Ep 18. The Family Bed

In the Everybody Loves Raymond season 2 episode 18, titled "The Family Bed", the Barone family faces a dilemma when their young daughter Ally asks to sleep in their bed. Initially, Ray is against the idea and wants to keep the tradition of having their own beds, but Debra is more open-minded and thinks they should give it a try.

As expected, sleeping with Ally in the bed proves to be a challenge, with Ray and Debra getting kicked and poked throughout the night. However, they both have different approaches to the situation, with Debra being more empathetic towards their daughter and Ray being more impatient. Ray even tries to bribe Ally with candy to get her to sleep in her own bed, but it doesn't work.

To make matters worse, Ray's parents Frank and Marie find out about the situation and have different reactions to it. Frank is disgusted by the idea and tells Ray that it's important for parents to have their own space, while Marie reminisces about how she used to sleep with Ray when he was a child.

The conflict between Ray and Debra becomes more apparent when they go to bed one night and Debra puts a pillow barrier between her and Ray. The next day, they both confide in their respective families about the situation, with Debra talking to her sister and Ray talking to his parents.

Their families give them conflicting advice, with Debra's sister advising her to be more assertive and not let Ally rule the roost, while Frank and Marie encourage Ray to stand his ground and not let Debra take control. In the end, Ray and Debra come up with a compromise where they let Ally sleep in their bed for a limited amount of time before transitioning her back to her own bed.

Throughout the episode, there are also several subplots involving the other characters. Ray's brother Robert is trying to write a book but keeps getting interrupted by his family, and his wife Amy is dealing with some personal struggles. Frank and Marie are also dealing with their own issues, with Marie getting upset with Frank for not being romantic enough.

Overall, "The Family Bed" is a classic example of the comedic and relatable situations that the Barone family found themselves in throughout the show. It also highlights the challenges of parenting and the importance of compromise in relationships.