All Episodes Talk: Just Don't Eat a Fly

[mmecorday]

Quote

I also could have done without Amy. I know she seems to be well liked here, but I never liked her. I hated all of her stupid facial expressions and prissiness. 

My interest in the show dips considerably when she becomes a semi-regular.

[VCRTracking]

On 12/6/2017 at 3:03 PM, msani19 said:

On 12/6/2017 at 2:50 PM, Maharincess said:

I hated all of her stupid facial expressions

I didn't mind her character but those facial expressions were over the top! They seem to get worse the longer she's on the show. 

I didn't mind her but god her real life husband was way worse to me. I CAN NOT look at Phil Rosenthal.  It's the eyes that always look surprised and lips whether in closed smile like a perv or in an open grin like the Joker completely repulses me.  When I see him on Inside the Actors Studio with the cast or that hour special they did in the final season my reaction to him is always "Ugh!" If I want to find out about the making of the show and behind the scenes I can only listen to the audio. Sorry Phil.

Edited January 6, 2018 by VCRTracking

[ByTor]

I never saw Phil Rosenthal before.  Wow, now I know why he & Monica Horan were attracted to each other, I think they look a lot alike!

[Guest]

I don’t think I’d ever seen him til just now! (I don’t watch behind the scenes stuff generally).

[VCRTracking]

Back on the show. In regards to their sons, Marie was the unintentional divider and Frank the unintentional uniter. She's the reason they weren't as close as they could've been and he's the reason they're close as much as they are.

Edited January 8, 2018 by VCRTracking

[msani19]

11 hours ago, VCRTracking said:

Back on the show. In regards to their sons, Marie was the unintentional divider and Frank the unintentional uniter. She's the reason they weren't as close as they could've been and he's the reason they're close as much as they are.

For Marie, I bet that was by design. She had each of her sons hopelessly dependent on her in their own way. Ray, as her eternally spoiled baby and Robert, as constantly striving for her attention. Ugh, that woman had some real problems. Sometimes, I feel sorry for her because she really had nothing else in her world. I'm sure that for her particular generation of women (there were plenty of women that that point who worked outside the home), she didn't have many outlets available to her beyond children and husband. But then she starts with her antics and that sympathy goes out the window. None of that excuses her cruelty and pettiness. 

[VCRTracking]

2 hours ago, msani19 said:

For Marie, I bet that was by design. She had each of her sons hopelessly dependent on her in their own way. Ray, as her eternally spoiled baby and Robert, as constantly striving for her attention. Ugh, that woman had some real problems. Sometimes, I feel sorry for her because she really had nothing else in her world. I'm sure that for her particular generation of women (there were plenty of women that that point who worked outside the home), she didn't have many outlets available to her beyond children and husband. But then she starts with her antics and that sympathy goes out the window. None of that excuses her cruelty and pettiness. 

Yeah I was being nice when I said it was unintentional on Marie's part, because if it wasn't, then she really is the worst! I'd feel sorry for her needing her children to be so dependent on her because Frank is such alousy husband but that's on her too. She's the one who schemed with her gay friend Chuck Pecorella to make Frank jealous and get him to marry her!

[msani19]

11 minutes ago, VCRTracking said:

She's the one who schemed with her gay friend Chuck Pecorella to make Frank jealous and get him to marry her!

OMG! I totally forgot about that! She wanted to marry Frank? Yikes, then this is all on her! 

[qtpye]

19 hours ago, msani19 said:

OMG! I totally forgot about that! She wanted to marry Frank? Yikes, then this is all on her! 

You kind of get the feeling she wanted to marry Frank and he felt like he had to marry her because she was pregnant.

[CherryAmes]

I never really bought that storyline.  Especially the nonsense about Robert not knowing his real birthdate.  Something they did for laughs that just didn't stand up to 5 seconds of thought!

[camom]

Quote

I never really bought that storyline.  Especially the nonsense about Robert not knowing his real birthdate.  Something they did for laughs that just didn't stand up to 5 seconds of thought!

I agree.  He would have needed his birth certificate at several stages of life (driver's license, etc.).

[Mrs. Hanson]

On 1/11/2018 at 2:42 PM, camom said:

I agree.  He would have needed his birth certificate at several stages of life (driver's license, etc.).

Me too - I thought, for real??  Enrolling in school, drivers license, birth certificate, etc.....it would have been way easier to lie about the year of your wedding than your kid's birthdate.  

[Guest]

Re. Robert and Amy’s finances, I agree it is ridiculous and inconsistent. I don’t think it’s unrealistic that they would have $26000 in cash though. They said they were saving for a house, and they likely got cash wedding gifts. I would speculate that legally, the house remained Amy and Robert’s (simplifying the estate when Frank and Marie pass away anyway) but practically, the elder Barones had a slight tendency to take over. ;)

[bigskygirl]

On ‎1‎/‎17‎/‎2018 at 1:17 PM, Mrs. Hanson said:

Me too - I thought, for real??  Enrolling in school, drivers license, birth certificate, etc.....it would have been way easier to lie about the year of your wedding than your kid's birthdate.  

And I am sure the police department would have checked his birthdate when he applied to be on the force.

[CherryAmes]

6 hours ago, deaja said:

I don’t think it’s unrealistic that they would have $26000 in cash though.

It kind of conflicts with the episode from a season or two back where Robert is eating baloney pie because he's broke but since I don't think that episode made a lick of sense I completely agree that Robert and Amy should have had some kind of nest egg - they are living in Amy's apartment which we are told is rent controlled and they have two incomes and don't seem to live lavishly.  

The house situation to me is one of those times where the viewers spend more time wondering "what the hell" than the writers ever did!  I guess they hoped/assumed we just forget about it and move on.  

[ByTor]

3 hours ago, CherryAmes said:

10 hours ago, deaja said:

I don’t think it’s unrealistic that they would have $26000 in cash though.

It kind of conflicts with the episode from a season or two back where Robert is eating baloney pie because he's broke but since I don't think that episode made a lick of sense I completely agree that Robert and Amy should have had some kind of nest egg - they are living in Amy's apartment which we are told is rent controlled and they have two incomes and don't seem to live lavishly.  

The way I see it, it was probably Amy who had the $26K saved by herself.

[WildStyle]

Speaking of money.  Frank & Marie say they bought the house for 26,000.  In season 4, they just finally got the house paid off. But Marie could accumulate 46,000 by herself as a housewife. Meaning she had enough money to damn near pay off the house in season one. So why did Frank not have the money, and only finally managed to do it 3 seasons later?

Edited January 21, 2018 by WildStyle

[Inquisitionist]

On ‎1‎/‎21‎/‎2018 at 5:47 PM, WildStyle said:

Speaking of money.  Frank & Marie say they bought the house for 26,000.  In season 4, they just finally got the house paid off. But Marie could accumulate 46,000 by herself as a housewife. Meaning she had enough money to damn near pay off the house in season one. So why did Frank not have the money, and only finally managed to do it 3 seasons later?

Probably because the writers didn't know in Season 1 that the show would last to Season 4.  ;-)

[CherryAmes]

I know we talk a lot about the inconsistencies on this show but overall it was better than most!  And one episode I saw recently really reminded me of that.  In the Halloween Candy episode from an early year they have Frank come over to give out the candy while Ray and Debra take the kids out for trick or treats.  So real!  Most of the time when I've seen any show that has a Halloween theme a little touch like that isn't even considered.  Sure I know they needed to set things up so that Frank was giving out "the things" but it was still a very real thing for them to do.

[ByTor]

I tend to skip that Halloween one, I really don’t like it☹️

[Guest]

1 hour ago, ByTor said:

I tend to skip that Halloween one, I really don’t like it☹️

One thing that really bothers me about that one is Debra insisting that everyone will know it was them.  Most parents aren't going to know who gave their trick or treating kids what - it's so illogical to think the parents would remember an item was from the Barone house but not notice it while it was put in there.

[CherryAmes]

I agree with you  but they do show Debra getting phone calls from irate parents so somehow at least some parents did know it was them!

[Guest]

10 minutes ago, CherryAmes said:

I agree with you  but they do show Debra getting phone calls from irate parents so somehow at least some parents did know it was them!

I meant to say I thought that was pretty silly. :)  The whole thing about parents tracing them back to the Barones.  Especially because if the parent asked the kid what house they got it at and the kid described who gave it to them, the description would match Frank.  

I know the show had to do something for drama though. 

[CherryAmes]

Well for that matter I always wonder why Ray is yelling out the window at random kids going by trying to locate one of "the things" - why couldn't he get in the car and go to a drugstore or even a corner store or store attached to a gas station if other stores are closed.  It's because that wouldn't be funny of course, but that bit of silliness does kind of cancel out my point about them having Frank over to give out the candy.  Oh well!

[VCRTracking]

On 2/1/2018 at 10:25 AM, CherryAmes said:

I know we talk a lot about the inconsistencies on this show but overall it was better than most!  And one episode I saw recently really reminded me of that.  In the Halloween Candy episode from an early year they have Frank come over to give out the candy while Ray and Debra take the kids out for trick or treats.  So real!  Most of the time when I've seen any show that has a Halloween theme a little touch like that isn't even considered.  Sure I know they needed to set things up so that Frank was giving out "the things" but it was still a very real thing for them to do.

I just loved they had Peter Boyle as Frankenstein's monster(I originally put down just "Frankenstein" but corrected myself)! Wished he looked like he did in "Young Frankenstein"!

One of my favorite moments is from the episode where Stefania's scary dad Marco is taking piano lessons from Marie. When Frank complains to Ray, Robert and Debra, Ray snarks "Marco? The only thing I see that guy playing is the organ in a haunted house." and Robert laughs and does stiff playing piano motions while making this hilarious face with his eyes rolled up looking like Lurch from The Addams Family!

Also in the scene:

Ray: Marco's not the kind of guy you mess with.

Frank: Marco? That guy's no bigger than a bag of laundry.

Robert: Remember when he took over Nemo's Pizza? And I said, "What happened to Nemo?" And he looked at me with that face and said, (scary monotone)"He go away. " Has anybody seen Nemo since? Huh? Postcard? Anything? No. Marco knows how to make people go away, and that's all I'm saying!

Edited February 2, 2018 by VCRTracking

[qtpye]

On 2/2/2018 at 3:47 PM, VCRTracking said:

I just loved they had Peter Boyle as Frankenstein's monster(I originally put down just "Frankenstein" but corrected myself)! Wished he looked like he did in "Young Frankenstein"!

One of my favorite moments is from the episode where Stefania's scary dad Marco is taking piano lessons from Marie. When Frank complains to Ray, Robert and Debra, Ray snarks "Marco? The only thing I see that guy playing is the organ in a haunted house." and Robert laughs and does stiff playing piano motions while making this hilarious face with his eyes rolled up looking like Lurch from The Addams Family!

Also in the scene:

Ray: Marco's not the kind of guy you mess with.

Frank: Marco? That guy's no bigger than a bag of laundry.

Robert: Remember when he took over Nemo's Pizza? And I said, "What happened to Nemo?" And he looked at me with that face and said, (scary monotone)"He go away. " Has anybody seen Nemo since? Huh? Postcard? Anything? No. Marco knows how to make people go away, and that's all I'm saying!

 

The actor who plays Marco was on the Sopranos and believe me, he is terrifying.

Edited February 16, 2018 by qtpye

[ByTor]

6 hours ago, qtpye said:

The actor who plays Marco was on the Sopranos and believe me, he is terrifying.

I HATED his Sopranos character!  Actually I don't think I liked any of them :)

[qtpye]

1 hour ago, ByTor said:

I HATED his Sopranos character!  Actually I don't think I liked any of them :)

He was actually one of the most evil guys in a show full of almost nothing but evil guys.

[ByTor]

@qtpye...him and Christopher!

[VCRTracking]

7 hours ago, ByTor said:

14 hours ago, qtpye said:

The actor who plays Marco was on the Sopranos and believe me, he is terrifying.

 

I HATED his Sopranos character!  Actually I don't think I liked any of them :)

 

6 hours ago, qtpye said:

He was actually one of the most evil guys in a show full of almost nothing but evil guys.

David Proval was great. He was Eddie Murphy's acting coach on his first movie 48 Hours. I learned that when Eddie was on Inside The Actors Studio and he talked about him and showed him in the audience!

[Nordly Beaumont]

I'm watching the episode where Ray lets Debra have the bathroom just for herself. That bathroom is the size of a motel room - she could easily set up a nice makeup table with enough room for candles and orchids and still have room for Ray. Heck, they could even put up a small wall to separate her space!

[CherryAmes]

That episode drives me crazy!  Why, even if she has to share the bathroom again, does she need to rip out everything she added?  It was done for the visual humour of course but it was just so stupid!

[ShadowSixx]

I don't even understand why Ray was kicked out of the bathroom in the first place. All she had to tell Ray is that she wanted to redecorate the bathroom. Not have him give up the bathroom so she can have it all to herself. 

[Inquisitionist]

11 hours ago, ShadowSixx said:

I don't even understand why Ray was kicked out of the bathroom in the first place. 

Because it's a comedy, not real life.  ;-)

[ByTor]

I'd like to know who cleaned up all that water when they sprayed each other and the kids :)

[ShadowSixx]

You know Debra had to do it lol

[ByTor]

14 hours ago, ShadowSixx said:

You know Debra had to do it lol

haha or Marie broke in with her mop :)

[ByTor]

Hey, when did the name of this thread change?  I like it! :)

[Guest]

2 hours ago, ByTor said:

Hey, when did the name of this thread change?  I like it! :)

So I’m not the only one who noticed that? At first I thought I just hadn’t noticed before, but then I realized I would have noticed this!

[Guest]

“Home from School” is a logistical nightmare. I like Ray bonding with Michael and some funny parts, but if Ray has to work and Debra couldn’t miss the field trip (um, how was she fitting 10 kids in her car anyway?), why didn’t they ask Marie to babysit for at least long enough for Ray to do his Steinbrenner interview? Also, even Ray would figure out to let the kid watch tv and eat breakfast long enough to finish the interview without screaming at him while supposed to be doing an interview.

[ByTor]

The only thing I liked about Home from School was the pee-pee Raymond story. 

They did the interview thing in an earlier season when the kids were sick & Ray interviewed Terry Bradshaw at the pediatrician's office.  I'm pretty sure Debra had something going on & couldn't take the kids, so why couldn't Marie have done it?  If I recall, she was hanging around the house (as always).

[BlossomCulp]

Same with the episode where Debra works for a day.  Who babysat those kids?  The show made it seem like it was Ray but if that was the case they never talked about it at all and it made no sense that if she was working part-time (I think two days a week was supposed to be the plan) that (a) if Ray was the designated sitter this would not have come up in conversation or (b) if Marie was doing it this would not have come up in conversation!

[Guest]

2 hours ago, ByTor said:

The only thing I liked about Home from School was the pee-pee Raymond story. 

They did the interview thing in an earlier season when the kids were sick & Ray interviewed Terry Bradshaw at the pediatrician's office.  I'm pretty sure Debra had something going on & couldn't take the kids, so why couldn't Marie have done it?  If I recall, she was hanging around the house (as always).

In that one, Debra was sick and I believe Marie was taking care of Debra and the healthy twin (in theory, since Ray took the wrong kid). My favorite part of that episode is Robert silently walking in and switching twins with Ray!

[ByTor]

2 hours ago, deaja said:

My favorite part of that episode is Robert silently walking in and switching twins with Ray!

OK, I thought that was the one but wasn't sure, because I was going to ask why didn't Robert take them to the doctor since he seemed to be free.

[BlossomCulp]

On 3/23/2018 at 10:53 AM, ByTor said:

OK, I thought that was the one but wasn't sure, because I was going to ask why didn't Robert take them to the doctor since he seemed to be free.

Because for all Marie's talk about how much babysitting she does in reality they mostly show Debra juggling all three kids while the other adults go about their lives and don't really seem to do much - well unless it serves the needs of the plot in a specific episode!  I always think of the episode where Ray has taken over the money in the house and ends up having to try and deposit a cheque before Debra realizes there is no money in the account.  Despite Ray, Marie and Frank being there with apparently nothing in particular to do, she takes twin toddlers to the bank and from there to pick up Allie.  Just crazy!  

[Maharincess]

I never understood why Ray and Debra were always so nervous and anxious when they had parent/teacher meetings.  I met with teachers a hundred times when my kids were in school and meeting with them never made me so nervous and jumpy. 

[ByTor]

14 hours ago, Maharincess said:

I never understood why Ray and Debra were always so nervous and anxious when they had parent/teacher meetings.  I met with teachers a hundred times when my kids were in school and meeting with them never made me so nervous and jumpy. 

Maybe they knew what a pain in the ass their kids were and were afraid of what the teacher was going to say :)

[BlossomCulp]

I totally identified with their concern!  Especially in the episode where they find out one of the twins will be left back,  I can well remember the days when the teachers would say some positive stuff but you braced yourself because you just knew "something bad is coming".

[Maharincess]

Concern is one thing but they always acted scared of the teachers or something.  From what I recall, every time they met with a teacher it was like that, they were all anxious. 

[schnauzergirl]

9 hours ago, Maharincess said:

Concern is one thing but they always acted scared of the teachers or something.  From what I recall, every time they met with a teacher it was like that, they were all anxious. 

I always thought they were anxious because the kids might have said something that reflected badly on their home life and parenting skills.  Kids have been known to do that!