Everybody Loves Raymond Celebrates Its 30th Birthday

Evanne Evans, 19 June 2025

Everybody Loves Raymond aired 210 episodes throughout its 9-season run, from September 13, 1996, to May 16, 2005. Initially, the show was pitched to air during what was considered a low-rated Friday night slot, but gained popularity when it moved to its Monday evening position in 1997. This CBS sitcom was based on the fictional life of sportswriter Ray Romano and his overpowering and outlandish family.

Everybody Loves Raymond resonated with audiences due to its relatable portrayal of family dynamics, particularly the humorous struggles within a close-knit, albeit dysfunctional, Italian-American family.

The show's humour revealed in life's everyday events, highlighting the characters' flaws, made for compelling and familiar fun viewing. The episodes provided a sense of consistency with no major plot arcs, allowing audiences to relax and connect with the characters and their life experiences with ease. Following his success on the show, Romano continued his TV career, appearing on numerous shows, including Men of a Certain Age, Parenthood, Vinyl, Get Shorty, Made for Love, and Bupkis. Romano is also the much-loved voice of Manny the Mammoth in the Ice Age film series and appeared in The Big Sick and Martin Scorsese's The Irishman. He also starred alongside Lisa Kudrow, Linda Cardellini, Luke Wilson and other headline actors on the 2025 Netflix comedy series No Good Deed.

His on-screen wife, Debra, played by Patricia Heaton, was the hardworking mom struggling to connect with her in-laws, a strong-minded and endearing character. For her performances in the hit TV series, she won back-to-back Emmys for Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 2000 and 2001. Once the series finished, Heaton joined actor Kelsey Grammer on Fox's Back to You before taking on the role of overworked mom on ABC's The Middle, among other TV roles.