Everybody Loves Raymond was a popular sitcom that ran from 1996 to 2005. As such, it was definitely a pop culture phenomenon of the early 2000s. It dealt with many relatable family issues that people of the time could relate to. While it does seem out of date now, there are many things about the show that are still funny and accurate to anyone who is close to their family. Many people have pointed out that there are some outdated and even problematic things about the series. Plus, some things about it just don’t make a lot of sense.
If you’re a fan of Everybody Loves Raymond but still wonder about some of the choices on the show, we’ve put together a list of the 10 main things that make no sense about it.
10. WHY DEBRA ALWAYS STAYS AT HOME
While 2005 might not seem that long ago, it’s almost fifteen years now. Plus, 1996 when the show started is over twenty years ago now. This means there are some things about the show that might not be as culturally relevant anymore. While being a stay at home mom is a valid choice, it did seem strange that Debra never even worked part-time out of the home. It was clear that in many ways she was smarter and more capable than Raymond and even expressed in various episodes her desire to work.
9. THE HATEFUL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FRANK AND MARIE
One of the most troubling things about Everybody Loves Raymond was the relationship between Frank and Marie. While most of the characters on this show were meant to be caricatures and were more extreme for laughs, it’s still a bit over the top.
The way they treated each other and talked to each other was so bad it often veered into verbally abusive territory. While it might have seemed funny at times, seeing a relationship where two people disliked each other so openly could be rough to watch.
8. THE FACT RAYMOND IS SO AGAINST HELPING HIS WIFE OUT
This is another thing about the show that was taken to the extreme for laughs. The relationship between Ray and Debra was definitely an extreme stereotype of heterosexual marriage with the nagging wife and dumb husband. However, the fact is that Ray clearly was a capable person. The fact that he was so against helping Debra out with even the most basic of household tasks was just annoying to watch over and over again. While it might have been meant to be funny, it really just revealed some bigger problems with the culture at the time.
7. WHY ROBERT SPENDS SO MUCH TIME AROUND HIS PARENTS
Robert is the one character on the show who often seems to get the short end of the stick. He’s clearly the least favorite child, and he lets his jealous of Raymond basically rule his life. It’s hard to understand why Robert spends so much time around his family if they make him so miserable.
Now, it’s clear that family is a value the Barone’s share. But, Robert was an adult who worked in New York City. He could have created some distance and boundaries with his family and likely been a lot happier.
6. HOW SEXIST IT WAS
This has already been alluded to on this list, but it deserves a point all to itself. The show was extremely sexist. While many shows of the time period were like this, Everybody Loves Raymond might be one of the worst offenders. At least on shows like Friends, women were shown doing a variety of jobs and having many different roles in life. Raymond really had only two main female characters who both were responsible for traditional female roles. Plus, there were many horrible comments made about women and their roles and their looks on this show.
5. HOW RAY MAKES AS MUCH MONEY AS HE DOES
As with most television shows, the accuracy of careers and how much people make is usually lacking. Raymond works as a sports writer, and not for a huge magazine, and somehow seems to make a solid living.
While this might be more accurate given the fact it was nearly twenty-five years ago, it does seem like he would struggle more to get the job he has and make the money he does.
4. ROBERT’S WEIRD CRUSH ON DEBRA
Robert could sometimes be one of the most annoying characters on the show. While it was easy to feel bad for him at times, the way he always made himself a victim could get frustrating. One of the strangest things about him, however, was the crush he had on Debra. He was always jealous of Ray and this seemed to include his marriage to Debra. There were even episodes where he would go to lengths to prove he knew Debra better than Ray. Overall, it was just uncomfortable.
3. WHY MARIE HATED THE FRUIT OF THE MONTH CLUB SO MUCH
This entry is more of a funny one, but it can be taken to represent bigger themes from the series overall. One running joke is the fact that Marie hated when Raymond got her a subscription to the Fruit of the Month club as a gift.
Her pure disgust at this gift was pretty funny as it’s not that it’s an awful thing. But, this one instance also points to a bigger problem which is why Marie was always so critical.
2. WHY RAY ALWAYS SEEMED SO INCOMPETENT
Given that Raymond was the breadwinner in the house and had a stable job, it would seem like he would be a competent adult. However, when it comes to raising kids or cleaning the house, he seemed like a child. He once even put fish in the dishwasher because he wasn’t paying attention while trying to watch sports. A grown adult who can’t do basic household chores is more pathetic than anything else.
1. WHY RAYMOND AND DEBRA LIVED SO CLOSE TO FRANK AND MARIE
Clearly, the central theme of the show is about being a family who drives each other nuts but still cares about each other. There’s also the sense that the Barones can’t get past their duty to family and codependency. However, if Debra and Ray just lived somewhere else, they would likely be much happier. They could even have lived somewhere not too far away given that the Long Island/New York City area is large. Even if they lived 30 minutes away, it would have been better than across the street.
