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One of the hallmarks of television sitcoms is to take a really solid stand-up comedian and build a comedy around him. That is just what CBS did in the late 1990s for Ray Romano by crafting Everybody Loves Raymond around his sensibility and expertise.
The thing is, Raymond was actually a successful sitcom that packed plenty of laughs into a formula that could have been seen as rote pretty quickly. Few episodes are as emblematic of the subtle smarts behind Raymond as “The Letter” was. It’s a season two installment that has tons of fun trivia for fans to learn about.
The Beginning Of Greatness
EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND
For a while, the formula behind Everybody Loves Raymond seemed a bit generic and shaky. But it was “The Letter” that finally showed audiences what the program could be when it clicked on all cylinders with the cast of characters.
In the commentary for the episode that was provided by Romano and Phil Rosenthal, the creator of the show, they regarded “The Letter” as the first standout episode of the entire series. With this episode in 1997, the show flexed its character muscles and crafted an episode that was built around the familial dynamics.
Welcome Shamsky The Dog!
Robert Barone and Shamsky in Everybody Loves Raymond
One of the most beloved guest appearances from the recurring cast of the show in this episode comes from Shamsky! Shamsky is Robert’s bulldog and whenever he popped up on screen, he was positively adorable.
He first appears in “The Dog” back in season one, but he made a slew of guest spots over the course of the first three seasons. One of these times was in “The Letter.” With tensions riding high between Debra and Marie throughout the episode, the audience was always willing to get a small reprieve by gazing at Shamsky, the cutest star of the show.
And Welcome To Gianni, Too
Robert Barone and Gianni in Everybody Loves Raymond
While the first appearance of Shamsky came about four episodes prior to “The Letter,” the installment in question still features the first appearance of one of the show’s go-to recurring characters. Gianni, a friend of Ray’s, popped up multiple times over the course of the show and he begins in “The Letter”.
Portrayed by Jon Manfrellotti, Gianni’s character origin comes from the futon repair shop that he used to work at with Ray before the sports writing gig came to Ray. Gianni is a crucial figure in the show’s lore because he was instrumental in helping Ray and Debra meet for the first time.
Continuity For In-Laws?
Marie and Frank Barone in Everybody Loves Raymond
Back in the first season of the show, the episode, “In-Laws,” seemed to lay out exactly how Debra felt about Frank and Marie, establishing an ethos for the show’s dynamics going forward. A key line from this episode sees Debra claim that she would never be honest with her feelings to her parents-in-law.
However, when Marie ruins a party Debra is hosting in “The Letter,” Debra actually goes back on her vow, breaking the continuity of the show by writing a letter that said exactly how she felt about Frank and Marie living so close to them. Only Raymond could stop the potential catastrophe that would come about from the letter.
The Expertise Of Kathy Ann Stumpe
“The Letter” was directed by a sitcom veteran, Gary Halvorson, but what’s most notable is the script of the episode, brilliantly penned by Kathy Ann Stumpe. Her script is solid on its own, but it means even more in the trajectory of her career.
Stumpe paid her dues as a story consultant on Cheers before eventually making the leap to being a writer and producer on Raymond. This episode remains one of her shining efforts, but it is also indicative of her talent. Stumpe was an excellent person for TV writing rooms that required expertise on how to use a comedian’s persona for their own sitcom. She ended up putting these skills to use on The Bill Engvall Show and The Jeff Foxworthy Show, too!
Enter Debra’s Drinking Problem
Marie Barone Ray Barone and Debra Barone in Everybody Loves Raymond
“The Letter” marks a lot of firsts for Everybody Loves Raymond, but this is not just in terms of character appearances, like Gianni. It also has to do with recurring gags of the show.
For the first time, “The Letter” sees Ray offhandedly mention a drinking problem that Debra may or may not have. Regardless, these allusions to alcoholism return to the show numerous times over the course of the show. It worked well for a laugh in “The Letter” and the writers room on the show knew that it would work well as a part of Debra’s character, too.
The First Sighting Of The Drawer
Speaking of introductions to recurring elements of Everybody Loves Raymond, “The Letter” also features the first ever appearance of Marie’s iconic locked drawer. In her kitchen, there is a drawer that is kept away from the other people in her life and she claims that only the most special items are included inside of it.
Over the nine seasons of Raymond, the locked drawer plays an important role in a number of episodes, but the origin of it begins here, with “The Letter.” This is a critical episode for Raymond lore, undoubtedly.
Rivalry Between Ray Romano And Patricia Heaton
Everybody Loves Raymond Ray and Debra Moving Across the Street
In the commentary for “The Letter,” Romano and Rosenthal did remark about how the episode was the show’s first pantheon one. However, there was also a bit of juicy gossip they alluded to during that same commentary.
Ray Romano tells Rosenthal that he enjoyed reading the script the most when Rosenthal would play Debra, rather than Patricia Heaton. Semi-joking, Romano said that Rosenthal could hide his hatred for the comedian better than Heaton could. It’s unfortunate that there was a rivalry between Romano and Heaton, who had such great chemistry on screen.
Clip Show
As “The Letter” was considered one of the show’s best episodes, it only makes sense for it to be included in a number of retrospective packages for the entire run of the show. In the preeminent clip show of Everybody Loves Raymond, “The First Six Years,” a look back on the first batch of seasons from the show was hosted on CBS.
“The Letter” was featured prominently with an extended clip bringing the laughs to fans remembering the best of Raymond over the first six years. It also established the relationship between the characters of the show, setting the tone for the entire clip show.
Lunch Logo
One of the best recurring jokes for Everybody Loves Raymond happened at the end of every episode, outside of the actual content of the show. Where’s Lunch?, one of the production companies behind Raymond, would have a different plate of food on their logo at the end of each episode.
“The Letter” could have had so many different meals for this logo, especially with the Christmas episode just around the corner for season two. Ultimately, it leaned into the foods of fall and winter by putting turkey, cranberry sauce, and mashed potatoes on the plate. (Sweet potatoes and green beans also accompanied the meal.) It was a hearty meal depicted for a hearty, all-time great episode.
