Top 5 Worst Everybody Loves Raymond Episodes

Everybody Loves Raymond is the kind of show either you love, or you hate it. I loved it, it was so relatable and the actor’s were pro’s. Ok, Ray wasn’t much of an actor but we didn’t care. When I decided to talk about Everybody Loves Raymond, I couldn’t come up with a single episode that was notably bad right off the top of my head. Unlike other shows, there wasn’t one show which jumped out at me as one I can’t stand to watch when it’s on. 

The problem with this show wasn’t specific episodes which failed, because most of the episodes were consistent, but with recurring themes which were annoying. I could make a list of shows where Ray did something smart only to have it get turned around and have it be a stupid thing. “The Party Dress” is a prime example. The whole show is about Ray not wanting to spend lots of money for a party dress for his daughter, which he finally does. This act of kindness is undone when they get to the party and find out that no one is wearing a party dress after all. 

Or how about episodes where Ray has a feeling about something or someone but rather than support him the family ridicule him? In “Cookies” Ray expressed feelings about a mean lady and rather than support that the family accuses him of hating women. The worst thing is when the episode is over and it is revealed the woman is mean, he gets no apology. The same thing happens in “The Annoying Kid”. Ray thinks their friend’s child is annoying, and Debra accuses him of hating children this time. In the end it turns out he is annoying, and again no apology. Of course if Ray had a backbone and stood up for himself, there would have been no series because he would have thrown Debra out.

The worst frequent theme was what I call “crazy Debra” episodes. Normally Debra was a rational person, frustrated and angry but within reason. Other times she is just mean, and then there are times when she is crazy. She is screaming like lunatic and never takes responsibility for anything. She pushes Ray into things and then doesn’t help. In “Homework”, she makes Ray feel like a bad father for not wanting to speak up about the amount of homework their daughter gets, but does she help him or say anything herself? I like when Ray comes upstairs at the beginning after helping Ally and she in bed reading without a care. Then later when she doesn’t help she trots out the “I did laundry” crap. How about “Sweet Charity” where she uses Robert to discourage Ray from volunteering at a hospital because it’s not convenient for her, even though she pushed him into it. 

I know I am being hard on Debra but Marie could also get ridiculous. Marie had such a fragile ego that the slightest thing threatened it. What was worst, the family were petrified to do or say anything which could upset her. “Slave” is a good example, Ally is finally old enough to babysit but don’t tell grandma! I mean, really?

Most of the time this craziness was balanced just enough to be tolerated and even funny. Of course, not all of them were and as I did some digging I realized there were a couple episodes which failed because the craziness was over the top. Here is a list of top 5 episodes which were just bad, not just because or the reasons I listed above.

#5. “The Christmas Picture”. This is a bad episode disguised as a good episode. Everyone has had the experience of trying to get a family photo done, and this episode does a good job of showing the aggravation involved. The problem is with the way the conflict comes about. Ray decides to do famly portrait as his present to his mother. When Marie shoots down Debra’s idea, she gets revenge by inviting her parents to sabotage the shoot. It bothers me that she would do something so mean, it’s downright evil. She is using her parents to get back at Ray’s, and then throws a fit because “Marie just has to get her way as always”. While there is no question Marie is a nuisance, I think she deserves the sympathy here. The gift was for her, and why in the world would she want Debra’s parents in a picture of her family? And she doesn’t even mention it to Ray, and tries to make it seem like it was perfectly understandable. Debra is just way out of line, and of course it’s Ray who suffers for it.

#4. “A Date for Peter”. Finally, an episode where Ray is the one who is way out of line. Peter is Robert’s brother in law, and apparently in an attempt to bring some old characters back this episode brings a few recurring characters in as possible dates for Peter. One is Peggy, who Ray had the fight with in “Cookies”. It’s hard to describe you really have to see it, but Ray goes out of his way to try and prevent Peter and Peggy from hooking up, even though they get along great and no one is talking commitment or anything. Ray is just dumb in this episode, the one bright side is the end where Ray apologizes and we see Peter and Peggy hooked up anyway. Funny, we never saw Debra apologize for anything.

#3. “Cruising with Marie”. In Season 3 Patricia Heaton had given birth and needed to be written out for a few episodes. We were stuck with a couple of episodes with Ray and his family, and little or no Debra. Most of them were ok, although without Debra it didn’t feel like the same show. This episode was the worst, having no Debra, and we see Ray and Marie on a cruise where Marie is popular to Ray’s chagrin. At home Robert is forced to look after Frank who's hurt himself. This episode is just boring and it feels like each character is out of character for the whole half hour.

#2. “The Bigger Person.” At the end of season six, they did a three episode arc about Debra getting into a fight with Marie and they wind up not even speaking to each other. This just seemed wrong, I know this isn’t The Brady Bunch but it’s still a sitcom and to not have the problem resolved was just unsettling. This episode is the worst of the three, as the husbands try to take advantage of their wives feud and Robert gets in the middle. Debra and Marie are both unlikable. At the end of the episode Ray tries to sneak off to golf, and Debra acts like she is going to beat the crap out of him. Not funny, if I want anger and tension I will just visit my own parent’s thank you very much.

#1. “Thank You Notes.” It’s amazing how an episode so relatable can also be so aggravating. I know what it’s like to have a relative be irritatingly insistent you get thank you notes out, but even though I relate to the situation I can’t forgive this episode for the way it goes. The first half isn’t so bad, but when Amy and Robert don’t seem to care about sending the note out to Marie’s friend, Marie does her guilt crap. Then Debra gets all excited about the chance to finally overthrow Marie and as she and Amy discuss strategy, Ray sneaks off to warn his mother. This episode is Marie at her worst, and Debra at her nuttiest. Deba acts like a crazy person, and we find out Marie was a pain about the notes because she had suggested the gift to her friend and was desperate to get the credit for being so brilliant. 

Well, that’s my list. As you can tell, Debra was the one character who annoyed me. When she was pleasant and nice I liked her, but when she acted all nuts I hated her. All in all, the show was funny and relatable. I do think it went on a season or two to long, but that’s ok. Hope you enjoyed this, and feel free to disagree as always this is just my opinion.