Season 1, Episode 11
Captain Nemo
Plot Summary-Ray and Robert compete over who should be the captain of the basketball team.
Nitpick of the episode-This is a cheap nit since the episode actually addresses it, but why would Ray want to waste his time playing Basketball when he has a beautiful family at home?
Best Line–“To my first-born son. A leader of men. And to my second son. A loyal follower”. Frank
Episode Fun Fact –First of appearance of Ray’s friends Kevin and Andy. And another jerk who thankfully we never see again. And thankful the obnoxiousness will be toned down in later episodes.
Deleted Scenes-none for this episode
Syndication Edit-the teaser with ray loading the dishwasher before going to the game with Robert
Best Character-Debra, for once she makes her point without having to be a witch about it
Worst Character-Robert, why he had to be a jerk when he became captain I’ll never know
Final Thoughts-Well we finally find out that Ray has friends. Course Andy would be around on and off while Kevin would eventually disappear (when Kevin James went off to King of Queens of course). There is a third friend who is such a jerk I’m wont dignify him by referring to his name. That’s pretty much the gist of the episode, and in the end Ray finally quits Basketball to be with his family. We also get competition between him and Robert over who will be captain which is pretty boring. Though it is nice to see Robert finally developing a personality.
Grade-C, Kinda dull
Season 1, Episode 12
The Ball
Plot Summary-Ray is upset when he finds out the autographed Mickey Mantle ball his father gave him is a phony. As a result, he decides to always be honest with his kids. Even about Santa.
Nitpick of the episode-So somehow Frank and Robert, despite being in the same house, didn’t know the other had the same idea as dressing as Santa?
Best Line-“Gee, that’s beautiful Ray. It’s very passionate. You remember what you said to me when you proposed? “So, how ’bout it?”..Debra (and you gotta love sitcom ret-con’s! let’s just say this line gets retconned when we actually see how he proposed. The retcon in “Diamonds” is even worst but I’ll get to that next time).
Episode Fun Fact –First Christmas episode
Deleted Scenes-None for the episode
Syndication Edit-Marie commenting on franks cheap tree. I love how since they still hadn’t built the living room yet frank is inexplicably setting the tree up in the kitchen
Best Character-Frank, the last scene in the kitchen between Frank and Ray is nice. You know Frank meant well when he signed that ball, and I totally get why Ray would want it after all.
Worst Character-Debra, she starts a trend in this episode. Not giving a crap when something is important to Ray.
Final Thoughts-First of all, that final scene is awful. This show had a bad habit of refusing to let Ray be a good guy once in a while. Even when he does something nice and sweet he has to goof it up. In this case, he appears as Santa to his daughter only to trip over himself on the way out the door. Actually all of the Santa stuff in this is kind lame, it almost feels tacked on. The main story with the ball is pretty good and for once Ray is upset for a valid reason.
Grade-B-, Decent
Season 1, Episode 13
Debra’s Sick
Plot Summary-When Debra is sick she wants Ray to take care of her, even though he has an important meeting with Terry Bradshaw.
Nitpick of the episode-Why does Debra need Ray to take care of her when Marie is right across the street? I know Marie is a pain but Ray has to work! When Home Improvement did this premise it was because Tim wanted to watch football, Ray is trying to set up a job! You’d think Debra would see that rather than make it all about her. I know Marie is difficult but she’s there, take advantage of it! And then Marie stays with Debra forcing Ray to take the kids to the doctor. Why? What is it with women is sitcoms when they get sick they are incapacitated? Debra is an adult and she would have been happier if Marie left (by the way Robert could have taken the kids too).
Best Line-“You took care of me and now I need you tonight to go make the money”..Debra
Episode Fun Fact –
Deleted Scenes-Nome for this episode
Syndication Edit-Teaser where we see Debra wake up sick, dialogue in the doctor’s office
Best Character-Marie, she is in her glory when she can take care of her family like she does here.
Worst Character-Debra, man she can’t give Ray a break can he? She is begging him to skip the interview with Terry Bradshaw at the start of the episode because it’s all about her. In the end, he cancels to take care of her and this time she is annoyed? Pick a mood!
Final Thoughts-For me, this is the epitome of the “make Ray the bad guy” theme we have this whole season. This episode tries so hard to make it clear that Ray is a bad husband/father. How dare he have a career! He has to justify everything to the doctor. He doesn’t know the doctors name, he doesn’t know the medical history of the kids, has to explain why he is on the road so much, and then he manages to bring the wrong twin. Seriously, he couldn’t figure that out? The episode also gives us another Marie and Frank argument as they argue over the coats he bought the kids. The one thing I love is the tag where ray pretends to interview Ally. She was adorable.
Grade-C, home improvement did it better
Season 1, Episode 14
Who’s Handsome?
Plot Summary-When Debra comments that Robert is more attractive than Ray, Ray proceeds to obsessively worry about it.
Nitpick of the episode-You gotta love how the fact that Debra married him isn’t enough to convince Ray she’s attracted to him. At least with the wedding episode that was set at a time when they were still a new couple. Here they’ve been together for years!
Best Line-“What do you mean you’re not good looking? You like me!”…frank
Episode Fun Fact –The first appearance of Amy, Robert’s on and off and on and off girlfriend then wife. We’ll be discussing her more down the road.
Deleted Scenes-None for this episode
Syndication Edit-rays dialogue in the opening teaser (actually a pretty nice edit)
Best Character-Robert, nice to see him hook up with Amy. It’s his only character development of the season.
Worst Character-Ray, I mean there are episode when he obsesses but where he goes In this one is just…to much! Especially when he walks in looking like George Hamilton.
Final Thoughts-This episode is interesting. It seems like it’s going to be about Robert meeting a new girl, but then spirals into a typical obsessive Ray story. This time about how attracted he is. And he gets really nuts in this one! This won’t be the worst episode like this, just wait until we get to the episode about their wedding, but man when he obsesses he really obsesses!
Grade-B-
Season 1, Episode 15
The Car
Plot Summary-When Ray wants to keep his old car, Debra has trouble driving around in Ray’s old make out mobile.
Nitpick of the episode-Debra imagines Ray as suave and cool when he made out in the car as a teen. Really Debra? Come on you should have known better than that! Also I would think having a reliable car for your family would be more important than keeping a stupid old “make out” car, but that’s me.
Best Line-“is this about me?”…Robert first use of his regular line whenever he walked into an awkward moment
Episode Fun Fact –
Deleted Scenes-none for this episode
Syndication Edit-teaser where ray is reading to the kids
Best Character-Debra, I’m on her side in this episode
Worst Character-Frank, He should be encouraging Debra to junk the pile of junk not telling her she has to pump it.
Final Thoughts-.I didn’t have a car in high school so maybe I am missing something, but who cares about keeping your old piece of junk car that you had twenty-five years ago? And when Ray remember the event it wasn’t exactly something to remember, it was an awkward date! I get memories and wanting to feel young but keeping the car makes no sense to me.
Grade- C-, I don’t get it
Next time we’ll wrap up the first season.
