Welcome to Season 7! At this point the show was huge. It was the #1 comedy on TV. Ray Romano and Brad Garrett had just won their first Emmy’s, and the series itself just won its first Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series. So with all this accolade, what did Season 7 give us? Well, age was definitely starting to show. There were some strong episode bust a lot more weak one’s. But at least we had an arc about Robert and Amy to give us some new ideas. But I am getting ahead of myself, let’s start with the baggage left over from Season 6…
Season 7, Episode 1
The Cult
Plot Summary-Unable to stand Debra and Marie’s argument, Robert joins a cult. Which prompts a scheme to get the two to like each other again
Nitpick of the episode-This may the most farfetched episode the show would ever do. A cult? Oh wait, the frog lady episode is coming……
Best Line-“Nice try but you’re not that good an actor ”…Robert
Episode Fun Fact –Finally get a new opening, using the Jungle Love sequence that ended the clip show.
Deleted Scenes-Robert is visited by Gerard to get Robert I to tell cult (this was obviously the original teaser since it sets the cult up)
Syndication Edit-Ray accept Roberts offer to go to a meeting
Best Character-Frank, you gotta love how he comes in and smacks Robert on the head.
Worst Character-Debra, there is a moment in the start of the show where Ray is rambling about pickles when Debra mimes banging her head Into the fridge, exasperated. Why????? It’s a small moment but aggravates me.
Final Thoughts-It bugs me they had to resort to a sitcom cliché, “The Plan”, to get things back to status quo but I’ll take it. To be fair it’s not the first time the characters on the show would scheme about something, though this one follows the standard formula closer than any other. And it’s not a bad episode at all. The stuff with the cult is kind of out there but thankfully doesn’t last very long. And Marie and Debra’s reconciliation is a very strong moment, I think the creators knew they needed more than just the usual here.
Grade-B+
Season 7, Episode 2
Counseling
Plot Summary-When friends talk about how they went to marriage counseling, Debra decides that’s a good idea for her and Ray
Nitpick of the episode-is it wrong to say I am totally on Rays side in the opening? The setup is Ray wants to relax and watch some tv but Debra is yelling at him to help her shampoo the rug. What? Even Ray scoffs at this. I get wanting him to help with regular chores but why do women make up crazy chores and then get pissed when their husbands have the nerve to not want to help? I agree with Ray he should be allowed to relax once in awhile and has the right to say no! Why is it wives can not do whatever they want but husband have to do what their told? But give the show credit, who hasn’t had this fight?
Best Line-“That’s certainly valid. And Raymond, you of all people should know that if you want your house to look clean, Debra *needs* help.”…Marie
Episode Fun Fact –
Deleted Scenes-none
Syndication Edit-longer start to act one with Ray hoping Debra won’t mention the counseling.
Best Character-Marie, toward the end Ray blurts out he wants to be taken care of and wants “a mother”. The look on Marie’s face when he blurts that out is perfect and priceless. You gotta admire the staging, you don’t see her reaction until they actually show it making it even funnier (this doesn’t work on wide screen quite as well)
Worst Character-Debra, not enough she forces Ray into counseling but then gets mad when he isn’t blamed for everything. Yeah Debra you may want to learn how counseling works, and it won’t if your partner is dragged into it kicking and screaming.
Final Thoughts-This is a hard one talk about, while it is true Ray was putting on a bit of an act at the counseling it’s also true that Debra pushed him into it. She’s also putting on act crying almost immediately. He’s right when he says she’s just upset that he wasn’t blamed for everything. Yeah Debra I’m sure you’re perfect. The ending with the family feels forced as if they realized they needed to get the family in there somehow.
Grade-B-
Season 7, Episode 3
Homework
Plot Summary-Ray complains that Ally gets way to much homework.
Nitpick of the episode-As always when Ray does something smart or right it has to be cancelled out. This time after his speech he fumbles over the last word. Why does everyone make a big deal about Ray filling out forms all he does is make a speech at the end? If my friends with kids are to believed, to much homework is a real problem these days.
Best Line-“Because this is the end of civilization! People like you don’t want to work or learn anything because they’re too busy with their remote control television or playing with their hula-hoops! And before you know it, that’s where we’re at!”…Marie
Episode Fun Fact –
Deleted Scenes-none
Syndication Edit-Ray and Debra at the teacher conference
Best Character-Marie, while a little out of character here you gotta love the tag when she makes Raymond reread Tom Sawyer by proving she read the quarterback book he mentioned. And really Ray, you never read Tom Sawyer? Dude it’s not exactly Lord of the Rings!
Worst Character-Debra, oh man do I hate her here! First she pushes Ray into being the one to talk with the teacher (which is nothing new). When the teacher tries to get someone to volunteer Debra makes sure it isn’t her. And then when he asks for her help she insists that she has done her job now it’s time to do his. Yeah, except that looking over education curriculum reports isn’t his job or anything he knows about! Maybe he could use a little help? And of course when he gets help from Marie, Debra dives in to the “when will anything be important enough for you to get involved” speech even though she had gone out of her way to not do any of the work herself!!!!!! Yes it’s true that Ray doesn’t help out enough but Debra uses that fact as an excuse to bully him into doing things she doesn’t want to. This goes all the way back to the pilot.
Final Thoughts-I love parts of this episode, yet it’s another that Debra pisses me right the hell of in. If you take her out the stuff with Ray and Marie is great as is the speech Ray gives at the end.
Grade-B
Season 7, Episode 4
Pet the Bunny
Plot Summary-Frank is upset that Ray wrote a eulogy for him, including a story about him petting a bunny.
Nitpick of the episode-I always wondered if the show had a script ready in case Peter Boyle passed away, and that inspired this episode.
Best Line-“Every night! That damn bunny need some attention. You guys never did anything. “Buy us a bunny, Daddy. We’ll take care of it.” I was lied to!! “…Frank
Episode Fun Fact –
Deleted Scenes-none
Syndication Edit-top of the teaser
Best Character-Frank, he’s just great in this one. Once again we see he does have a heart under there with the whole bunny thing.
Worst Character-Debra, of course she teases Ray when he tries to explain that he wrote the eulogy as a writing challenge. Then when Ray tells the story she encouraged him to tell frank about it. Why?????
Final Thoughts-I like the way this episode has two different plot elements going. It starts off about Ray writing a eulogy for no real reason. But then spins into a whole thing about Frank petting the bunny and refusing to admit it because he’s supposed to be the tough guy. When the eulogy comes back up we’ve almost forgotten about it.
Grade-B-
Season 7, Episode 5
Who Am I?
Plot Summary-Ray has an identity crisis
Nitpick of the episode-This episode is so dumb you can’t even describe it. I get the feeling they realized they did the whole “Ray is having a midlife crisis” thing so they went out of their way to say it’s an “identity crisis” instead- because that’s so different.
Best Line-“That’s not open marriage that’s escape”…Marie
Episode Fun Fact –First appearance of Ray Romano’s father as Albert and Philip Rosenthal’s father as Max (second appearance for him). They do a decent job for two people who never acted, ever.
Deleted Scenes-none
Syndication Edit-Ray and Debra arriving at the book lecture (nice to see Bernie and Linda had lines)
Best Character-Marie, always the mother
Worst Character-Debra, at the book lecture Ray has dozed off. Now Debra could have left him alone or woken him calmly, but instead she elbows him in the eye! Oh yeah then we wouldn’t get the punch line (Ray whines about his eye in front of the author, who only has one eye—brilliant)
Final Thoughts-So the solution to Ray’s problem is to still in a steam room with a bunch of old men? What?? The old man joke would begin to be a very common thing on this show. That whole scene just makes no sense. Actually the whole episode makes no sense. Well, to be fair the idea that Ray has realized he has outgrown that childish stuff he did with his friends was nice. In fact the whole first half is ok. But where they go with that idea is silly, it almost feels like a different episode! By the way I have word character to Debra but I should mention that for some reason Roberts jealous is cranked up to maximum for some reason.
Grade-C, stupid and forgettable
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