Thirty years is a long time in any business; a virtual eternity in the world of TV sitcoms. So is 29, the actual number that have elapsed since CBS debuted a show from a group of newcomers that were professionally connected to David Letterman’s production company, a reward and perk that helped them secure his services for the late night resurrection that his nightly talk show gave them. His idol Johnny Carson had a similar setup at NBC, although his most successful effort was the coattails Saturday night entry AMEN that gave Sherman Hemsley additional work and limped through five mediocre years. EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND was initially given similar shrift; slotted following the barely renewed and otherwise forgotten Harry Anderson followup to NIGHT COURT, DAVE’S WORLD, on Friday nights where they consistently trailed ABC’s TGIF juggernaut. Frankly, the early ratings returns made AMEN seem like THE JEFFERSONS by comparison.
But when RAYMOND was tested by CBS braintrust it consistently scored well, and not just in New York where it was set. And with Les Moonves newly ensconched as the network’s programming czar, having come from a research-inclusive background at Warner Brothers he saw something that gave him enough confidence to upgrade it to the coveted Monday night block that had given birth to dozens of successful comedies as counterprogramming to football and football-adjacent hours and where a promising new show with Ted Danson and wife Mary Steenburgen, INK, had floundered. The show’s ratings immediately grew by placement alone and then continued to build as America discovered the talents of what was initially a cast that had never been associated with hit comedies, let alone an inexperienced showrunner who was given the reins in large part because of his friendship with the lead. It eventually became the cornerstone and the top ratings getter of that Monday night block and created a new batch of shows successful enough to be syndicated, all pretty much following the formula of well-meaning but schlubby hubby married to a beautiful, smart and frequently exasperated wife who at least stopped bickering long enough to produce some truly adorable but mostly wallpaper kids.
Even though RAYMOND ran its network course more than 20 years ago, its immense repeatability and timeless storylines have made it a staple of local stations and multiple cable networks ever since. As for CBS, well, they cut their Monday night sitcom block in half more than a decade ago in favor of dramas which had more international viability. They’re still doing relatively well ratings-wise, but the escapism and comfort food environment that knowing 120 minutes of everyman comedy provided has been missed by a generation that made it part of their TV diet. When we’d do our own research on FX’s comedy attempts in that era we’d consistently hear this attachment and expectation to broader-appeal fare, which even though our management looked down their noses at shows like RAYMOND we knew in hindsight that were we to succeed at all we’d have to zag while they zigged. So you’re welcome, Rob McElhenny, now you know why you got your shot that you took even more advantage of than did Ray Romano, Phil Rosenthal and team.
And tonight–at least for one night–CBS is back with two hours of comedy, three-quarters of which will be a misnomer-titled but nonetheless highly anticpated salute which HOLLYWOOD OUTBREAK’s mysteriously bylined A.C. described:
CBS is bringing one of television’s most beloved families back together for a brand-new reunion special celebrating the 30th anniversary of Everybody Loves Raymond. The 90-minute event, titled Everybody Loves Raymond: 30th Anniversary Reunion, airs Monday, Nov. 24 (8:00–9:30 PM ET/PT) on CBS and will stream on Paramount+. Hosted by series star Ray Romano and creator Phil Rosenthal, the special welcomes viewers back into a faithfully recreated Barone living room. The reunion offers fans a nostalgic return to the world that became a staple of CBS comedy for nine seasons.
The reunion brings together familiar faces, including Brad Garrett, Patricia Heaton, Monica Horan, Madylin Sweeten, and Sullivan Sweeten. The cast shares candid conversations, behind-the-scenes stories, and new reflections on how a simple family sitcom became one of the most cherished shows in TV history. Fans will also see never-before-seen outtakes, giving them a fresh look at the comedic chemistry that helped make Everybody Loves Raymond a standout during the broadcast era. The special also pays tribute to the late Doris Roberts and Peter Boyle, whose unforgettable performances as Marie and Frank Barone shaped the show’s heart and humor. Cast and crew share personal reflections on how the pair turned the classic meddling mother-in-law and laid-back father figure into two of television’s most iconic characters.
It is that reality check that assures that despite its continuing popularity and how well received Romano and Garrett were at this fall’s Emmy Awards there will never be a reboot. Roberts, a perennial second banana on several less successful series in the 70s and 80s and Boyle, known perhaps best from his iconic role in YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN, were the ideal antagonists, especially to Heaton, who despite her character’s expertise in making sure Romano was somehow responsible enough to be a loving father and husband was ultimately given her own come-uppance by her in-laws, who just happened to live across the street. For as endearing and relatable as the Barone boys were and are, any attempt to do something that didn’t factor in who both loved and despised them most of all would have been half-hearted and likely doomed as have been the efforts to resurrect many of the other 62 comedies that were on the air across six broadcast networks actively programming all seven nights of the week back when RAYMOND debuted.
And while there will indeed be laughs aplenty, as Pamela Chelin of the LOS ANGELES TIMES beautifully captured in her preview piece that dropped this morning, there will be other bittersweet moments besides the tribute to Marie and Frank:
(A)nother poignant moment when Madylin Sweeten and younger brother Sullivan Sweeten, who played Ray and Debra’s children, Ally and Michael Barone, joined the panel. Madylin was 5 when the show began, while Sullivan was 16 months old. His twin brother, Sawyer, who also appeared on the show as Michael’s twin, Geoffrey, died by suicide in 2015, just before his 20th birthday.
Speaking about his late brother, Sullivan said that he tries to stay positive by reflecting on his best moments with Sawyer, sharing that most of them happened on the set of the show. Madylin said that she and Sullivan work with the National Suicide Prevention Hotline, noting that most who seek help do survive.
Now 34 and a mom herself, Madylin reflected on growing up on a hit series. At the time, she was too young to fully grasp its importance, revealing that she remembers being upset one year when she couldn’t participate in a school play because she had to be on set. As scenes of the Barone children played above the stage, she wiped away tears at the sight of Sawyer as a child. It was easy to see what made the cast feel like a real family. Their chemistry filled the studio once again, and their connection endures.
And the Sweetens have indeed move on with their lives, as have Romano, Heaton and Garrett, all of whom have had several cracks at other series in the two decades since they last shot RAYMOND, none of which save for Heaton’s appropriately-titled THE MIDDLE ever reaching true syndicatability. As for Rosenthal, he’s reinvented himself as an everyman answer to Anthony Bourdain with his successful Netflix run on SOMEBODY FEED PHIL , and earlier this month he and daughter Lily finally decided to reciprocably feed some of us fans with the opening of an old-school diner named after his own parents (the purported inspirations for Marie and Frank Barone), MAX AND HELEN’S. I’m told the lines are long and the food is superb. Anyone who’s ever had anything similar in New York City’s suburbs will feel right at home. Remember, comfort food, like comfort food TV, is forever loved.
Until next time…