The Best Episodes of Everybody Loves Raymond Season 1

Episode Rankings

1. #1 Fan Favorite
   

   7.7/10(1048 votes)

   #1 - Pilot

   S1:E19/13/1996

   Debra is sick and tired of having Raymond's parents and brother show up unannounced. With her birthday coming up, they try avoiding having them over.

   Director:Michael Lembeck

   Writer:Phil Rosenthal

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   Director:Michael Lembeck

   Writer:Phil Rosenthal
2. 

   7.1/10(857 votes)

   #2 - I Love You

   S1:E29/20/1996

   When newly-wed friends make a public display of their affection, Debra wonders why reticent Raymond has trouble saying those three little words.

   Director:Paul Lazarus

   Writer:Phil Rosenthal

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   Director:Paul Lazarus

   Writer:Phil Rosenthal
3. 

   7.3/10(809 votes)

   #3 - I Wish I Were Gus

   S1:E39/27/1996

   Even dead people love Raymond, as he is chosen to deliver the eulogy at his great uncle's funeral. It's an occasion that serves as a reunion for Ray's mother and her feuding sister, Alda.

   Director:Paul Lazarus

   Writers:Steve Skrovan, Kathy Ann Stumpe

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   Director:Paul Lazarus

   Writers:Steve Skrovan, Kathy Ann Stumpe
4. 

   8.0/10(824 votes)

   #4 - Standard Deviation

   S1:E410/4/1996

   For a criminal-psychology course, Robert issues standard IQ tests to Raymond and Debra, and boy, is Ray smarting when they get the results.

   Director:Jeff Meyer

   Writer:Steve Skrovan

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   Director:Jeff Meyer

   Writer:Steve Skrovan
5. 

   8.0/10(799 votes)

   #5 - Look Don't Touch

   S1:E510/11/1996

   Nemo's niece, Angelina, takes employment at Nemo's restaurant as a waitress. When Angelina catches Ray's eye, he has a lot of explaining to do to his wife, especially after Angelina calls him at home.

   Directors:Paul Lazarus, Jeff Meyer

   Writers:Tucker Cawley, Lew Schneider

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   Directors:Paul Lazarus, Jeff Meyer

   Writers:Tucker Cawley, Lew Schneider
6. 

   7.0/10(740 votes)

   #6 - Frank, the Writer

   S1:E610/18/1996

   When Frank gets a few anecdotes published in Reader's Digest, he submits his writing samples to Ray's editor, hoping to get his own column in the newspaper.

   Director:Paul Lazarus

   Writers:Tucker Cawley, Kathy Ann Stumpe

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   Director:Paul Lazarus

   Writers:Tucker Cawley, Kathy Ann Stumpe
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7. 

   7.4/10(728 votes)

   #7 - Your Place or Mine?

   S1:E710/28/1996

   Marie gets fed up with Frank after 40 years of marriage and moves in with Ray and Debra. Ray and Robert enjoy being mothered by Marie, while Debra spends quality time with Frank.

   Director:Howard Storm

   Writer:Jeremy Stevens

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   Director:Howard Storm

   Writer:Jeremy Stevens
8. 

   7.4/10(734 votes)

   #8 - In-Laws

   S1:E811/1/1996

   When Ray's upper class in-laws come for a visit, he begs his parents to be nice to them. Ray admits to his parents that he doesn't always see eye-to-eye with Debra's folks but manages to fake it, and he'd like his parents to do the same when they all go out and try to have a family dinner.

   Director:Alan Kirschenbaum

   Writer:Phil Rosenthal

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   Director:Alan Kirschenbaum

   Writer:Phil Rosenthal
9. 

   7.2/10(708 votes)

   #9 - Win, Lose or Draw

   S1:E911/8/1996

   Ray gets tired of being treated like a kid at his father's poker game, so he decides to ignore his father's advice and ends up losing all his money.

   Director:Alan Kirschenbaum

   Writer:Unknown

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   Director:Alan Kirschenbaum

   Writer:Unknown
10. 

    7.6/10(768 votes)

    #10 - Turkey or Fish

    S1:E1011/22/1996

    Although Marie has always cooked the traditional turkey dinner for Thanksgiving, Debra decides it's her turn to prepare the holiday meal, but not wanting to compete with Marie's turkey, she chooses to serve fish.

    Director:Michael Lembeck

    Writers:Tucker Cawley, Steve Skrovan, Lew Schneider

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    Director:Michael Lembeck

    Writers:Tucker Cawley, Steve Skrovan, Lew Schneider
11. 

    7.3/10(697 votes)

    #11 - Captain Nemo

    S1:E1112/13/1996

    When Ray's free time goes to coaching Nemo's basketball team in preparation for the Pizza League championships, he is reminded by Debra that their kids are growing up fast and he's missing precious time with them.

    Director:Michael Lembeck

    Writers:Tucker Cawley, Steve Skrovan, Lew Schneider

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    Director:Michael Lembeck

    Writers:Tucker Cawley, Steve Skrovan, Lew Schneider
12. 

    7.3/10(714 votes)

    #12 - The Ball

    S1:E1212/20/1996

    Ray discovers that the autographed Mickey Mantle ball he got as a kid from his father isn't authentic. Feeling hurt by the fact that his father wasn't truthful about the ball, Ray decides he's going to tell Ally the truth about Santa Claus.

    Directors:Michael Lembeck, Jeff Meyer

    Writers:Stephen Nathan, Bruce Kirschbaum

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    Directors:Michael Lembeck, Jeff Meyer

    Writers:Stephen Nathan, Bruce Kirschbaum
13. 

    7.4/10(679 votes)

    #13 - Debra's Sick

    S1:E131/3/1997

    When Debra comes down with the flu and is bedridden, so now the inexperienced Raymond must take care of her and the three kids.

    Director:Michael Lembeck

    Writers:Stephen Nathan, Bruce Kirschbaum

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    Director:Michael Lembeck

    Writers:Stephen Nathan, Bruce Kirschbaum
14. 

    7.7/10(686 votes)

    #14 - Who's Handsome?

    S1:E141/17/1997

    Ray can't face the fact that everybody thinks that his brother Robert is "classically handsome," while they consider him "adorable like a hamster."

    Director:Howard Storm

    Writer:Carol Gary

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    Director:Howard Storm

    Writer:Carol Gary
15. 

    8.0/10(695 votes)

    #15 - The Car

    S1:E151/31/1997

    Debra, already annoyed at getting stuck driving the old car Ray bought from his parents, really gets upset when she discovers that it was his old "make-out-mobile."

    Director:Howard Storm

    Writer:Lew Schneider

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    Director:Howard Storm

    Writer:Lew Schneider
16. 

    8.0/10(687 votes)

    #16 - Diamonds

    S1:E162/7/1997

    Ray finds out that the diamond on Debra's engagement ring is a fake, so he steals it from her to get it changed, only to find out after that she already had it exchanged it with her grandma's $15,000 diamond.

    Directors:Michael Lembeck, Jeff Meyer

    Writers:Tucker Cawley, Kathy Ann Stumpe

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    Directors:Michael Lembeck, Jeff Meyer

    Writers:Tucker Cawley, Kathy Ann Stumpe
17. 

    7.8/10(752 votes)

    #17 - The Game

    S1:E172/21/1997

    When Ray and his family play a game of Scruples after their cable goes out, they find themselves arguing about honesty. To make matters worse, when Ray complains to the cable company about the disruption in service, he is informed that he has an illegal hookup.

    Directors:Michael Lembeck, Jeff Meyer

    Writers:Tucker Cawley, Kathy Ann Stumpe

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    Directors:Michael Lembeck, Jeff Meyer

    Writers:Tucker Cawley, Kathy Ann Stumpe
18. 

    7.2/10(658 votes)

    #18 - Recovering Pessimist

    S1:E182/28/1997

    When Debra tries to change Ray's pessimistic attitude about winning the Sports Writer of the Year Award, he agrees to change his ways and become more positive, but he soon has to suffer the downside of being the only optimist in his family.

    Director:Jeff Meyer

    Writer:Steve Skrovan

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    Director:Jeff Meyer

    Writer:Steve Skrovan
19. 

    7.6/10(673 votes)

    #19 - The Dog

    S1:E193/3/1997

    Ray brings home a stray bulldog that reminds him of the dog he had to give up as a boy due to his allergies, but his brother Robert bonds with the dog and the siblings have to decide who gets to keep him.

    Director:Rod Daniel

    Writer:Bruce Kirschbaum

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    Director:Rod Daniel

    Writer:Bruce Kirschbaum
20. 

    5.7/10(656 votes)

    #20 - Neighbors

    S1:E203/10/1997

    The neighbourhood is up in arms over Ray's noisy dad and meddling mom, and the neighbours demand a meeting at Ray's and Debra's house.

    Director:Jeff Meyer

    Writer:Jeremy Stevens

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    Director:Jeff Meyer

    Writer:Jeremy Stevens
21. 

    8.0/10(655 votes)

    #21 - Fascinatin' Debra

    S1:E213/17/1997

    A popular radio psychologist visits the Barone household to interview Debra for a book on the American family. But the doctor finds that the rest of the eccentric Barones are more captivating.

    Director:Jeff Meyer

    Writer:Unknown

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    Director:Jeff Meyer

    Writer:Unknown
22. 

    7.8/10(719 votes)

    #22 - Why Are We Here?

    S1:E224/7/1997

    In this flashback episode, Ray and Debra remember their days in their first apartment.

    Director:Jeff Meyer

    Writers:Ray Romano, Tom Paris

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    Director:Jeff Meyer

    Writers:Ray Romano, Tom Paris