3 ‘Everybody Loves Raymond’ Mysteries That Make Absolutely No Sense
Everybody Loves Raymond is one of those late 1990s sitcoms that still feel relevant today. The premise is timeless. A young family tries to navigate their lives while also dealing with the push and pull that comes with extended family dynamics. Ray and Debra Barone and Ray’s extended family kept fans laughing for nine seasons. Years after Everybody Loves Raymond went off the air, some mysteries still bother us. We’ve collected three things about the fame series that made no sense.
Why do Frank and Marie come in through the backdoor?
Frank and Marie Barone were extremely intrusive. They popped in on Ray and Debra unannounced multiple times a day. Sometimes, they popped in even when Ray and Debra were not home. Over the years, fans grew to love the random pop-ins, but there is one problem with them. Marie and Frank often approached from the backdoor when it made more sense for them to enter through the front door.
Because Marie, Frank, and Robert entered from the back door so often, many fans believed the couple lived in a house that backed up to the back of Ray and Debras. That was not the case. Marie and Frank Barone owned the house directly across the street from Ray and Debra’s front door, as seen in the show’s opening sequence. They would have saved themselves a lot of time by entering the house through the front door. Going around the back took them out of their way.
Robert’s dog just disappeared without a word
TV writers often act as if they have two options regarding pets. Either the animal becomes an important plot point in the show, or they disappear into thin air. There doesn’t seem to be a middle ground. Everybody Loves Raymond writers opted for the latter option.
During Everybody Loves Raymond, Ray gifts a dog he found to his brother. Ray insisted the dog looked just like a childhood pet Robert Barone had. Thrilled with his new pal, Robert initially took Shamsky #2 everywhere. The dog appeared in nine episodes and was mentioned a few more times, and then no one spoke of him again. After a bull gored Robert, Shamsky #2 disappeared. It’s an Everybody Loves Raymond mystery that still bothers us today.
Debra not having a job outside of the home is an ‘Everybody Loves Raymond’ mystery
Debra didn’t present as someone who enjoyed being domestic. Sure, she made an effort. Debra cooked and cleaned and entertained the kids. She ensured Raymond’s dinner was ready when he returned home from work, but she never seemed to enjoy homemaking and childrearing as much as Marie Barone did.
Before marrying Ray, Debra had a coveted job and could have parlayed those skills into another gig after the kids headed to school. Save for one half-hearted effort to return to the workforce, she never bothered. It felt forced; frankly, the Barones probably could have used an extra paycheck, and Marie surely would have jumped at the chance to watch the kids. Debra opting to stay home instead of getting a job remains one of the oddest elements of Everybody Loves Raymond when you consider her dominant personality traits.
