Top 10 Funniest Everybody Loves Raymond Moments
#10: Peggy Beats Up Ray “Cookies”
If there’s one character who gets under Ray’s introverted skin, it’s Peggy. In her debut episode, the troop leader puts Ally’s Dad in his place by assigning him a lackluster spot to sell Frontier Girls cookies. As if that isn’t degrading enough, Peggy has the nerve to sell cookies to Ray’s parents… and of course, they buy them. In retaliation, Ray takes Peggy’s prime spot in front of a pizzeria. After Peggy gloats about selling to his family and liking it, a standoff erupts that finds Ray pinned under a table. Thankfully, Debra arrives to save her husband, albeit not from further humiliation. The intense performances and childish motivations make for one of the show’s most outrageous confrontations with Debra coming out on top.
#9: Snack Meltdown “T-Ball”
Ray typically tries to avoid conflict, which makes it all the more hysterical when something minor sets him off. After Debra clashes with the T-Ball chairperson over snacks, Ray attempts to make peace without his wife’s knowledge. Bringing some approved snacks, Ray’s plan backfires when he’s caught in the middle of Deb and Bryan. Unable to handle the pressure anymore, Ray straight-up loses it on Bryan. Aside from his qualms about the snacks, Ray resorts to criticizing Bryan’s son for making them lose the game. The subsequent silence says everything as the kids watch with blank stares while Frank and Robert distance themselves. Plus, how often do we get to see Ray fight with the voice of Homer Simpson? Well, there was that other time.
#8: Car Through House “Wallpaper”
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On a good day, Frank and Marie will stir up a little commotion at Ray and Debra’s house. On a bad day, they’ll destroy their house. The older you get, you run a higher risk of accidentally falling down the stairs. Frank falls through the stairs, though, ironically while trying to fix them. Marie caused even more damage when she backed the car through the wall. The chaos catches Ray, Deb, and the audience completely off guard, although seeing Frank emerge from the passenger seat with Marie behind the wheel comes as no shock. While the ensuing episode is full of witty dialogue, the looks of horror and disbelief on everyone’s faces provide the largest laughs, especially when Robert’s concern turns to a gleeful smile.
#7: Taping Over Wedding Video “The Tenth Anniversary”
Ray’s marriage has been full of facepalm moments and taping over his wedding video is among the biggest. This was before everything went digital, kids. Ray and Debra’s tenth anniversary ends on a sour note when they find football on the tape instead of the blessed event. To be fair, Super Bowl XXV (25) was a nail-biter, but we see where Debra’s coming from. Debra’s anger is only made funnier by Ray’s nonchalant reaction. Cookies and snacks push him over the edge, but the most important day of his life isn’t a huge loss. Ray’s at his funniest when he’s backed into a corner, yet still tries to weasel out with weak excuses. You can’t pin this one on the kids or the label, Ray.
#6: Canister Confusion “The Canister”
In an episode that won Patricia Heaton her second Primetime Emmy, Debra insists that she already returned Marie’s canister. Marie uncharacteristically apologizes for pestering Debra about it, seemingly giving her daughter-in-law an overdue win. That is until Ally reveals that Debra does still have the canister. Unwilling to let Marie hold this over her head forever, Deb attempts to sneak the canister back into her house. In a classic farce, Ray hides the canister under his oversized jacket before getting stuck between Robert and a hard place. For all the laughs, the scene builds to a surprisingly touching resolution with Frank taking the fall, telling Debra that he views her as one of his own. Besides, he was already going to be in hot water.
#5: Marie Unveils Her Masterpiece “Marie’s Sculpture”
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Often ranked among the show’s best episodes and even scoring an Emmy nomination for writing, “Marie’s Sculpture” tested the limits of what a CBS sitcom can get away with. When Marie reveals her abstract sculpture, Ray can’t help but notice that it looks suspiciously like… um, let’s just say the female form. Debra and Robert slowly come to see it while Marie remains totally clueless. Frank doesn’t catch on either, although he is drawn to the sculpture for reasons that he can’t quite put his finger on. What makes this so clever is that nobody explicitly says out loud what the sculpture looks like. It goes to show that sometimes tip-toeing around the censors is funnier than simply stating what everybody is thinking.
#4: Michael’s Story “The Angry Family”
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The kids are almost always sidelined on this show, but young Michael scores one of the most priceless moments when he reads the parents at school a story he wrote: “The Angry Family.” While it’s later revealed that Michael got the idea from a TV show, everyone initially believes that the Barones were the source of inspiration. Michael’s naive delivery is perfectly complemented by the horrified looks on everyone’s faces. The incident lands Mom and Dad in an uncomfortable teacher meeting where Debra unleashes all of her frustration. Debra sometimes gets unfairly categorized as a nagging wife, but you’d also need to blow off a little steam if you were a Barone. A parent-teacher meeting probably wasn’t the best time to let loose, however.
#3: Robert’s Lucky Suit “Lucky Suit”
In an episode that helped win Emmys for Brad Garrett and Doris Roberts, Robert lands the interview of his life with the FBI. Unfortunately, Marie ruins his lucky suit. While that’s a typical sitcom setup, the situation snowballs to new levels of awkwardness when the meddling Marie sends a lengthy fax to the interviewer, explaining what happened. This leads to arguably Robert’s funniest moment as he confronts Marie with a pair of tense, bulging eyes. Robert looks as if he might explode, although Marie plays innocent even as her son releases all of his pent-up rage. Garrett’s deep voice and tall stature have never been put to more effective use as Robert finally gives Marie a piece of his mind… which she learns nothing from.
#2: Suitcase Fight “Baggage”
Sometimes emotional baggage and literal baggage are one and the same. Ray and Debra find themselves in a standoff over who will move a suitcase that’s been sitting out for weeks. Ray even resorts to taking a grocery bag to the airport rather than give in. Just when it appears the two have made peace, Ray still thinks Deb should get the suitcase. Wanting to be the bigger person, Deb decides that she can beat Ray by ending the madness. Although Ray doesn’t entirely understand, he suddenly wants the glory of moving the suitcase. An immature scuffle ensues that’s interrupted by Robert, whose reaction sums up the absurdity of their argument. Writer Tucker Cawley drew inspiration from real life, earning an Emmy in the process. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. Marie Interrupts Robert’s Wedding, “Robert’s Wedding” She Just Couldn’t Stay Out of This One Debra’s Braciole, “Debra Makes Something Good” A Win For Deb is a Defeat for Marie Robert’s Photo Shoot, “The Model” A Picture’s Worth a Thousand Word, But We’re at a Loss Here Toaster Theft, “The Toaster” Nothing Says Christmas Like Two Parents Stealing a Toaster to Show Their Son They Care Ray Records Debra, “Bad Moon Rising” You Can See Why This Episode Won Heaton Her First Emmy
#1: The Fly “She’s the One”
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Season 7 may be the show’s finest, even winning the Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series. It also has the single funniest moment as Robert introduces Deb and Ray to Angela. While Robert is convinced that she’s the one, Ray thinks otherwise after seeing her eat a fly and wash it down with wine. Looking like he saw a ghost, Ray breaks the news to his family. On paper, the line, “She ate it,” is already pretty funny. It’s the bizarre way Ray Romano draws the line out, though, that propels this moment to the top of our list. Apparently, Romano nearly passed out from lightheadedness while filming, making his shock all the more believable. Robert eventually finds Ray wasn’t lying in another uproarious reveal.
