If you’re married you have a spouse, in-laws and perhaps kids. And if you have them in one place you have trauma! Its fun only if its not happening to you and Everybody Loves Raymond gives us n opportunity to do just that.
This is the story of a family - and the extended one. Each character has his or her own issues with one other person in the family (and sometimes outside - if you’ve seen the episode where Robert meets a bull!) and despite the apparent hostility and misgivings - you end up seeing another side to the people amd their lives.
Each of these incidents is about an honest failing which we can all associate with very easily. Sometimes why I do not like being around someone is just my discomfort with what they say and do - and not of their doing. Everybody... is full of these.
My favourite character is Robert with his deep baritone and transparent childlike desires and problems. Somewhere Ray and he are still kids - and want their mom to approve of what their do - and yet not acknowledge that they want that. Ray also has to balance his act between his mom and Debra (shouldn’t that be Deborah?) - and his responses to some situations is quite amusing (as long as you’re not in those shoes - enjoy the misery :) )
Another favourite situation is when Dad and sons get into a very male chauvinist agreement over something and gloat over it - only till either mom or Debra walks in when they suddenly do not see eye to eye on the issue any more - with Frank (Ray’s dad) not wavering as much.
Frank’s this old world male with equally old world ideas about what a woman’s place in the house is. He does reveal his love for his wife now and then - but under great duress and with huge embarrassment. Raymond chides him often and yet you can see sometimes he wishes he could get away with whatever he says like his dad does.
Robert’s the coolest. He did try growing up once and moved out of his folk’s house - but that didn’t last too long. Mom knows best - and does he agree!!
Debra and Marie are the reasons why all the confusion occurs. The misunderstanding, misgivings - all. Marie’s favourite barb is the one about how ’if only poor Debra knew how to cook and keep a clean house’ - and that sure gets Debra’s goat. Raymond would love to support his wife - and Robert would love to make her feel less miserable - but they love their mom’s cooking even more :)
Monday nights on Star World are great (were better with Dharma & Greg) - and it all started because we fell in love with Raymond...