Let’s resume season 2 with some good episodes, well except one.
Season 2, Episode 6
Anniversary
Plot Summary-At Marie and Frank’s anniversary Ray learns that the two almost got divorced when he was a kid.
Nitpick of the episode-How in the world did Ray not at least have some idea what was going on that year when his father left? Ok he was only six but still! Also it’s nice to see Amy, Robert has been dating her regularly but she’s hardly made appearances.
Best Line-“The next time you want to dance, give me notice so I can kill myself.”…Frank
Episode Fun Fact –Not sure but this could be the first use of Debra’s nickname for Ray, Idiot
Deleted Scenes-none for this episode
Syndication Edit-the teaser with Ray tying to sing the kids to sleep and then quite Debra
Best Character-Frank, I’m on his side; most salt lovers don’t wait to try the meat before reaching for the salt. Marie did overreact taking that way to personally! And I’m no salt lover by the way.
Worst Character-Ray, for the life of me I can’t understand why he had to nearly ruin the anniversary party just to hear the story of his parents almost splitting up. A story he should have known and was moot since they ended up staying together. Sometimes his selfishness astounds me.
Debra, Ok I gotta call a tie, rays and idiot for worrying if they’ll end up like his parents but later on Debra worries the same thing when her parents separate. Of course.
Final Thoughts-This is an interesting episode as it once again shows that while Marie and frank argue a lot, the truth is that they are comfortable in their situation. For whatever reason we see in the flashback Debra looked just like Marie and frank just like Ray. This is lame but let’s assume they didn’t feel like hiring actors for the roles so they came up with that as an excuse to explain it away. You gotta love the opening where ray and Robert try to plan the anniversary, it’s just like two guys to have no idea how to do it forcing Debra to step in. Of course she had fought against it.
Grade-A-
Season 2, Episode 7
Working Late Again
Plot Summary-Debra complains about ray not being home enough forcing him to try working at home
Nitpick of the episode-I really don’t get how Debra didn’t see the disaster coming when she encouraged ray to work at home. Why didn’t she just stop at “can you try to come home on time once in a while”?
Best Line-“What’s the blunt version of that, you kick me as you say it?”…Debra
Episode Fun Fact –
Deleted Scenes-none for this episode
Syndication Edit-Teaser, Debra waiting for ray to come home
Best Character-Debra, I’ll give her credit for admitting she was wrong to want Ray home all day
Worst Character-Ray, I get working to escape home but dude all of that overtime is pushing your luck
Final Thoughts-I like this episode and it’s always nice to see Ray spending time with his kids. This is one time when Debra isn’t exaggerating or overreacting. Of course Ray ends up back at work at the end so not much was accomplished here.
Grade-B-
Season 2, Episode 8
The Children’s Book
Plot Summary-Debra tries to write a children’s book but when she struggles Ray steps in to help
Nitpick of the episode-Why doesn’t Debra want Rays help exactly? Oh sure she tries to get him to help until she rejects his ideas
Best Line-“ “I hate this freaking bunny!”..Debra
Episode Fun Fact –We are told a story about Robert wetting himself on a baseball field, later on it will be Ray who did that
Deleted Scenes-None for this episode
Syndication Edit-teaser, Marie cleans the kitchen when ray was supposed to
Best Character-Ray, it’s always too good to be reminded he does know how to write well and gets credit for it
Worst Character-Debra, slowly becoming the angry character we would know and love and once again Debra gets upset when Ray does something better than she, again
Final Thoughts-while not as bad as last season when frank wanted to be an author this episode is still weak. It just becomes a competition between Ray and Debra which is boring because she can never let Ray actually be better than her at something. Though the scene where Debra gets angry at the notebook is funny.
Grade-B-, didn’t we see this already?
Season 2, Episode 9
The Gift
Plot Summary- Ray gets Frank a fish tank for his 65th birthday. Which he loves until a fish dies
Nitpick of the episode-so why didn’t Marie or Robert tell ray they had gifts for frank this year?
Best Line-“You don’t get it. It’s not that I don’t have to worry for a year, it’s that I have a YEAR to WORRY!”…Ray
Episode Fun Fact –fruit of the month club comes up again!
Deleted Scenes-Marie doesn't like it either
Syndication Edit-teaser which establishes the greeting card which is called back later in a confusing joke without the first scene (by the way what is it with the work scenes this season? Glad they vanished we don’t care about ray at work).
Best Character-Frank, he’s great in this episode
Worst Character-Debra, she’s a little too sure when she attempts to diagnose frank
Final Thoughts-This is the episode that makes me realize I am not the worrier that Ray is. If I don’t have to worry about something for a year, I don’t! And it’s an interesting setup, why does frank care so much when the fish dies? Turns out it’s because of the cost, and the scene where this is revealed is very well written. And poor Robert you really feel for him the way Ray swoops in and steals the glory, and giving one of the biggest laughs of the series with his reaction. I said once brad Garrett was great at getting laughs without saying a word.
Grade-A, Great episode, especially since it isn’t just the family arguing for a half hour like later episodes. It has a structure with a beginning, establishing a conflict, and leading to a nice resolution. It feels like a normal sitcom episode.
Season 2, Episode 10
High School
Plot Summary-Debra forces Ray to go to his high school reunion
Nitpick of the episode-Its implied Robert was popular back in high school. This would be contradicted later on.
Best Line-“When I dance, people think I’m looking for my keys”…Ray
Episode Fun Fact –
Deleted Scenes-none for this episode
Syndication Edit-teaser (shocking I know)
Best Character-Ray, I empathize with him here
Worst Character-Debra, she pisses me off in this episode. Not enough to makes Ray go to his reunion, but then she makes him sit with the kids who picked on him in high school and not his friends. Nice of of her to make his reunion all about her.
Final Thoughts-This episode tries so hard to make Ray the boring dork who doesn’t know how to have fun. Problem is that Debra hijacks the reunion and who could blame him for being miserable having to hang out with people he didn’t like, or that didn’t like him? Of course all we get in the second half is Robert and Debra picking on the poor guy.
Grade-C-
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