When they say everybody loves Raymond, they weren’t kidding. Nine seasons, 200+ episodes and one of the most nominated comedies in Primetime Emmy history, Everybody Loves Raymond remains one of the most beloved sitcoms ever. And while it lives on in reruns, don’t expect it to get the reboot treatment.
Some of the most popular comedies of the ‘90s and ‘00s have seen reboots and revivals — we’re talking Frasier, That ‘70s Show, Scrubs, etc. And despite some fan support, a favorite on Everybody Loves Raymond says one of his show just isn’t going to happen. According to Brad Garrett — who played Ray Romano’s brother Robert to much acclaim — “There won’t be [a continuation]. And I’m just saying that because that’s something that Ray and Phil [Rosenthal, the show’s creator] have always said.” Garrett is referring to the numerous times that Romano has shut down the idea of a reboot of Everybody Loves Raymond, chiefly citing their general inability to work.
But for Garrett, it comes down to the losses of both Peter Boyle and Doris Roberts, who passed away in 2006 and 2016, respectively. “There is no show without the parents. They were the catalyst, and to do anything that would resemble that wouldn’t be right to the audiences or to the loyal fan base. And it was about those two families, and you can’t get around that.” Boyle and Roberts played Frank and Marie Barone, both earning some of the highest praise of their careers for the roles.
Throughout the run of Everybody Loves Raymond, Brad Garrett earned five Emmy nods for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series; with three wins, that puts him in the company of Seinfeld’s Michael Richards, The Mary Tyler Moore Show’s Ed Asher and. I Love Lucy’s William Frawley.
With Everybody Loves Raymond, Ray Romano was able to live out the then-dream of going from stand-up comedian to sitcom superstar, following in the footsteps of the likes of Bill Cosby, Jerry Seinfeld and Tim Allen. As for those, Allen has moved on from Home Improvement, a Seinfeld reunion was best left on Curb Your Enthusiasm and, well, Bill Cosby is Bill Cosby.
Were you a fan of Everybody Loves Raymond? Do you think a reboot could possibly work without Frank and Marie Barone?
