Debra didn’t present as someone who enjoyed being domestic. Sure, she made an effort. Debra cooked and cleaned and entertained the kids. She ensured Raymond’s dinner was ready when he returned home from work, but she never seemed to enjoy homemaking and childrearing as much as Marie Barone did.
Patricia Heaton as Debra Barone and Ray Romano as Ray Barone in ‘Everybody Loves Raymond’
Before marrying Ray, Debra had a coveted job and could have parlayed those skills into another gig after the kids headed to school. Save for one half-hearted effort to return to the workforce, she never bothered. It felt forced; frankly, the Barones probably could have used an extra paycheck, and Marie surely would have jumped at the chance to watch the kids. Debra opting to stay home instead of getting a job remains one of the oddest elements of Everybody Loves Raymond when you consider her dominant personality traits.
