While the family at the center of Everybody Loves Raymond might be a little larger than those seen in many other family sitcoms, their connections aren’t too hard to draw out. Everybody Loves Raymond was a huge hit when the family sitcom originally aired from 1996 to 2005. The show followed the trials and tribulations of the titular Ray Barone, a long-suffering sports journalist married to the demanding Debra. In classic sitcom fashion, Ray was constantly harangued by his wife, his over-involved parents Frank and Marie, his oafish brother Robert, and his three children.
As the above synopsis implies, Everybody Loves Raymond didn’t break the family sitcom mold in its construction. However, Everybody Loves Raymond did earn a large and loyal fan base thanks to the show’s warm family comedy. Ray’s misadventures with his family lasted for nine seasons and 210 episodes, during which every member of the Barone clan got an opportunity to take center stage. Whether it was Ray’s sister-in-law Amy or his sons Geoffrey and Michael, the entire Barone family were central to the appeal of Everybody Loves Raymond despite what the show’s sardonic title might have implied.
Ray Romano’s Ray Barone was the central character of Everybody Loves Raymond. He was a sports writer for Newsday, although the significance of this job waned as the series continued and the show featured fewer scenes of him interviewing players. His job did mean that Ray was often found lounging about on the couch watching sports, much to the chagrin of his wife Debra. Despite his tendencies toward slackerdom, Ray was eventually promoted to Newsday’s head sports writer. Even though Everybody Loves Raymond’s setting wasn’t rooted in Queens, the character did still appear in the show’s spinoff, King of Queens.
Debra Barone
Debra Barone in Everybody Loves Raymond The Shower
Debra was Ray’s wife, a character who lived up to many of the unfortunate stereotypes about shrewish, nagging romantic partners found in the family sitcoms of the era. Debra grew up wealthy and dated numerous sportsmen before marrying Ray, who she loved despite her struggles with his mother. Debra’s ongoing feud with Ray’s mother Marie was her character’s defining trait, as the pair were constantly battling with Ray acting as a go-between. Ray often sided with his mother over his wife thanks to his immaturity and his fear of Marie, but he and Debra still proved that they loved each other throughout Everybody Loves Raymond’s nine seasons.
Doris Roberts played Marie Barone, Ray’s mother. Marie was arguably the villain of Everybody Loves Raymond. Selfish, snobby, and thoughtless, Marie was infamous for causing many of the problems that plagued the rest of the family throughout the series. Despite this, Everybody Loves Raymond’s older heroine thought she was a model wife and mother even though she frequently fought with Frank, Ray’s father. This did once prompt Debra’s parents to admit that the couple were at least entertaining.
Frank Barone
Peter Boyle’s Frank Barone was Ray’s father and a traditional, conservative parent. Frank wasn’t much of a presence during Ray’s childhood, but Ray living across the road from his parents in adulthood ensured that Frank was a constant in Everybody Loves Raymond. Luckily, Young Frankenstein star Boyle imbued the character with a certain charm. Even though Frank was irascible and frequently cold, like his wife, he had his moments of unlikely warmth and kindness.
Brad Garrett played the strikingly tall Robert Barone, Ray’s older brother. A police officer, Robert is a workaholic who divorced his first wife. Robert married Debra’s friend Amy MacDougall after a lengthy courtship and a tumultuous relationship, but their marriage turned out to be steadier than their dating history. The pair bought Marie and Frank’s house, only to end up living with Robert’s parents when the pair were kicked out of their retirement home. Robert felt like he had lived his entire life in Ray’s shadow but, despite this, he was the heart of the series. Everybody Loves Raymond’s moral center, Brad often convinced his family to do the right thing.
Ally Barone was the eldest of Ray and Debra’s children and the only girl in the family. When Everybody Loves Raymond began, she was only six years old and was a veritable hell-raiser. As the series continued, Ally became more subdued as she grew more mature and her brothers took over the role of the family’s resident troublemakers. Some of Everybody Loves Raymond’s best episodes dealt with Ray and Debra’s attempts to raise Ally right, but the pair were largely successful. By the time Everybody Loves Raymond ended, she was a sweet, well-adjusted teenager.
Amy Barone
Compared to Debra, Robert’s wife Amy was a much cheerier presence. However, Amy did occasionally fight with Marie over her attempts to control Robert. Since Robert wasn’t the favorite child, Amy came to blows with her mother-in-law less often than Debra did. Amy and Robert dated for some years before eventually marrying and, although the duo did have their struggles, they had a largely happy marriage and a much more stable relationship than Everybody Loves Raymond’s hero and his wife.
Geoff Barone
Everybody Loves Raymond main cast publicity photo
Sullivan Sweeten played Geoff Barone, one of Debra and Ray’s two younger children. A pair of identical twins, Geoff and Michael were around two when Everybody Loves Raymond began. The duo grew up to be rambunctious as they got older and, by the time Everybody Loves Raymond ended, both brothers were ten-year-olds who frequently got into trouble with their strict parents. Unlike the adult characters on the series who appeared in almost every episode, Geoff and Michael only appeared in just over half of the show’s outings. Despite this, the twins made a mark on the series and had a few major storylines of their own.
Michael Barone
Michael shows off a book in Everybody Loves Raymond
Sawyer Sweeten played Michael Barone. While Geoff had at least one major distinguishing character trait, as his grandfather Frank was convinced he was gay, Michael had no such memorable traits. Given how poorly some ‘90s sitcoms handled LGBTQ+ themes, this is probably for the best. Michael was mostly known for being a messy, wild child like his twin brother, and his role in the series grew as the actor got older. Michael and Geoff appeared in 130 of Everybody Loves Raymond’s 210 episodes. By the time Everybody Loves Raymond ended, they were the youngest characters in the Barone family.