Arguably the most beloved network sitcom to come down the pike since Friends, Everybody Loves Raymond was created as a showcase for standup comedian Ray Romano, whose wry observations on family life were the core of his popular nightclub act. Ironically, the show has become famous as an ensemble piece, and justifiably so: few sitcom casts maintain such a delicate balance, and so carefully distribute laugh lines, among its cast members. This five-disc boxed set collects the 1996-97 episodes, which don't necessarily include the series' best but which lay the foundation for the comedic edifice so brilliantly constructed in subsequent seasons. From the first, though, Romano seemed very comfortable in the role of Ray Barone, the New York-based sportswriter who lives on Long Island with his wife Debra (Patricia Heaton) and three kids--and just across the street from his parents Marie (Doris Roberts) and Frank (Peter Boyle), and his unmarried older brother Robert (Brad Garrett). The first season episodes featured guest appearances by such famous sports figures as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Terry Bradshaw, a gimmick that went by the wayside once the cast settled into the characters and developed a winning rapport. Among the most memorable first season episodes from the 22 collected here are “Turkey or Fish” (a Thanksgiving show like none other in sitcom history), “Debra's Sick,” “Frank the Writer,” and the classic “I Love You,” in which Debra speaks for many American wives in wondering aloud why her husband finds it so difficult to utter those three little words. Later seasons would more fully exploit the comic aspects of Debra's ongoing quarrels with Marie, Frank's passive-aggressive approach to mediating family conflicts, and Robert's relationship difficulties. But the seeds were definitely planted in the first year, and watching these episodes again it's easy to see how they ultimately blossomed into the fabulously famous show that Everybody Loves Raymond is today. DVD extras include three new featurettes, audio commentary by Romano and creator Phil Rosenthal on the first and last episodes, and Romano's Late Show with David Letterman appearance that inspired the series. Highly recommended. (E. Hulse)
Everybody Loves Raymond: The Complete First Season
HBO, 5 discs, 538 min., not rated, DVD: $44.98 December 13, 2004
Everybody Loves Raymond: The Complete First Season
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