Ep 1. Pilot

Ray Barone is a successful sportswriter who lives on Long Island with his wife Debra, their daughter Ally, and twin sons Geoffrey and Michael. Ray's parents, Frank and Marie, and his older brother Robert, live across the street and their irksome behaviour frequently interrupts Ray's peaceful life at home. The pilot episode of Everybody Loves Raymond sets the tone for the rest of the series and introduces these key characters.

The episode starts with Ray and his family having lunch at his parents' house. Ray is busy trying to watch a football game, but his father Frank is loudly interrupting, complaining about everything from the weather to his food. Ray's mother Marie is more attentive to her son's needs, cooking him his favorite meal and expressing her love for him, even as she criticizes Debra's cooking skills. Ray tries to politely decline Frank and Marie's invitation for him and his family to stay for dinner, but they insist.

Later that night, when Ray and Debra are getting ready for bed, they overheard Frank and Marie arguing loudly across the street. Debra is shocked that Ray is unfazed by the commotion, and he responds by saying that he's used to their behaviour and that it doesn't bother him so much. Debra is unconvinced that the situation is as trivial as Ray makes it out to be, and the two have a small argument before going to sleep.

The next day, Ray's brother Robert pays a visit and we see the sibling's tense dynamic. Robert is a cop who has just been separated from his wife, and he's looking for some emotional support from Ray. Ray tries to be there for him, telling him that he can always come to him if he needs someone to talk to. However, when Ray gets a call from a friend inviting him to a baseball game, he quickly changes his tune and ditches Robert, leaving him at the house.

When Ray arrives back home that night, he finds that Robert has spoken to Debra about his problems instead of talking to Ray. Debra tells Ray that he needs to be a better support system for his brother, and that he can't keep running away from his family's dysfunctional dynamic. Ray seems to take her words to heart, and the episode ends with him and Debra lying in bed, looking at each other knowingly.

The pilot of Everybody Loves Raymond is a great introduction to the key characters and the show's overall themes. Ray is initially presented as a mostly unflappable, easy-going character who is able to shrug off his family's antics. However, it's clear that there's a deeper conflict beneath the surface that he's avoiding. Debra is the voice of reason, calling Ray out on his evasiveness and encouraging him to take more responsibility in his relationships. Frank and Marie are both unforgettable characters, with Frank's brashness and Marie's manipulativeness being equal parts off-putting and endearing. Finally, Robert's struggles add an additional layer of pathos to the episode, showing that even if Ray isn't willing to face his own problems, he can still be there for his brother.

Overall, the pilot of Everybody Loves Raymond is a great start to a beloved sitcom. It's charming, funny, and full of relatable characters and family drama. The show manages to balance its warm sentimentality with its more biting, sarcastic humour, setting the stage for seven more successful seasons.