Ep 17. The Ride-Along

In the season 2 episode 17 of Everybody Loves Raymond named "The Ride-Along," we find Debra upset that Ray doesn't take her advice seriously. Ray is a police officer and he is assigned to do a ride-along with his new partner. Ray goes to work, and Debra expresses her concerns about his new partner being a loose cannon. Ray doesn't take her seriously and tells her she's overreacting.

Meanwhile, Marie decides to make her version of a low-fat cake, but it turns out to be a disaster. She insists that she will try again, but Frank has other ideas and instead suggests they go out to eat. Robert overhears their conversation and invites himself along, hoping to spend some time with Amy, his new girlfriend, who also happens to be a waitress at the restaurant. Robert is worried that he may not be able to seal the deal with Amy due to her strict religious upbringing.

Back at the police station, Ray is still on the ride-along with his new partner. They are driving through the streets, looking for trouble. Ray tries to strike up a conversation to get to know his partner better, but his partner seems to be more interested in finding trouble than anything else. The night takes a crazy turn when Ray and his partner end up in a car chase with a suspected criminal.

Meanwhile, at the restaurant, Robert is trying his best to impress Amy. He orders a complicated dish, which is way beyond his palate. Amy tries to make Robert feel comfortable, but he feels out of place. He ends up spilling the dish on his lap, embarrassing himself in front of everyone in the restaurant.

The police chase ends, and Ray's partner arrests the criminal. They both return to the station, where Ray's partner asks him for a beer. Ray declines and tells him that he doesn't drink and drive. Ray's partner proceeds anyway, leaving Ray feeling depressed about his new partner's behavior.

Back at the restaurant, Robert feels like a failure in front of Amy. Later, Amy walks up to Robert and consoles him, telling him she likes him for who he is. She tells him that they have a lot of things in common and asks him if he wants to go out with her again. Robert is thrilled.

In the end, Debra finds out about the car chase and feels betrayed that Ray didn't tell her about it. Ray tries to explain himself but Debra is still upset. In an effort to make it up to her, Ray suggests they eat the low-fat cake that Marie made earlier. The cake is terrible, to say the least, but the family eats it anyway.

Overall, "The Ride-Along" is an entertaining and comedic episode that showcases the typical dynamics of the Barone family. The episode is relatable, as it deals with real-life issues that many couples face, such as communication problems and trying to impress a significant other. It also shows the complexities of Ray's job as a police officer and the challenges he faces in dealing with his new partner's reckless behavior. The episode is a must-watch for fans of the series.