All Episodes Talk: Just Don't Eat a Fly

[Guest]

28 minutes ago, Mrs. Hanson said:

I hate the one where Debra's parents take Frank and Marie to a fancy restaurant and F & M are just asses.  Even if you are low budget eaters.....just c'mon!  To eat bread and water?  They were rude.

And when Marie starts sending silverware to the kitchen because there is "too much?"

[ByTor]

2 hours ago, Mrs. Hanson said:

I hate the one where Debra's parents take Frank and Marie to a fancy restaurant and F & M are just asses.  Even if you are low budget eaters.....just c'mon!  To eat bread and water?  They were rude.

And what really took the cake is that Ray was called out for being rude!  Geez, he was embarrassed.

[Guest]

Ray was rude though. But it's a pattern with him. He's a people pleaser and tries to accommodate over and over and then ends up losing it. Christmas picture, T-ball,at the restaurant- it happened over and over. I think it's a defense mechanism after living with such stronger personalities as he did.

[mmecorday]

I hate the one where Debra puts Ray in charge of the check book and he manages to screw everything up royally! A grown man should know how to balance a check book. BUT I do like the bit in the end when Raymond is trying to deposit a check in his bank's ATM before Debra can cash a check that will bounce and the machine just suddenly shuts down. Their physical comedy is hilarious.

[Inquisitionist]

2 hours ago, mmecorday said:

 Their physical comedy is hilarious.

Some other bits of physical comedy I love are:

• Ray trying to pry Debra from the suitcase on the landing in Baggage.
• Ray trying to copy Robert's lifting of Amy onto the top of the refrigerator in The Home only to end up slamming her into the fridge instead.
• Ray describing that Angela ate the fly.

I'm sure you all can come up with many more!

[Nordly Beaumont]

3 hours ago, Inquisitionist said:

• Ray trying to pry Debra from the suitcase on the landing in Baggage.
• Ray trying to copy Robert's lifting of Amy onto the top of the refrigerator in The Home only to end up slamming her into the fridge instead.
• Ray describing that Angela ate the fly.

Because I have watched this show so much, it's often just on in the background while I do other things. Those are three moments where I'll stop whatever I'm doing and run to the tv to watch!

[CherryAmes]

For me, in what is otherwise a meh episode, "The Walk to the Door" I drop everything to watch Robert doing the bunny hop!  Love it :).

[ByTor]

On 10/6/2017 at 1:24 PM, mmecorday said:

I do like the bit in the end when Raymond is trying to deposit a check in his bank's ATM before Debra can cash a check that will bounce and the machine just suddenly shuts down.

The elevator music in the background during that scene is just the icing on the cake.

On 10/6/2017 at 8:20 PM, CherryAmes said:

For me, in what is otherwise a meh episode, "The Walk to the Door" I drop everything to watch Robert doing the bunny hop!  Love it :).

LOL I love how different all of our tastes can be.  I can't stand that part,  I want to slap that dorky look off Robert's face when he's doing the bunny hop! :)

[Guest]

I can't watch Walk to the Door because I cringe the whole time, so I can't speak to the bunny hop.  That's another episode I may try to watch next time it's on to see if my impression remains.

[ByTor]

14 minutes ago, deaja said:

I can't watch Walk to the Door because I cringe the whole time, so I can't speak to the bunny hop.  That's another episode I may try to watch next time it's on to see if my impression remains.

Probably my favorite part of the episode is when the couple at the Barones' table are like "OK, let's mingle" when the Barones start their usual arguing.

[CherryAmes]

2 hours ago, ByTor said:

Probably my favorite part of the episode is when the couple at the Barones' table are like "OK, let's mingle" when the Barones start their usual arguing.

Much as I love ELR this is one aspect of the show that always bothers me.  How LOUD they are in public places.  I mean I get that the audience has to hear their conversation but jeeze it's like they assume that there is never anyone else in the room!

[ByTor]

3 hours ago, CherryAmes said:

Much as I love ELR this is one aspect of the show that always bothers me.  How LOUD they are in public places.  I mean I get that the audience has to hear their conversation but jeeze it's like they assume that there is never anyone else in the room!

This comment is making me think of something else.  In that episode where Frank & Marie announce they are moving to the retirement place, Amy, Robert, Debra, and Raymond are celebrating in the kitchen, then skulk back out into the living room like they are sad.  As funny as that part is, I will NEVER understand how Frank & Marie didn't hear them!  The kitchen isn't THAT far away & it's not like there was a door they could close.  I mean, at the very least somebody had to hear Debra get slammed into the fridge :)

[Guest]

28 minutes ago, CherryAmes said:

Based on the way each treated his wife I'd have to choose Ray.  Sure Ray routinely lied to and about Debra but I don't remember him ever yelling at her, least of all in front of other people, and that's something Robert did a couple of times - and they are still very newly married.  What's he going to be like after 10 years?  

From another thread, but my reply makes more sense over here. 

I think Ray and Debra were a really good match.  I guess you could say I think they deserved each other.  Ray was whiny; Debra was a complainer.  Ray liked being told what to do; Debra liked being bossy. They both would routinely deceive each other, so I think they were pretty evenly matched there.  They each were bad enough to the other that they each got to play the victim/martyr role they seemed to enjoy.  Yet, at their core, they seemed to enjoy being together (not doing specific activities) and overall seemed to have a happy marriage. 

On the flip side, I think Amy treated Robert much better than he deserved.  We never really saw her challenge him on the mean things he did with a few very minor exceptions. (Part of this, in my mind, was because they weren't the show's "main" couple.)

[Mrs. Hanson]

On 10/9/2017 at 3:08 PM, CherryAmes said:

Much as I love ELR this is one aspect of the show that always bothers me.  How LOUD they are in public places

You mean Marie Caputo's funeral?  That episode was worth it just for the way Frank and Marie's heads bobbed up from praying when they heard Harriet Lichtman had arrived.

[BlossomCulp]

On 10/18/2017 at 9:24 AM, deaja said:

They both would routinely deceive each other, so I think they were pretty evenly matched there.

I don't disagree that they both deceived each other but I don't think Debra's deceptions ever began to compare to Ray!  Ray lied to other people about Debra having a drinking problem and he did this often enough that it was somewhat understandable that meddling Marie thought it was a genuine area of concern!  He routinely lied to get what he wanted and to get out of taking responsibility for his own actions.  That said though I agree that he and Debra were well matched.  That was demonstrated in at least a few episodes - The Skit as one example - where it's pretty clear they are on the same page about a lot of things.  Sure they bicker and disagree but most couples do.  It's only on TV sitcoms where that's played to an extreme for laughs.  A happy couple with no conflict would make for a pretty boring show!

[ShadowSixx]

The Boob Job episode where Ray and Debra are at Cheryl's house. I'm surprised nobody stared at Cheryl for that extremely low cut shirt she had on. It wasn't like the event was a cocktail party, it was a school related event. Her boobs were practically hanging out everywhere. I mean the ladies were more uncomfortable with Debra's boobs hanging out at the PTA meeting. 

[ByTor]

On 10/23/2017 at 11:13 PM, ShadowSixx said:

The Boob Job episode where Ray and Debra are at Cheryl's house.

Overall this is one of my least favorite episodes.  There is even a small throw-away line that Debra had that really bugged me.  Before telling Ray that Cheryl had the boob job, she said to Ray that everybody was telling Cheryl how good she looks, but Debra didn't think Cheryl looked that great.  I thought that was an awfully snarky thing for her to say!

Edited October 27, 2017 by ByTor

[Guest]

16 hours ago, ByTor said:

Overall this is one of my least favorite episodes.  There is even a small throw-away line that Debra had that really bugged me.  Before telling Ray that Cheryl had the boob job, she said to Ray that everybody was telling Cheryl how good she looks, but Debra didn't think Cheryl looked that great.  I thought that was an awfully snarky thing for her to say!

Debra really put Ray in a no win position there. If she had surgery and he was t supportive, she would have been so mad!

[ShadowSixx]

I agree. Boob Job was one of the worst episodes. Ray told her that she didn't need a boob job and because he added "not if you think it's stupid" she thought he wasn't satisfied with her body. When she gets the boob job he's supportive of her but she's upset that he is and did this whole charade just to get him to say he likes boobs. Well Ray wouldn't be a straight man if he didn't like boobs, the alternative to boobs is a man's chest.

[BlossomCulp]

I saw it a bit differently I guess.  To me they did address that Debra wasn't being fair to Ray.  She was behaving a little irrationally because she was feeling insecure about her body.  She wasn't right in that situation at all but she was human.  I like that Debra was never portrayed as being perfect!  She had her faults and foibles just like all the Barones - to quote Debra "Oh god I'm one of them!"

[Guest]

Robert wouldn’t have been chosen to be my kids’ guardian because he was a borderline sociopath to me. His jealousy of Raymond was over the top- from purposely breaking his arm as a child to rooting against his brother’s career constantly is just abnormal. I wouldn’t trust someone like that with my kids long term.

[WildStyle]

11 minutes ago, deaja said:

Robert wouldn’t have been chosen to be my kids’ guardian because he was a borderline sociopath to me. His jealousy of Raymond was over the top- from purposely breaking his arm as a child to rooting against his brother’s career constantly is just abnormal. I wouldn’t trust someone like that with my kids long term.

Robert was one of my favorite characters when I first got into the show. But after seeing ALL the episodes, he was plain awful as time went on. All the characters got worse. He wasn't the only one. But he was the most pathetic. 

He was an Lt. married to a wife who was crazy about him, and dated tons of girls that, imo, were too cute for him. But yet he acts like his life is terrible, and hates on Ray because of it. If he was an adult virgin that couldn't get dates and still living with his parents, I could see his bitterness. lol But once he had his own place, and all these dates, and getting promotions, he should've got over his problems with Ray.

And it's a habit he whines that nobody cares about him. But the second someone does show concern or tries to give advice, he gets an attitude and accuses them of looking down on him or being jealous. Like Amy thinking he's stressed when he does his chin thing. So she spends all night cooking his favorite food, and was gonna top if off with sex. But he gets mad, tells her she eats like a beaver and walks like a mental patient. Then he storms out to sleep at his parents' house. When Ray tells him his date ate a fly, Robert accuses Ray of not wanting him to have a woman. When Ray says Amy talks too much, Robert calls him jealous because he got a great wife. But later that very night, Robert thought Amy talked too much -which means Ray wasn't totally off base. Then Robert still hates on Ray and stupidly tells Amy he said she talked too much.

[CherryAmes]

18 hours ago, deaja said:

Robert wouldn’t have been chosen to be my kids’ guardian because he was a borderline sociopath to me

 By the end of the series I totally agree with you but at the point where they are choosing a guardian Robert is still relatively normal.  For a Barone.  Ok that's not saying much!  But seriously Robert loves the kids, they love him and he's the closest relative (aside from Debra's sister, the Sister) who isn't a grandparent.  To me Robert is the logical choice for them at that moment in time.  I'd certainly choose my children's uncle over friends if I had to pick a guardian for my children.  One reason being would most friends, even good friends, want custody of 3 children?

[Snow Apple]

Yeah, at the time of that episode, the only reason I wouldn't leave the kids with Robert is because his job is dangerous. Unless they all talk about it and he takes a desk job if the worst happens to Debra and Ray. If he doesn't change jobs, Marie and Frank will end up taking care of the kids most of the time anyway. 

[Guest]

I can’t remember where in the series different things happened, so I admit to being unfair to Robert. Though by the end, I’d have been more likely to choose him due to Amy’s (relative) normalcy.

[BlossomCulp]

56 minutes ago, deaja said:

Though by the end, I’d have been more likely to choose him due to Amy’s (relative) normalcy.

Absolutely! I would also choose Hank N Pat over Marie and Frank but since they aren't really grandparents I guess that's a moot point!

[ByTor]

6 hours ago, BlossomCulp said:

Hank N Pat

LOL!!! :)

[Guest]

35 minutes ago, ByTor said:

LOL!!! :)

I don’t believe I missed that on my first read! Lol!

[WildStyle]

1 hour ago, ByTor said:

LOL!!! :)

They're not hillbillies! 

lol

[Guest]

People are going to be naked at the church.... on a Wednesday!!!!!

[ByTor]

16 hours ago, deaja said:

I can’t remember where in the series different things happened, so I admit to being unfair to Robert. Though by the end, I’d have been more likely to choose him due to Amy’s (relative) normalcy.

Come to think of it, though, Hank N Pat did raise Peter :)

[msani19]

The show drove me crazy when it came to male and female dynamics. Specifically, with Amy's family...Peter was a freak and everyone knew it. He was Amy's older brother and lived in the basement, ran a comic book store (or used to?) and couldn't keep a relationship but his parents acted like it was the regular order of things. Amy, on the other hand. lived alone, had a good job (or at least some kinda job) but had to be married otherwise, she wasn't doing what she supposed to be doing. Plus she was beyond hysterical about getting married. Her entire point of existence in the show was the woman who had to get married. Robert isn't a guy I'd have wanted for my friend, but that's what we have to work with. It was Robert or nothing (in her mind). Ok, now I'll admit to some time in my life when I thought getting married was quite important as well, but it was short-lived. Mostly because I realized in order to be married I'd be settling and I was not prepared to do that just so other people would get off my freaking back about not being married! UGH. Society! I just turned 45 (gulp) and I'm happily not married although in a long-term relationship and I do not plan on getting married anytime soon. It does take time to work up to that "I don't give an EFF" stage in life. 

Anyway. everything about the way the show portrayed women and the desire to get married, from Amy to Debra and Marie wanting Robert to just get married to Amy already drove me crazy. 

The nice thing was that Amy and Robert did have a fun wedding expect for attention starved, insecure, emotionally empty Marie had to try to ruin it. 

[Snow Apple]

The way Debra and especially Marie kept badgering Robert to get married drove me crazy too. Marie didn't even care if one of his dates ate flies, she was that desperate that he marries anyone. On the other hand, she would be thrilled if Debra disappeared and her baby Raymond is totally and completely dependent on her.

At least Amy's parents didn't want to give Robert their blessings so at least they care who she marries. Too bad Amy didn't listen.

[Guest]

I think Marie's desperation to get Robert married was to be a stereotype of the older generation who always wants their young ones married off and thinks it's a mark of success.  My co-worker's son got married this year at 35, and she acted like that was the latest anyone has ever got married and told me multiple times "you have no idea how I've worried about him not getting married!"  I think attitudes in society have changed, but Marie is a holdover from earlier days.

And I think Debra liked to meddle because she wanted Amy as a sister-in-law.

[WildStyle]

It's definitely generational. And in some cases, where you live. Like small towns where people marry out of HS or are married & living together with kids before 30. And if you're past 18 and not matched up, expect to get the questions  from people asking why you're not. Amy was from a country, Christian family. So you bet getting married was a big thing. Same way she was 33 and still a virgin. Nothing wrong about it. But with society today, the fact Robert stayed with Amy for 2 years while not having sex was a feat. And the fact Amy was still a virgin in her 30s would raise a few eyebrows. 

So, just common for older generations and more small town people. And I think that was the thing. Rather than it being a woman's thing. It was a generational thing with Marie. Same way she was ashamed of liking sex, because in her time, it was something women did for men out of obligation. Archie Bunker even said this. When he talks about sex with Mike. Mike asks if he cares if the woman enjoys the sex. And Archie says the woman isn't supposed to enjoy it, she's supposed to sit still for it.

The one time I did think it went overboard with Debra & Marie was them fixing Amy up with Gianni so Robert would  get jealous, and go back to Amy. And I was definitely on Ray's side when he wanted to tell Robert what they did. But I did think Robert was a jerk to Amy when he came over -asking if she  wanted the numbers of all his single friends at the police station. He's the one who was seeing 2 other women when he was with her.

[Guest]

12 hours ago, WildStyle said:

The one time I did think it went overboard with Debra & Marie was them fixing Amy up with Gianni so Robert would  get jealous, and go back to Amy. And I was definitely on Ray's side when he wanted to tell Robert what they did. But I did think Robert was a jerk to Amy when he came over -asking if she  wanted the numbers of all his single friends at the police station. He's the one who was seeing 2 other women when he was with her.

I love that episode because I love when Marie and Debra are in cahoots. It doesn't happen often, but they're good together in situations like that.  I love Marie's deadpan "I only needed Debra" and the way she runs up the stairs to talk to Debra.

[ByTor]

I don't really like that episode, but I did like Marie standing at the stove cooking eggs with her mouth shut, as Ray slowly realizes Debra wasn't the mastermind. 

[WildStyle]

1 hour ago, deaja said:

I love that episode because I love when Marie and Debra are in cahoots. It doesn't happen often, but they're good together in situations like that.  I love Marie's deadpan "I only needed Debra" and the way she runs up the stairs to talk to Debra.

The episode holds a special place for me, because it was one of the first episodes I watched. I got into the show with reruns, and season 6 was the first season I watched. lol

But it's one of my lesser watched episodes. Along with The Bird, Tasteless Frank, amd A Date For Peter being other examples. 

[Guest]

28 minutes ago, WildStyle said:

The episode holds a special place for me, because it was one of the first episodes I watched. I got into the show with reruns, and season 6 was the first season I watched. lol

But it's one of my lesser watched episodes. Along with The Bird, Tasteless Frank, amd A Date For Peter being other examples. 

A Date for Peter and Peter on the Couch never get watched by me. I hate his character.

[WildStyle]

4 minutes ago, deaja said:

A Date for Peter and Peter on the Couch never get watched by me. I hate his character.

Don't blame you. Honestly I could've done without Amy's entire family. Especially Hank.....

[Maharincess]

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. 

[ByTor]

1 minute ago, Maharincess said:

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. 

Overall I did like Amy (much more in the earlier seasons), but those facials got on my nerves!

[msani19]

1 minute ago, 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. 

[WildStyle]

One thing I hated was how Patricia Heaton ate. Anytime there was a scene where she was supposed to be eating, she chewed like she had no teeth. The way she did her lips...ugh. lol

[Guest]

16 hours ago, msani19 said:

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 think they definitely got more exaggerated, but so did almost everything on the show. (Ray's laziness, Robert's jealousy, Marie's overall terribleness, Frank's boorishness, the kids' uselessness, Debra's harpiness)

[Mrs. Hanson]

On 12/5/2017 at 8:03 AM, deaja said:

My co-worker's son got married this year at 35, and she acted like that was the latest anyone has ever got married and told me multiple times "you have no idea how I've worried about him not getting married!" 

Tell your co-worker about my hubby - we married two months ago and we are both 52!  (My second time, his first) His mom bought a subscription to E Harmony for him about ten years ago to move things along.  Didn't work - yay for me.  I think my hubby's mom sees being married as being more settled.  His friends were surprised that he got married too - so was I, actually - when he proposed I was so shocked I cried for ten minutes!!!  Anyways......back to the show......

 

On 12/5/2017 at 9:02 PM, WildStyle said:

asking if she  wanted the numbers of all his single friends at the police station. He's the one who was seeing 2 other women when he was with her.

I was kinda glad when she slapped him and I am no fan of physical aggression.  He was downright rude and mean.

Hank and Pat - the one time I cracked up at them was when they walked in on everyone finding out that Debra's parents were getting it on and Pat and Hank were told they were rehearsing for a play....and they believed it!!!  "I don't care how much they ask...we are not going to be in that play!!"

When Pat was caught smoking that was pretty good, too!  "I have a lighter!"

Edited December 8, 2017 by Mrs. Hanson

[camom]

Quote

When Pat was caught smoking that was pretty good, too!  "I have a lighter!"

I really like that episode.  Pat telling Hank that he's the reason she smokes was priceless.

[Mya]

On 2017-12-15 at 2:46 PM, camom said:

I really like that episode.  Pat telling Hank that he's the reason she smokes was priceless.

I agree especially when she said I think if I didn't have my cigarettes I would have to fight you Hank LOL I burst out laughing.

[CherryAmes]

On 12/6/2017 at 4:26 PM, WildStyle said:

The episode holds a special place for me, because it was one of the first episodes I watched.

I am trying to remember the first episode I ever saw.  I came to the show while it was in it's first run but I didn't see it from the beginning.  I think the first episode I saw was either the one when Marie drove the car into Deb and Ray's house or else it was the Hackido one.  Either way I was hooked!  

[BlossomCulp]

Hmm, I know I initially came to ELR through reruns, it was still in it's first run but I know I wasn't watching it.  We were living in England and my sister or my mother (I forget now which) sent us some VHS tapes with a bunch of Raymonds on them and we were hooked.  Turns out it was being shown in England in the mornings on channel 4 so we saw it that way as well.  I think, though I'm not positive, that the first episode I saw was the "Debra made something good" episode.  Anyway it was an episode from around that time.

Edited December 29, 2017 by BlossomCulp