The Best of ELR: Your Favorite Moments

[VCRTracking]

Oh the canister episode. I think let out an "Oh shit!" the first time I saw the episode when Allie walked in with it.

 

Debra: I could have sworn I gave that back to your mother. I mean, I don't know what happened. Well, here's what probably happened is that, you know, I'm doing a million things and the kids are always at you and asking for stuff and Ally probably came up to me and asked me for something and I didn't really hear. And as long as I don't hear the word "gun" or "knife," I just said, "Yeah. " So, yeah, that that's probably what happened, I'm positive. Because, you know, I'm doing like a million things, and you know, I've gotta do everything here myself, and if you would pitch in a little bit more, Ray!

Ray: Oh, no no! No! No! Don't look at me! This is what drowning people do, they pull you right down with them.
Debra: Well, I'm screwed, all right?

Robert: You know what's really bad? She apologized to you even though she knew she was right.
Debra: Oh, shut up! Why do you come over here, to state the obvious? Is that what you're here for?

Robert: I must say, Debra, this is not your most attractive side.

 

Edited October 15, 2015 by VCRTracking

[Inquisitionist]

Thanks for making me laugh this early in the morning, VCRTracking!  That is a classic scene.  Debra Heaton was excellent.

[Guest]

I love that whole episode so much.  

 

Ray's jacket, the "That's not Easter language, Raymond," the boys' hug - it's one of the better episodes, I think.

[Homily]

Classic episode for sure!  I love everything about it but I think the little speech Debra gives to convince the guys to go along with her plan to throw out the canister is the best, the writing is great but it's all in the delivery:

 

Nobody's gonna stop me? Nobody cares what happens to me? Or not even to me, but let's just say I bring this thing back, and then she thinks she's always right.
She has more power than ever.When you say, "Mom, I don't want to marry that girl.I think you're wrong about her."
 "Oh, really? Was I wrong about the canister?" Or you, when you say, "Mom, you know, I don't think you should move in with us now that dad has passed."  "Oh have you forgotten about the canister?!" But you guys do what you want."

 

  It's no wonder she got an Emmy that year, she earned it!

[Inquisitionist]

Yeah, The Cannister was one of those "we're gonna write Patty Heaton an Emmy" episodes, just like Bad Moon Rising the year before.  She made the most of both opportunities.

[ByTor]

She has more power than ever.When you say, "Mom, I don't want to marry that girl.I think you're wrong about her."

 "Oh, really? Was I wrong about the canister?" Or you, when you say, "Mom, you know, I don't think you should move in with us now that dad has passed."  "Oh have you forgotten about the canister?!"

I think this is my favorite exchange of the whole episode...especially because she was right!

Lately, I have lost much of my interest in sitcoms, it just seems like they consist of wildly unrealistic things that are played for laughs. Yeah, I know, it's exaggerated for humor, but to me if a situation could have been prevented by a character saying/doing one little logical  thing, it's just not funny (I hope I'm making sense!) That being said, I think that's why I still love Raymond and use it to fall asleep every night, because IMO most of their situations aren't particularly wildly outlandish. I know there's a lot of criticism that Debra's problems could have been fixed by her simply locking her doors, but that doesn't bother me, because Marie could just ring the doorbell, and realistically Debra can't pretend every time that she's not home or didn't hear it.  Just my little rant :)

[Homily]

The only real solution to Debra's problem was to have the younger Barone's move (too far for sauce, too close to stay over) but if that had ever actually happened the whole premise of the show would have been lost.

[VCRTracking]

More and more I realize how brilliant the premise is of Ray's parents living just across the street from them is. It's something many people can relate to because we all have in-laws we don't get along with, but it's unique in that they don't live so close by that they can stop by every day. Also If Ray's parents were just living in Ray and Debra's house with them(like Arthur lives with Doug and Carrie on King of Queens), or Debra and Ray were living in THEIR house(like Gloria and Meathead live in Archie's house in All in the Family),  Only one would have the right to make the rules while the other who is dependent on them would have to be beholden to them. 

There would be the threat of throwing the other out. In the ELR situation both women have power.

Edited October 15, 2015 by VCRTracking

[Homily]

In the ELR situation both women have power.

 

In Debra's case it would have been nice if now and then the writers had explored just how much power Debra, at least theoretically, did have.  If she ever threatened to move directly to Marie's face I missed that episode.  Debra had what Marie wanted - access to Ray and the kids - if she'd asserted herself a little more then maybe Marie would have backed off a bit.  Of course this would have required a little cooperation from Ray so we can all see what it never happened!

[ByTor]

if she'd asserted herself a little more then maybe Marie would have backed off a bit. 

They toyed with this when they had the series of episodes where Marie & Debra weren't speaking.  They have shown, though (in my opinion anyway), that Debra really does love Marie, and I think Debra would rather have judgy buttinski Marie than no Marie at all.

[VCRTracking]

I love the last season episode where they Frank and Marie move off to a retirement village but are immediately kicked out because of how obnoxious they are. That Marie's not just passive-aggressively bitchy Debra, but to women her own age! Ray gives that great speech:

 

"You know, I used to always think, why can't Debra and I get along with my parents? Then I think that maybe it's us, maybe they're the parents and we're supposed to honor them and respect them like they're Chinese or something. But today...I realized something. It's not us. It's you. People from your own World War II generation have spoken, and IT'S YOU!!!"

 

Edited October 15, 2015 by VCRTracking

[ShadowSixx]

A funny moment for me is The Mentor episode where that guy Sam thanked Frank for how he treated him and they all thought that Frank was nice when in fact he was showing tough love. Anyways at the end when Ray, Frank, and Robert made up and were going to the lodge and Debra said they can stay as she'll cook them something to eat and Marie just bursts out laughing. Mean on Marie's part but the way Marie laughed was funny.

[ByTor]

I stole one of my phrases from the episode ShadowSixx mentioned:  Get off your pity pot, Nancy!

[VCRTracking]

Ray, Debra and Robert's horrified reaction to Frank saying "Marie, you said he was black!" referring to the dad of the twins' new friend who was white might be one of my favorite moments of the show. Just so, so, so wrong! Also, the poor janitor is now on Brooklyn Nine Nine, as Scully one of the lazy old detectives along with Hitchcock, played by Dirk Blocker.

[ByTor]

Marie: I did not say black, I said African American!

[Milk-Eyed Mender]

Oh, man, The Janitor and The Mentor, my apologies to their fans, but if they were mysteriously removed forever from the line-up, I'd be okay with that. Throw in Crazy Chin, too. But that's for another thread.

The CW channel is inching towards one of my favorite episodes, Robert as an oblivious swinging single in The Apartment. I will always stop whatever I'm doing to watch those two hot girls mistake Debra for the housekeeper when she brings Robert a basketful of linens. And Debra's zinger to Ray when he says nothing suspicious was going on: "I saw those girls. Like you had a chance!" Ouch!

Edited October 19, 2015 by Milk-Eyed Mender

[ByTor]

Oh, man, The Janitor and The Mentor, my apologies to their fans, but if they were mysteriously removed forever from the line-up, I'd be okay with that. Throw in Crazy Chin, too. But that's for another thread.

I agree about Crazy Chin, but I do like The Janitor and The Mentor. Now if that one where Frank got man of the year, Bad Moon, and Cruising With Marie went away, I wouldn't exactly shed any tears. :) Edited October 19, 2015 by ByTor

[Homily]

Just watched the episode where Michael stayed home from school.  All round great episode (made better because it was Michael not Geoffrey - that would have been too sad) and I loved the comment both Ray and Allie make when they find out Michael called the teacher Mommy, "Why, was she yelling?"   Oh and Ray's face at the end when the kids on the bus call out "Hey look it's Pee Pee Raymond".  Classic!

Edited October 19, 2015 by Homily

[BogoGog24]

A few favorite lines from unrelated episodes:

The one where Ally likes a boy in her class (I think it's called Ally's F)

Ally: Mom, are boys stupid?

Debra: Yes.....

One of my favorite all time scenes is in the episode Sleepover At Peggy's when Ray is explaining to the guys how Peggy tapped his butt and he has Robert demonstrate on him and then Debra walks in on them. And then she just heads right back upstairs.

Forget what this episode is called but it's when all the husbands gossip about their wives and Ray reveals that Debra burps.

Robert: Really, Debra burps?

Ray: One time I saw her burp a door open!

[Milk-Eyed Mender]

Forget what this episode is called but it's when all the husbands gossip about their wives and Ray reveals that Debra burps.

Robert: Really, Debra burps?

Ray: One time I saw her burp a door open!

Best part of that episode for me (Blabbermouths, I think it is) is while Ray goes to make popcorn, Robert is so hepped up on all the gossip he folds his legs underneath him on the couch like a teen girl at a slumber party. Slays me every time. Romano really grew as a physical actor, but Brad Garrett was in a class by himself.

[ByTor]

Best part of that episode for me (Blabbermouths, I think it is) is while Ray goes to make popcorn, Robert is so hepped up on all the gossip he folds his legs underneath him on the couch like a teen girl at a slumber party.

I thought Robert doing that was super cute.  And I loved Amy crossing her legs at the end when she was laughing at Frank in the wig.  I guess someone should have put down some newspaper :)

[ByTor]

I watched "Fairies" last night, it has one of my favorite exchanges:

Debra: Dressing the twins like fairies isn't going to make them gay.

Frank: It isn't going to make them Teamsters.

Marie: I'm sure there are gay Teamsters.

I always like when Marie is unexpectedly tolerant.

[ShadowSixx]

Another funny moment for me is when Marie brought Stefania to New York as a surprise for Robert and Robert was getting annoyed with her. It was funny when Robert was talking to his family about ending things with Stefania and Ray poked Robert and Robert had such a funny reaction to it. It keeps me laughing.

 

Same episode when Robert was trying to end things with her, Stefania just wanted to eat a hot dog which caused him to rip a bag of nuts open.

 

Stefania absolutely detested Robert's sofa didn't she lol. In that episode she liked everything about Robert's apartment except the sofa. When Robert wanted her to sit down so she can break up with him she said, "To the ugly sofa." Then when Marie invited Stefania, Judy, and Amy for a Robert pow wow Stefania said, "That's why he likes to sit home every night and sit on his ugly sofa."

 

It was also funny in that Robert Pow Wow, that Stefania got some revenge after Robert called her annoying, Stefania said that Robert's frowning faces are annoying.

 

Also got a good laugh when Ray threw a party so Peter can find a girlfriend and Stefania showed up and as soon as she took off her coat, two average looking women left the party as a result.

[ByTor]

Also got a good laugh when Ray threw a party so Peter can find a girlfriend and Stefania showed up and as soon as she took off her coat, two average looking women left the party as a result.

My favorite part was when Robert was mixing the "love potion." The way he "danced" with the shaker thing is always good for a laugh.

[CherryAmes]

That's not one of my favourite episodes but I really liked the way Peter related his story of being insulted at the bar and the way Ray immediately invited him to a party.  We don't often see Ray being genuinely touched by the misfortune of someone else.  It was a nice reminder that for all his selfishness Ray isn't a bad person.  Of course his behavior at the party kinda cancelled that out! 

[Brandi Maxxxx]

Also got a good laugh when Ray threw a party so Peter can find a girlfriend and Stefania showed up and as soon as she took off her coat, two average looking women left the party as a result.

"But she's my Stefania. I mean... I mean she's my ex-Stefania. No no, I mean you're my Stefania now... baby."

[vmcd88]

1) My favorite episode is the one where Ray and Debra dont want to be the one who takes the suitcase upstairs.   My favorite scene is after Ray puts the cheese in the suitcase and it starts to stink. Marie comes over and is sniffing around and sniffs in the direction of Debra.  And they figure out the smell is coming from the suitcase and Marie says something like "Debra you cant put cheese in there."  This episode cracks me up every time.

2) I also love the one where Debra buys Ray the VCR and Ray thinks she's up to something.

3) the one where Robert's date eats the fly but only Ray saw her eat it so no one believes him. 

[zxy556575]

In  memory of Doris, I'll go with:

 

Marie's Vision, when Doris gets glasses and sees a lot of new things to criticize about everyone's appearance. The effect her remarks have on Debra and Raymond was hilarious.

 

Mozart, when Doris and Ramond start piano lessons again -- getting the progressively easier practice books out of the piano bench.

 

The Letter, when Debra told Marie how she really felt. Ray trying to retrieve Debra's letter before Marie or Frank saw it, Marie locking it away in her secret Sucrets drawer, Ray claiming (again) that Debra was a drunk and didn't know what she was saying,

 

I also liked the entire arc when Debra and Marie weren't speaking, with the family conspiring to get them together and Robert gulping Kaopectate.

Edited April 20, 2016 by lordonia

[Inquisitionist]

Some great Marie moments here:  http://insider.foxnews.com/2016/04/19/5-best-funniest-marie-barone-doris-roberts-moments-everybody-loves-Raymond

Love her reaction after the nun whispers what she thinks the sculpture is.  And the tossed off "you'd have to be a cook to understand" her fat-saving story is great, too.

[CherryAmes]

Another favourite Marie moment for me is the episode with the crazy frog lady.  Marie's impassioned speech is all kinds of awesome but especially when she and Ray have the following exchange: "Hello, I'm queer, and now I'm here!"  "Who says that?"  "That's the slogan."  And of course the ending with Amy in the bar - great stuff.

[Snow Apple]

I love flashback with Robert’s wife and Marie finds out she’s leaving him. Marie gets *that* look on her face and the audience knew what was coming.

[Milk-Eyed Mender]

"I prefer not to be known as the Whore of Lynbrook!"

[Inquisitionist]

From the transcript of the cast's tribute to Peter Boyle on Larry King's show in 2006:

 

KING: What do you remember about the trophy wife scene?

ROBERTS: Oh, I love that.

KING: Is that when he --

ROBERTS: Go ahead. KING: Is that one of your better moments?

ROBERTS: Yes. But there's another one where I have cold cream on my face and I'm in bed and he takes the cold cream off. And you saw this sweet, gentle man under all that gruffness who really loved Marie Barone. I thought it was wonderful.

 

I love that scene, too.

[ByTor]

I have many Marie moments that I like, but I think my favorite is from "Homework," with her declaration that she read the Great Running Backs of the NFL book, which in turn means that Raymond has to read Tom Sawyer. And I loved how she remembered Jim Brown's stats!

Edited April 25, 2016 by ByTor

[BogoGog24]

I love the scene when Ray finds out his parents lied to him growing up and he says "Other parents don't lie, Ma, they believe in their children!" and Marie goes "No they don't..." Her delivery is just fantastic.

Edited April 26, 2016 by BogoGog24

[BogoGog24]

The other day I watched the episode "Mozart," where Marie teaches Ray to play the piano. As someone already mentioned, I love when Ray doesn't remember things and she has to keep getting out the progressively easier training books.

But one of my other favorite moments is when Marie is talking about when she was teaching Robert and he used to get nose bleeds. "A mother shouldn't be disgusted but... oh." Doris Roberts always had just the perfect delivery for her lines.

Ooh another line I just thought of from "Anniversary":

Marie: "Frank, close your mouth before you eat."

Frank: "Close your mouth before you talk."

Doris and Peter were just perfect together.

[schnauzergirl]

One of my favorite Marie moments is when she brings in the tofu turkey.  She, of all people, should know how Frank, Robert and Raymond would react, but she is so proud and, actually, a little sweet as she carries it to the table.

[ari333]

I always miss Frank and now I'll always miss Marie when we watch. *sigh* So many laughs.

[torqy]

On 4/20/2016 at 7:33 PM, Milk-Eyed Mender said:

"I prefer not to be known as the Whore of Lynbrook!"

"We could always move..."

RIP Doris, you were great as Marie. Scary reality: I know an actual family whose mom was a more sinister version of Marie.

"Why do you assume it was me?"

"Because you're the one who wants to kill me."

"OK...but I still didn't do this."

[Homily]

The other day the episode where  Ray and Robert golf to see who gets Marie after Frank dies was on.  It was particularly hard to watch with both Frank and Marie now gone but the moment when Ray realizes that one day his mother will die, wow, I choked up.  Aside from the particular poignancy  in light of Doris Robert's recent death I should add that you can really see in that moment that Ray Romano has become a very fine actor!

Edited May 16, 2016 by Homily

[tribeca]

One of my favorite moments is when the guys are pretending to go to therapy but instead go to the racetrack.   There is a horse named big mouth Marie.   Frank has to bet on that one.   Can't deny I always look for that name when betting on the phonies LOL.  

[ByTor]

I watched "Counseling" last night.  I think it is hilarious what a phony Ray is and how exasperated Debra was (I would have been too!), which made her look like she was the problem.  My favorite line: "I use golf in an almost passive-aggressive way."

Edited August 19, 2016 by ByTor

[BlossomCulp]

On 5/15/2016 at 6:14 PM, Homily said:

It was particularly hard to watch with both Frank and Marie now gone but the moment when Ray realizes that one day his mother will die, wow, I choked up. 

That's like the episode I saw the other night where Ray has written a eulogy for his father.  It was a little hard to watch knowing that both Frank and Marie are gone.  Especially when Marie was demanding to know where her eulogy was.

It did make me think about how Debra's mother is the last remaining grandparent.  I don't know why I went down that path but it seemed logical that (in Marie's words) the "party girl" would be the last one standing!

[ShadowSixx]

On 8/19/2016 at 3:20 PM, ByTor said:

I watched "Counseling" last night.  I think it is hilarious what a phony Ray is and how exasperated Debra was (I would have been too!), which made her look like she was the problem.  My favorite line: "I use golf in an almost passive-aggressive way."

That made me laugh, Ray went in there as the cooperative husband when in reality he didn't want to go to therapy and using Debra's words against her. I just had to give Ray an applause on that one.

[ButterQueen]

The Christmas Letter will always be my favorite.

[BogoGog24]

That's a great one!

Last night I watched "The Bird" and this was one of the best lines, delivered by Pat/Georgia Engel:

"When mice get into the storeroom, you don't WANT to bang it with a shovel! But you do!"

[ShadowSixx]

IDK if I said it but I'm going to say it again even if I did, but the scene makes me laugh all the time. When Debra tells Ray that her parents are getting a divorce and Ray tries to cover up his laughter. Debra was making it sound like something happened with their kids. Ray was just funny and then pulled out all the chocolate he looted from work. Later Debra says her parent's marriage is her solid rock and Ray says it was more like a stone that has passed. I laughed so hard and said Ray is so stupid.

[ButterQueen]

My second favorite is the episode where we learn Pat smokes.  Georgia Engel just kills that character.

[FormerMod-a1]

I love that episode, too.

[BlossomCulp]

What makes that episode even more awesome is it was the last but one of the entire series.  How many sitcoms can anyone else think of that went out on such a high note?  I find that a lot of my favourite episodes are from the 8th and 9th season.  Unlike BBT and a few others that while still funny aren't the shows they were when they first started.