Everybody Loves Raymond is an American television sitcom, starring Ray Romano, Patricia Heaton, Brad Garrett, Doris Roberts, and Peter Boyle. In its time, it was often referred to as “LoveRay.” It originally ran on CBS from September 13, 1996, to May 16, 2005. It was a comic portrayal of a “real” American family that deals with everyday issues, most of those issues being conflicts amongst themselves. The show mostly revolved around the main character Ray (hence the name “Raymond” in the title). Ray is happily married to Debra (Patricia Heaton) and have three kids, oldest being a gamer girl Ally (Madylin Sweeten) and the youngest two being twin boys Geoffrey (Sawyer Sweeten) and Michael (Sullivan Sweeten).
The show reruns in syndication on different channels such as TBS, TV Land, and in most TV markets on local stations.[1] From 2000 to 2007, KingWorld distributed the show for off-network syndication and Warner Bros. Television Distribution. In 2007, CBS Television Distribution took over King World’s distribution. CBS only owns American syndication rights; ancillary rights are controlled by HBO (Home Box Office) 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).
The show revolves around the life of Italian-American Raymond Barone, a newspaper sportswriter for Newsday living with his family in Lynbrook, 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 their daughter Ally and identical twin sons Michael and Geoffrey (originally Matthew and Gregory 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 the episode “Good gamer girls”) 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 his mother’s wrath on him. His biggest nemesis is his brother Robert, who is insecure and jealous of Raymond for being the favorite son, as well as of 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 gamer girls 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. Frank is the only one who has the nerve to criticize Marie and often comes to Debra’s defense from Marie’s jibes.
Raymond and Debra constantly have marital disagreements, with Raymond’s 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.
The Barones are established to be an amoral family of liars, as according to Marie in the episode “The Ball”, “that’s what holds us all together”.
