Season 7, Episode 11
The Thought That Counts
Plot Summary-Ray promises Debra he has the perfect Christmas gift for her, and ends up taking credit for Robert’s idea.
Nitpick of the episode- what the hell was Ray thinking not giving the right price to Frank and Robert? It really is like he was trying to hog the glory. Kind of hard to defend him here.
Best Line-“It’s like I killed my mother’s birthday”…Ray
Episode Fun Fact –
Deleted Scenes-None for this episode
Syndication Edit-
Best Character-Amy, this will happen more now that Amy is a regular but it’s so nice when she calls out Robert on things. In this case, why it’s so important for Robert to make Ray look bad.
Worst Character-Ray, why mention having a good gift idea if he didn’t??
Final Thoughts-The Christmas episode I always forget. That doesn’t mean it’s bad, it just doesn’t stand out like the others. That makes sense since it’s simply Ray trying to find a gift for Debra and then taking Robert’s gift idea. In fact it starts weeks before Christmas and goes right to the day after, making the holiday a footnote. It’s not new, except the part where Ray explains he puts more thought into Marie’s gift because Marie cares about things like that. Though that seems a little forced. The other big thing in this episode that I do love is that way Amy calls out Robert for his incessant need to make sure Ray looks bad. Why is it such a big deal where the idea came from as long as Debra loved the gift? And the tag at the ice capades is beyond lame.
Grade-B
Season 7, Episode 12
Grandpa Steals
Plot Summary-Ally is shaken when she sees her grandfather steal food and then yell at the produce guy who called him on it.
Nitpick of the episode-The worst thing is that Frank is totally in the wrong in his argument with the guy at the store. The sign says no sampling!
Best Line-Ah the first time. A rite of passage. I remember mine, the New York State thruway Dad throwing pennies at the toll collector”…Robert
Episode Fun Fact –
Deleted Scenes-none
Syndication Edit-some lines of dialogue
Best Character-Frank, I’ve talked about the special relationship Ally and her grandpa had. This is the one and only episode that addresses it.
Worst Character-Marie, bet you can’t guess who gets the blame? Yep Marie blames Ray because wasn’t properly supervising Frank. Nice to see it not be Debra, for once.
Final Thoughts-This is a very well written episode. Frank never really shows it but he does care that Ally respect him. And it’s very clear she loves him despite his faults. So for her to lose that respect is a tough thing for both to handle. And it’s handled very nice. The argument at the store is classic Frank, and he’s 100% in the wrong here. The script manages to make it work so that Frank’s talk with Ally doesn’t take him out of character. Of course Ally says that when she loses her temper she has to apologize, which Frank does begrudgingly. Until the very last moment when he subtly gets his revenge on the fruit guy, out of the view of Ally.
Grade-B+
Season 7, Episode 13
Somebody Hates Raymond
Plot Summary-Ray is dumbfounded when he finds out that someone he’s never met hates him.
Nitpick of the episode-I get wondering why someone you never met hates you, but man Ray gets carried away worrying about it. As is pointed out to him, at the end of the day who cares really?
Best Line-“Now, Ray Barone has more talent in the weird pimple on his neck that won’t go away then you have in your entire body you oily, two-faced hack. You only wish you could be Ray Barone because you will never come close to him as a writer, as a father, as a friend, or as a person.”…Robert
Episode Fun Fact
Deleted Scenes-Ray playing Ally at chess (explains why he is putting a chess game away in one scene)
Syndication Edit-top of the teaser
Best Character-Robert, he should almost get worst character but that scene where he stands up for his brother is a great one.
Worst Character-Ray, as usual he takes worrying to an all new level
Final Thoughts-I really like this episode, though in the end it’s just another “Ray worrying about something” show with a side of “Robert jealous of Ray” thrown in. What makes it stand out is that scene where Robert hears the reason the guy hates him, and suddenly all that petty stuff is thrown out the window and he stands up for his brother. The guy is clearly a snob, just because Ray isn’t the brightest doesn’t mean he can’t be good at his job! I also like the scene where Ray discuses hating people with Marie and franks it’s scenes like that we will lose as the show slogs on.
Grade-B
Season 7, Episode 14
Just a Formality
Plot Summary-When Robert asks Amy’s parents for permission to marry their daughter, he is shocked when they say no.
Nitpick of the episode-OK let me get this one out of the way. Just because Amy’s parents are ultra conservative doesn’t mean the show is portraying ALL Christians as ultra conservative. Why do people always do that?
Best Line-“I don’t know what I’m doing I’m in Pennsylvania”
Episode Fun Fact –We finally meet Amy’s parents played by Fred Willard and Georgia Engel and man do we have to talk about them. But we can get into that more next time. We are also re-introduced to Amy’s brother Peter played by Chris Elliot (except he was called Russell and played by a different actor when we met him. Sitcoms are weird!!).
Deleted Scenes-none
Syndication Edit-top of the teaser, Amy drops Robert off at Rays
Best Character-Robert, the proposal scene is one of the best I have ever seen. You knew the audience was waiting for this one and the show didn’t disappoint!
Worst Character-Marie, when Robert comes home after Amy’s parents say no, Marie jumps to the conclusion Robert and Amy broke up and goes her standard speal
Final Thoughts-To be fair, I can understand why Amy’s parents would say no. It’s not as if Robert and Amy have the best track record. But it’s more than that as Hank and Pat are ultra-religious to point of being, for lack of a better word, snobs! We also met Peter who is a jerk here and the rest of the season. He wants to keep Amy from getting married for reasons that make no sense. To be fair the scene where peter reveals Roberts dirty laundry is funny. But the thing that sells the episode is Roberts proposal to Amy which is fantastic. I love that js a simple proposal with no long winded speech. And why Robert thinks he’ll have better luck with Amy’s parents with Ray along baffles me.
Grade-B-
Season 7, Episode 15
The Disciplinarian
Plot Summary-When Debra complains that she always has to be the bad guy, Ray gives it a shot with the twins. To disastrous results.
Nitpick of the episode- It’s not as if Ray has never disciplined the kids for her before. Like when he punished Ally way back in “Father Knows Least”’.
Best Line-“Actually dad With your snoring I could have marched out of there blowing a trumpet”…Ray
Episode Fun Fact –
Deleted Scenes-none
Syndication Edit-top of teaser, Frank and Marie come over and Marie asks Robert if he and Amy set a date yet
Best Character-Ray, I like the talk he has with the boys in the end. Though I do agree with Debra that Ray could back her up more in the opening.
Worst Character-Robert, he does something here which just aggravates me. After very happily telling about how Ray would sneak out at night after Frank went to bed, Ray notes that Robert did it also. And then Robert starts screaming that it’s all lies and acting like he’s in a panic. Why??? Does he think Frank or Marie are going to punish him? They didn’t care that much when Ray said he did those things, why is Robert so freaked??
Final Thoughts-This episode is really about how kids, no matter how well they are brought up, will eventually go off and do what they’re gonna do. I remember Roseanne making a similar statement once on her show. And the episode handles it very well. That scene where the family discusses is another one of those classic scenes on this show where all the characters contribute and the conversation moves nice and fast.
Grade-B
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