There were a lot of family sitcoms released during the 1990s, but few compare to “Everybody Loves Raymond,” which pulled in viewers with its often uncomfortable but also very realistic family dynamics. The series premiered on September 13, 1996 and took audiences inside the life and family of Raymond Barone, played by Ray Romano. It was critically acclaimed and scooped several Emmys during its run, including wins for outstanding comedy series in 2003 and 2005.
Romano has reflected a lot on “Everybody Loves Raymond” since the sitcom wrapped. He admitted in a 2024 Entertainment Tonight interview that he has rewatched all of the episodes and that he used a ratings scale to give each one a grade. Perhaps showing his humility, he said none of the episodes were good enough to receive a grade of 100/100, but did mention that he rated one episode as high as a 96. In the end, he had one piece of advice to give his younger self: “Don’t waste time worrying about some of the small stuff,” said Romano. He then humorously added, “I should practice what I’m preaching right now.”
The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame honored the 30th anniversary of “Everybody Loves Raymond” with a special art exhibition at its Stony Brook Village location in New York. According to Broadway World, the exhibit has been so successful that it’s been extended and will continue to run into 2027. It offers a one-of-a-kind experience that lets fans walk through the Barone family home and original studio sets.
Sometimes Everybody Loves Raymond got a little too real
Ray Romano and series creator Phil Rosenthal have mentioned multiple times over the years that the process for writing and creating “Everybody Loves Raymond” heavily involved using material from their own lives. Naturally, this created relatable TV and is a central part of what made audiences tune in. But this also led to family members being uncomfortable with private family matters showing up in the episodes.
When the pair sat down for an interview with Entertainment Weekly in 2025, Rosenthal admitted to being admonished by his mom after one episode aired because it could have caused problems in their real life relationship with their in-laws. Romano also recalled his mom being upset that his real life cop brother was getting teased by his co-workers because of how Brad Garrett played the character of Robert.
But even if things got uncomfortable, ultimately it was all in service of showing the humanity of the characters. Romano said: “They all knew it is what it is, and the thing about the show was, there was no real villain. You could argue things that Marie did and Frank did [were bad], but we also showed the underlying sense of love and family that was behind it, you know? So I think they got it.”
Fans looking to watch all nine seasons of “Everybody Loves Raymond” in honor of its 30th anniversary can stream the series on Paramount+.