Everybody Loves Raymond is one of the most beloved sitcoms in television history. The hilarious comedy, starring Ray Romano and Patricia Heaton, ran for nine seasons on CBS, bringing home 69 Emmy nominations and 15 wins. It centers around family man Ray Barone (Romano), his nagging wife, Debra (Heaton), sad-sack brother, Robert (Brad Garrett), and meddling parents, Marie (Doris Roberts) and Frank (Peter Boyle). From 1996 to 2005, most of the 210 episodes were filmed in front of a live studio audience, and the show consistently kept us laughing. As a series that definitely made its mark, it would seem that it would be perfect for a revival in the future. However, one cast-member is now saying it’s never going to happen (and here’s why other shows should be taking note of this opinion).
Brad Garrett Says There Won’t Be an ‘Everybody Loves Raymond’ Revival
Revivals and reboots are an easy path for the creation of new television shows. Instead of coming up with brand-new, untested ideas, revivals seem like they would be a surefire hit. Audiences are already familiar with that world and the characters, increasing the likelihood that people will actually tune in. In many cases, people are more than willing to tap into their nostalgia with their favorite old shows. But it’s not always a good idea to bring back shows that have already ended, and Garrett explains why. After speaking with Romano and the show’s creator, Phil Rosenthal, Garrett says that there’s no way the show could come back now that Roberts and Boyle have both died (in 2016 and 2006, respectively). In an interview with People, Garrett says, “There is no show without the parents. They were the catalyst, and to do anything that would resemble that wouldn’t be right to the audiences or to the loyal fan base. And it was about those two families, and you can’t get around that.”
It’s not that Garrett isn’t appreciative of his time on the show. After three Emmy wins for his role as Robert, Garrett says, “I know [the reboot] won’t happen, but 30 years later, I got very lucky to get on that bus. I’m very grateful.” As disappointing as it may be to get denied a revival of Everybody Loves Raymond, it makes sense that there won’t be any more episodes in the future. The true heart of the show was the Barone family, and that includes the overbearing and bickering, but always lovable, parents. Many of the funniest lines in the series were delivered by Roberts and Boyle, and so much of that essential comedy would be missing in a revival. Even if the show were updated to be set in the present day, there’s no getting around the loss of those characters (or the incredible Emmy-winning actors that portrayed them).
There Have Been a Few Successful Revivals, Like ‘Dexter: Resurrection’
That’s not to say that there haven’t been some revivals that have worked. Currently, Showtime’s Dexter: Resurrection has brought back our favorite serial killer to the screen in a way that has honored the original series and also provided storylines that feel fresh and new. Several comedies have also nailed the reboot, such as The Conners (a revival of Roseanne) and Fuller House (an update to Full House), which were both able to tap back into a more light-hearted side of the 1990s. Cable comedies, such as The Comeback and Party Down, were also able to recreate the casts and comedic stylings in revivals that demonstrated what made these shows hits in the first place. However, it’s always a risk to bring back shows that ended for a reason, and the revivals that haven’t worked are in much greater numbers than those that have.
Many Shows, Such as ‘And Just Like That,’ Prove That Most Revivals Don’t Work
Perhaps the most glaring example of a reboot that just didn’t work is HBO’s And Just Like That, which is an update to Sex and the City. The hardest pill for fans to swallow was that Kim Cattrall decided not to take part in the new show. From the beginning, it was clear that this show was lacking the spark of the original series. The absence of Cattrall’s Samantha Jones created an obvious hole in the core friendship group, and the series has been criticized for ruining what used to be such fantastic plotlines for these characters. If the writers had taken notes from Garrett and the Everybody Loves Raymond team, they would have realized that developing a revival without all of the main characters was just setting up the show for disaster. Similarly, it was clear in revivals like Frasier that these shows are unsuccessful when several of the fan-favorite characters are missing in action. How could the revival ever attempt to measure up without Niles (David Hyde Pierce), Daphne (Jane Leeves), and Martin (John Mahoney, who died in 2018)? Many fans thought the revival should never have happened if the entire cast couldn’t return.
Even if the entire original cast is able to star in a revival, many of these reboots don’t work because they aren’t able to recapture the spirit of the original. 2014’s Girl Meets World, based on the original Boy Meets World, just felt awkward with Cory Matthews (Ben Savage) now appearing as a dad, instead of a goofy teenager. Several 1990s hit comedies (Mad About You, Murphy Brown, Night Court) failed to win over current audiences with revivals that have aired over the past couple of years. All of these shows are perfect examples of why reboots just don’t always work. The world has changed a great deal, and even with talented writers and actors, it can be hard to win over viewers who have simply grown up or moved on.
Of course, it’s sad that we won’t see more Everybody Loves Raymond episodes in the future. But in many cases, the endings of these shows were written in a way that served as an appropriate and final goodbye to these characters. Dredging up these stories, especially when some of the actors aren’t able to return, could end up being more disappointing to fans of the original series. Shows that are considering creating revivals should pay attention to the reboots that have come before (since many of these sequels are leaving stains on otherwise impeccable legacies). Plus, many shows are available through syndication or streaming, which means, technically, we can check in on the Barone family anytime we want.
Seasons 1-9 of Everybody Loves Raymond are available to stream on Peacock in the U.S.
