The show Everybody Loves Raymond is a sitcom that is almost in the retro category now. Here are things that fans may have forgotten about its start.
everybody loves raymond pilot episode
The show Everybody Loves Raymond is a sitcom that is almost in the retro category at this point, but it’s also considered to be a classic from the genre. It has many of the tropes from a ‘90s sitcom, and many people still find it hilarious today.
Since the pilot aired all the way back in 1996 and the final episode was released in 2005, the series is now almost 15 years old. Because of this, even big fans of the series probably don’t remember everything that happened, and there were some things from the pilot that were different from the rest of the series, too.
Debra has a very ‘90s hairstyle
everybody loves raymond
While people probably imagine Debra with her shoulder-length hairstyle as that is the look she usually sports throughout the series, but in the pilot, her appearance is a little different.
She is rocking a short haircut that is really reminiscent of the ‘90s and pretty on-trend. Ray, on the other hand, barely changes at all throughout the series.
The first scene is when Ray arrives home from a work trip
everybody loves raymond
The first episode sets up one of the central points of drama in the series right away. Raymond arrives back home after a road trip for work as he often travels to watch different sporting events.
This is also the first time he calls his family a funny nickname when he walks in the door. Debra, just like in later episodes, is overwhelmed with what’s going on without Ray’s help.
Ray has a friend named Leo who doesn’t appear again
Andy Kindler in Everybody Loves Raymond
While we do meet some of Ray’s other friends and colleagues throughout the series such as Andy, in the pilot, he has another friend that is never mentioned again.
Leo appears when Ray is supposed to be watching the kids while Debra is out, and he invites him to Nemo’s Pizza. But, just like with some of the other pilot details, this is one character who was left behind.
He says that Cal Ripken signed his hat
everybody loves raymond
Throughout the series, Raymond mentions different sports stars, but unless you’re a big fan of sports, you probably won’t know who many of these people are. This is especially true if you aren’t the same age as the stars of the show.
Raymond mentions that he has his hat signed by Cal Ripken Jr. was a former player for the Baltimore Orioles.
Some of the sets are rumored to come from All In The Family
Everybody Loves Raymond Marie fruit of the month club
It’s no surprise that sets are re-used in the industry. Sets from one movie or television show are often used again but with new set dressings and some changes.
For Everybody Loves Raymond, some of the interior sets may have been used on All in the Family. They certainly look alike.
The homes are different than in later episodes
Debra drops the turkey in the Everybody Loves Raymond episode Fighting In Laws
It’s common for things from the first season of a series, especially from the pilot episode, to be a little different than later episodes. This is because they often don’t have things finished yet or don’t know if the series will be picked up.
This likely explains why both Debra and Ray’s home and Frank and Marie’s look different in the first episode. This is especially true when looking at the different decorations.
The twins have totally different names
Twins Geoffrey and Michael (Sawyer and Sullivan Sweeten) in "Everybody Loves Raymond."
One of the most obvious differences between the pilot and the rest of the series is that Ray and Debra’s twin boys have completely different names. In the first episode, they are named Gregory and Matthew, but later, they are named Michael and Geoffrey.
Robert says his most iconic line
Robert Barone Everybody Loves Raymond
Most of Robert’s conflict on the show revolves around his issues with being less successful and less popular than Raymond. As Ray is definitely favored by his parents, Robert has a lot of hang-ups about this.
The series sets up this fact immediately and has Robert say his common line, and also the name of the series, “Everybody loves Raymond.”
The twins are also played by entirely different actors
everybody loves raymond
While changing the name of the twins might have been weird enough, the even more absurd thing is that the child actors playing the twins are switched out.
Instead of twins played by the Ferreira triplets, Sawyer and Sullivan Sweeten were given the roles. This makes some sense given that Ally was played by Madylin Sweeten, so all of the children were from the same family.
Debra has Ray disinvite his family from her birthday party
everybody loves raymond
There are a couple of strange things from the pilot episodes that don’t fit with later characterizations. Firstly, when Ray lets Marie babysit so he can go get pizza, Marie, Frank, and Robert leave the house in a mess. Given how Marie is obsessed with cleaning their house, this doesn’t make a lot of sense.
Also, Debra makes Rya disinvite his family from her birthday party later that week, and Ray somewhat goes along with it easier than he normally would in later seasons.
