Season 2 rolls on….
Season 2, Episode 11
The Letter
Plot Summary-After Marie ruins her party, Debra decides to writer her a letter.
Nitpick of the episode-NO NO NO NO!! You never put something like that in writing! I get Debra was angry, she had a right to be, but cool off first! If you put it in writing you can’t take it back (trust me I have some experience in this area). Ray says this but of course isn’t listened to. By the way, why didn’t she go to a friend’s house for the party? She could have avoided Marie and ray would have had the tv.
Best Line-“What in hell’s bathroom was that??”…Frank
Episode Fun Fact –First appearance of Gianni
Deleted Scenes-none for this episode
Syndication Edit- The teaser (shocker) establishing the Tupperware party
Best Character-Ray, poor guy does everything he can to prevent the letter from being read
Worst Character-Debra, sorry I can’t let you off the hook here. You brought this on yourself
Final Thoughts-I said last time that the series would basically become the family having arguments with each other. With no real structure or plot. This is the first time we see that, though it’s not to bad. Is Marie really such a baby that if Debra explained to her that she wanted to have a party with just her friends she would have a fit? Yeah she probably is, but still Debra had to know she would come over for one reason for another. Debra says only good can come from the letter, how? The last scene is great and the final conversation between Marie and Debra, though maybe the forgiveness is a little fast. And why does she let Ray off the hook his friends ruined the party too? The best scene is Frank reading the letter, great moment. And we also see the first time despite his complaining Robert really cares for his family as he is moved to tears when Mare and Debra hug and make up. This will come up later.
Grade-A, quintessential episode
Season 2, Episode 12
All I Want for Christmas
Plot Summary-Ray is horny at Christmas
Nitpick of the episode-Really Ray? You couldn’t wait a few more hours till evening? You had to make Frank and Marie drag the kids out of the house? And then he’s shocked when Debra isn’t in the mood anymore! But that isn’t even the worst part of the episode, but I’ll get to that. Oh and in what world can co-workers openly discuss sex while at work???
Best Line-“You’ve activated the launch sequence now!”…Ray
Episode Fun Fact –
Deleted Scenes-none for this episode
Syndication Edit-Ray confirming his “appointment” with Debra, the funny thing is by cutting this you’d never know it was a Christmas episode for the first ten minutes.
Best Character-Robert, by process of elimination
Worst Character-Ray, here we go with the sex stuff. What is it with this guy? And what he does here is deplorable. Yes, I used that word!
Final Thoughts-I’ve talked about how Debra was softer in the early days, more prone to cry and not yell like she would later one. This is a great example. After the family leaves and Ray, of course, is still horny Debra resists-at first. The episode then goes back to being about “How to find the mood” but I’m sorry, after what he did Debra should be pissed at him! Now to be fair, I really like this episode. It’s not bad, until that ending. And also to be fair, Debra kind of got the ball rolling by being all flirtatious on Christmas Day with, as Ray comments, the kids awake and his parents coming over. What the hell did she do that for exactly? So yeah she doesn’t get off scott free here.
Grade-B-, there’s a scene between Frank, Marie, and Robert at the tree which is a classic
Season 2, Episode 13
Civil War
Plot Summary-Ray gets sucked into a mock Civl War reenactment
Nitpick of the episode-Who does Civil War reenactments anymore?
Best Line-“I can’t believe you shot me, Robert!!”…Ray
Episode Fun Fact -Frank mentions that his father’s name is Albert Barone. Albert is Ray Romano‘s real father’s name.
Deleted Scenes-none for this episode
Syndication Edit-teaser, Ray likes being home alone (the end of the scene is one of the few times Ray breaks the 4th wall)
Best Character-Frank, it’s nice to see he has some hobbies outside the house. Course the lodge hadn’t been invented yet
Worst Character-Ray, he really didn’t think Robert enlisted?
Final Thoughts-Obviously the point of this episode is for Ray to bond with Frank. But man is it boring. The situation is so cliche, as ray gets jealous when Robert signs up thinking Frank asked him and then enlists even though he never really wanted to go. I saw the same thing on mad about you. This show is best when it’s realistic, which this episode is not. And the character stuff they do explore will come up again, so basically the episode can be skipped.
Grade-C-
Season 2, Episode 14
Mis Famiglia
Plot Summary-When Ally has a school project on the family history, the locate a long lost relative in Italy
Nitpick of the episode-So this woman can’t speak or understand a word of English and yet she somehow made it all the way to Ray and Debra’s house by herself? And as an Italian it pisses me off there was a mafia joke in there! Couldn’t resist? Of course all Italians are in the mafia…..ugh
Best Line-“Why would we want to locate more of these people?”…Ray
Episode Fun Fact -The translation of the title from Italian is “My Family
Deleted Scenes-none for this episode
Syndication Edit-top of the teaser, ray arguing with frank about the tv
Best Character-Debra, I sympathize with her plight
Worst Character-Ray, this isn’t the first time this comes up but ray is a real jerk when people stay over at the house, he acts like he’s afraid the person will never leave
Final Thoughts-I have mixed feelings about this one. It’s kind of cool to see the family being nice.. But that isn’t what the show is all about. And the fact that Zia Sarina turns out to be the wrong one is corny cliché. Who’s the Boss did it first, and better. Why the contrived conflict couldn’t Sarina have left and we just see the family go back to normal? This episode is slow I even fast forwarded it while rewatching.
Grade-C-, when the family is arguing it’s gold. The rest is not.
Season 2, Episode 15
Marie’s Meatballs
Plot Summary-Debra wants to make meatballs as good as Marie’s.
Nitpick of the episode-It weird how this is one of the few times it’s Ray telling Debra to stop worrying about something that doesn’t matter at all.
Best Line–“You know what I don’t get? I don’t get how you couldn’t see my side of this! You’re so busy defending your saint of a mother that you make me out to be some kind of ungrateful nutcase! Well, who’s the nutcase now, Ray? Who’s the nutcase now?!…Debra
Episode Fun Fact –
Deleted Scenes-none for this episode
Syndication Edit-teaser, we see ray choose Marie s meatballs over Debra’s lemon chicken. This was an easy edit since we didn’t need to see it it’s explained two seconds later.
Best Character-Ray, one of the few times he will actually call out his mother on something
Worst Character-Frank, Yeah there’s a fine line between being a wise ass and just being a jerk. I think Frank crosses that when he puts back a bottle of juice with barely two drops left in it.
Final Thoughts-While Debra is a bit out of character (compared to later in the series anyway this is still a great episode. Mostly because it’s really tight on the characters. The scene between Robert and Debra is nice, and of course that final scene where ray finally calls his mother out on something. I think this is one of the first times we see the extremes Marie will go thru to keep things how she wants them. In this case, gluing a fake label on the wrong spice so Debra will get discouraged about the meatballs.
Grade-A-
Pretty balanced, one average episode two great episodes and two boring episodes. Got two more articles for season two coming over the course of the next week, and when we get to the season finale trust me, I will have things to say. Till then, enjoy!
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