According to ScreenRant, the star and title character of hit sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond talks about returning to the set for a possible revival. Ray Romano (Ice Age, Parenthood, The King of Queens) speaks about the likelihood of a revival series, or more practically a reunion special, like so many other 20th century sitcoms like Friends, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and Martin, have done.
The comedy series debuted in September of 1996 on CBS following the light-hearted antics of Ray and his chaotic extended family. Ray’s consistent pains in his butt include his simple brother, played by Brad Garett (Ratatouille, Finding Nemo, Christopher Robin), his ornery parents living across the street, Peter Boyle (Young Frankenstein, Joe, Taxi Driver) and Doris Roberts (Remington Steele, Mrs. Miracle, Our House), and his sarcastic wife, Patricia Heaton (The Middle, The King of Queens, Space Jam). Although the characters get on each other’s nerves, they are still a family and settle their differences by the end of the episode with a typical moral takeaway for the audience along with some laughs.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, while promoting his first directorial project Somewhere in Queens, Romano was questioned if he would do a comeback like so many other shows from his time have already done. Ray responds with a candid answer not knowing if it’s a possibility but with a hopeful outlook on the potential idea.
Romano states, “We lost Peter pretty quickly after the show ended. But before we lost Doris, when that topic came up, Phil and I weren’t keen on doing a reboot — even a one-and-done. I think Phil has tried to get a reunion together, something like what they did with Friends. That would be great, if there’s demand for it. But I don’t think I’d ever want to act as that character again. I don’t want us to have to follow ourselves. And are there any good reboots? There are probably some — but without Peter and Doris, it would be a shame to even try.”
The show came to a fitting end in 2005, with simple plot lines sticking true to the show’s theme and format. In the finale, we see Ray walking into a hospital for a surgery; TV tropes dictate that something dramatic or suspenseful must happen in the final episode of a series, but not Raymond. The story ends with Ray making a full recovery with little to no sense of danger panning out of focus as the family has a simple and sweet backyard picnic.
Unfortunately, Raymond’s on-screen parents, Roberts and Boyle, were laid to rest shortly after the show’s conclusion, so there is no possibility for a full cast reunion. Although the idea of Raymond taking up the patriarchal role of grandfather in a new version of Everybody Loves Raymond, while maintaining the basic comedic elements of the original, has been shopped.