On Monday, May 16, 2005, an era ended.
EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND ended its very successful nine-year run on CBS. And what an ending it was. An estimated 32.2 million people watched the Barone family say good-bye, following an hour-long retrospective named, just like this column, “The Last Laugh.”
I was extremely happy to see the final number for the finale, because I was glad that all those people got to see this momentous occasion. In an age where many people believe the traditional sitcom is dying in the aftermath of reality television, Raymond served as one of the last examples that showed that sitcoms are indeed still strong.
Raymond had a sense of reality that was insurmountable by any sitcom before it, and most likely after it, as well. While it had elements of classics like All in the Family, Dick van Dyke, and even Seinfeld, it held its own. The writers used stories of their own experiences with their families to contribute to the never-ending struggles amidst the Barone clan. No matter who you are, young or old, rich or poor, black or white, male or female: if you have ever had any kind of relationship with anybody, you could somehow relate your personal life and experiences to Raymond.
Doesn’t matter what kind of relationship you have or had, because Raymond touched on a wide variety. Parents/children. In-laws. Siblings. If you know anybody at all in your family, then you can relate.
It was never the most popular of all the sitcoms. It didn’t score the Nielsen numbers of sitcoms like Friends. But, in its own way, that in and of itself was a testament to the message of the show. It was a show that talked about family relationships, and attempted to find the humor in them. Most of us, and our families, are average people. We aren’t major celebrities and we will probably never make a million dollars. Raymond touched on the average. Granted, some aspects were exaggerated for the purposes of comedy, but at its core, Raymond was real. And that’s why people watched for nine years, and it’s the same reason why all fans feel a strange void now that we feel it has left the stage prematurely.
What will we do with ourselves on Monday nights now that Raymond will no longer be on the CBS schedule? Well, even though there aren’t any more new episodes to be seen, that does not mean our experience with the show will end.
Raymond is the ideal candidate for syndication. It is already on re-runs, and it will be forever. The family issues it touches upon were valid yesterday, are still valid today, and will continue to be valid tomorrow. People of all future generations will be able to appreciate the humor and stories presented in the show, and we will all be able to continue to enjoy it for years to come. The writers and actors have all definitely created a legacy.
The finale itself was perfect. I am very sorry to see them go, but if it had to be done, this finale was the way to do it. It had the perfect combination of heartfelt feeling and the hilarity and chaos that this cast has been known to create.
The premise: Raymond had to go for some minor throat surgery to have his adenoids removed. Robert, living in Raymond’s shadow all the way until the end, believed he had been brought to the hospital with the rest of the family for the sole reason that Marie knows that he and Raymond are the same blood type. He makes fun of Raymond for freaking out over the minor surgery, as well, and this is yet another illustration of the sibling rivalry that has existed for nine years.
Then a shock is lowered on us without warning, and was written with a masterful sense of purpose and genius. The nurse came out to inform Debra that Raymond was not waking up from the medication he had been put under for the surgery. She broke down, and Robert, teasing just moments ago, ran up to see what he could do to make sure his brother woke up. Marie, thankfully, was in the bathroom, and mere seconds later, a doctor came out to say that he was now awake and everything was fine. It was then the decision was made by Debra that no one tell Ray what happened, lest he freak out. Frank suggested they also not tell Marie for the same reason.
That night, Debra continues to choke up as she talks to Raymond about the routine she will have the next day as she contemplates how close she thought she had come to losing him. Across the street, Frank was also very upset, and naturally, he could not keep the secret and told Marie everything.
It was here the comedy returned with full force and genius in one of the funniest scenes of television history. Marie, true to form, freaked out, charged across the street, and climbed right into bed beside her son and started smothering him with kisses, much to his horror.
At the end of the episode, we fade out on the Barones all around the kitchen table, eating and bickering just as they have done for nine years.
It was the perfect finale. It showed that even though this family argues all the time, they still truly care for one another. The same thing is true for all of us, and that is the beauty and the art behind EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND. They never beat around the bush with any of their storylines. You have family members, and whether you like them or not, you’re stuck with them. You love them, you hate them, they drive you crazy. But, underneath it all, you are still a family.
Of course, the title of this column, which is the same title for the hour-long retrospective that aired before the finale, is ironic. While the phenomenal ensemble cast members, all of whom have the talent to carry their own show, have officially taken their final bows, the laughs are not over. Whether it is the infamous Fruit-of-the-Month club tirade that started the series off with a bang in the pilot or the laughs produced when Marie climbed into bed with her son that helped send the series off in style in the finale, all of us will be enjoying the legacy of EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND for a long time to come.
Matt Roush, a columnist for TV Guide magazine, said it perfectly in HIS Raymond tribute column in this week’s magazine, dated May 15-21, 2005: “We loved them for their faults, for surviving their fights, for remaining consistently funny to the very end.”
Indeed we will. I couldn’t have said it better myself. Thank you, EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND, for the laughs. You will be sorely missed, and we are forever grateful for your contributions to the entertainment industry, and for the laughs that we will continue to have for years.
Kudos for a job very, very well done.
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I’ll be back next week with my final wrap-up of SURVIVOR: PALAU!
