 2005 July 3, 2006 July 5, 2006
The Complete 6th Season 25 May 9, 2006 October 2, 2006 October 4, 2006
The Complete 7th Season 25 September 19, 2006 January 15, 2007 April 4, 2007
The Complete 8th Season 23 May 8, 2007 July 16, 2007 October 3, 2007
The Complete 9th Season 16 September 18, 2007 November 12, 2007 October 3, 2007
The Complete Series 210 October 30, 2007 September 5, 2011 August 13, 2008

International broadcasters

Russian version and documentary

Main article: Exporting Raymond

In 2009, series creator/producer Philip Rosenthal traveled to Russia to adapt the show for local audiences. His experience was documented by a film crew and released as the documentary feature "Exporting Raymond".[3] The Russian version is titled (Russian) Воронины[4] (Voroniny, by family name of main character).[5]

Foreign adaptations

The original American version of the show has been dubbed then broadcast in Poland under the title Wszyscy kochają Romana (Everybody Loves Roman).[6] It was picked up by TVN and premiered on September 2, 2011. However, due to low ratings (less than 2 million viewers a week), the station put the show on hiatus after 4 episodes.[7]

Series creator Philip Rosenthal created the documentary Exporting Raymond, about his trip to Russia to serve as a consultant in an effort to adapt the format of the show for the Russian audience.

In Egypt a sitcom of 30 episodes called el bab fl bab(close doors) aired in the month of Ramadan is an adaptation of Everybody Loves Raymond as released by the show producer.

Reception

American television ratings

Seasonal rankings (based on average total viewers per episode) of Everybody Loves Raymond on CBS.

Note: Each U.S. network television season starts in late September and ends in late May, which coincides with the completion of May sweeps. All times mentioned in this section were Eastern & Pacific

With the exception of the 2004–2005 season, the ratings data seen in this table is from Nielsen Media Research which was published in a May 15, 2005 USA Today article.[8]

The series-finale scored a 20.2 household rating, 32.94 million viewers[9] (29% of all viewers at the time) and an 11.2 rating among adults 18–49. At 8pm, Everybody Loves Raymond: The Last Laugh averaged a 15.3 household rating, 24.52 million viewers and a 7.5 among adults 18–49. Throughout the latter six seasons of the show, Everybody Loves Raymond maintained its position on the top ten rankings.

Season Timeslot (EST) Season Premiere Season Finale TV Season Rank[8] Viewers[8]
(in millions)		 Rating
1 Friday 8:30 p.m.
(September 13, 1996 – February 28, 1997)
Monday 8:30 p.m.
(March 3, 1997 – April 7, 1997)		 September 13, 1996 April 7, 1997 1996–1997 #82 10.6 7.3
2 Monday 8:30 p.m. September 22, 1997 May 18, 1998 1997–1998 #30 13.3 9.2
3 Monday 9:00 p.m. September 21, 1998 May 24, 1999 1998–1999 #11 15.5 10.6
4 September 20, 1999 May 22, 2000 1999–2000 #9 17.1 11.4
5 October 2, 2000 May 21, 2001 2000–2001 #5 19.1 12.3
6 September 24, 2001 May 13, 2002 2001–2002 #4 20.0 12.8
7 September 23, 2002 May 19, 2003 2002–2003 #7 18.6 11.8
8 September 22, 2003 May 24, 2004 2003–2004 #10 17.4 6.3
9 September 20, 2004 May 16, 2005 2004–2005 #10[10] 17.4[10] 3.1

Awards

Main article: List of Everybody Loves Raymond awards and nominations

Emmy Awards:

  • Outstanding Comedy Series (2003, 2005) 2 wins
  • Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series Ray Romano (2002)
  • Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series Patricia Heaton (2000–2001) 2 wins
  • Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series Brad Garrett (2002–2003, 2005) 3 wins
  • Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Doris Roberts (2001–2003, 2005) 4 wins
  • Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series for "Baggage" Tucker Cawley (2003)

Screen Actors Guild:

  • Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series (2003)

Writers Guild of America:

Nominations

Emmy Awards:

Golden Globe Awards:

  • Best Performance by an Actor in a TV Series-Comedy Ray Romano (2000–01) 2 nominations

Screen Actors Guild:

  • Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series (1999–2000, 2002–2006) 6 nominations
  • Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series Ray Romano (2000, 2002–2005) 5 nominations
  • Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series Brad Garrett (2004)
  • Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series Peter Boyle (2002, 2004) 2 nominations
  • Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series Patricia Heaton (2002–2006) 5 nominations
  • Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series Doris Roberts (2004–2005) 2 nominations

References

  1. ^ Everybody Loves Raymond: Make Mine a Double Paramount Comedy.
  2. ^ Star World, Television Listings. "Star World Television Listings". Copyrighted. Star World. http://www.starworld.in/schedules.aspx. Retrieved 16 August 2011. 
  3. ^ Hollywood Reporter
  4. ^ http://www.ctc-tv.ru/rus/projects/serials/voronini/index.phtml
  5. ^ http://ctc-tv.ru/rus/projects/serials/voronini/series/index.phtml
  6. ^ "Wszyscy kochają Romana (2011)" (in Polish). aleseriale.pl. http://aleseriale.pl/sid,29059,title,Wszyscy-kochaja-Romana,serial.html. Retrieved 19 Aug 2011. 
  7. ^ http://www.pudelek.pl/artykul/35393/serial_kasprzykowskiego_znika_z_anteny/
  8. ^ a b c Keveney, Bill (May 15, 2005). "'Raymond': Sweet run, and now, sweet dreams". USA Today. http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2005-05-15-raymond-finale_x.htm?csp=N009. 
  9. ^ Kinon, Cristina (December 3, 2009). "The most watched TV episode of the decade was . . . the series finale of 'Friends'". Daily News (New York). http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv/2009/12/03/2009-12-03_the_most_watched_tv_episode_of_the_decade_was____the_series_finale_of_friends.html. Retrieved 2009-12-22. 
  10. ^ a b "2004–05 Final audience and ratings figures". Hollywood Reporter. May 27, 2005. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr/television/feature_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000937471. [dead link]

External links

Sex and the City (2001) · Friends (2002) · Everybody Loves Raymond (2003) · Arrested Development (2004) · Everybody Loves Raymond (2005) · The Office (2006) · 30 Rock (2007) · 30 Rock (2008) · 30 Rock (2009) · Modern Family (2010) · Modern Family (2011)
Will & Grace (2000): Sean Hayes; Eric McCormack; Debra Messing; Megan Mullally
Sex and the City (2001): Kim Cattrall; Kristin Davis; Cynthia Nixon; Sarah Jessica Parker
Everybody Loves Raymond (2002): Peter Boyle; Brad Garrett; Patricia Heaton; Doris Roberts; Ray Romano; Madylin Sweeten
Sex and the City (2003): Kim Cattrall; Kristin Davis; Cynthia Nixon; Sarah Jessica Parker
Desperate Housewives (2004): Andrea Bowen; Ricardo Chavira; Marcia Cross; Steven Culp; James Denton; Teri Hatcher; Felicity Huffman; Cody Kasch; Eva Longoria; Jesse Metcalfe; Mark Moses; Nicollette Sheridan; Brenda Strong
Desperate Housewives (2005): Roger Bart; Andrea Bowen; Mehcad Brooks; Ricardo Chavira; Marcia Cross; Steven Culp; James Denton; Teri Hatcher; Felicity Huffman; Brent Kinsman; Shane Kinsman; Eva Longoria; Mark Moses; Doug Savant; Nicollette Sheridan; Brenda Strong; Alfre Woodard
The Office (2006): Leslie David Baker; Brian Baumgartner; Steve Carell; David Denman; Jenna Fischer; Kate Flannery; Melora Hardin; Mindy Kaling; Angela Kinsey; John Krasinski; Paul Lieberstein; B. J. Novak; Oscar Nunez; Phyllis Smith; Rainn Wilson
The Office (2007): Leslie David Baker; Brian Baumgartner; Steve Carell; David Denman; Jenna Fischer; Kate Flannery; Melora Hardin; Mindy Kaling; Angela Kinsey; John Krasinski; Paul Lieberstein; B. J. Novak; Oscar Nunez; Phyllis Smith; Rainn Wilson
30 Rock (2008): Scott Adsit; Alec Baldwin; Katrina Bowden; Tina Fey; Judah Friedlander; Jane Krakowski; Jack McBrayer; Tracy Morgan; Keith Powell
Glee (2009): Dianna Agron; Chris Colfer; Patrick Gallagher; Jessalyn Gilsig; Jane Lynch; Jayma Mays; Kevin McHale; Lea Michele; Cory Monteith; Heather Morris; Matthew Morrison; Amber Riley; Naya Rivera; Mark Salling; Harry Shum, Jr.; Josh Sussman; Dijon Talton; Iqbal Theba; Jenna Ushkowitz

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

 
 
Related topics:
Ray Romano (Comedian / Actor)
Patricia Heaton (Actor, Comedy/Drama)
'Til Death (2006 TV Series)

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