8.1/10551 votes#1 - The Cult
Season 7 Episode 1 - Aired 9/23/2002
Depressed that Marie and Debra can't seem to resolve their differences, Robert decides to join a support group that the family believes is a cult. After taking the feud between Marie and Debra very hard, Robert's cousin Gerard convinces him to attend a ""Pathway"" meeting – a group seeking the path to inner peace and unlocking one's potential. Although Robert is rejuvenated by his encounter with ""Pathway,"" the family is concerned it's a cult and they convince Ray to go to a meeting to see what Robert's gotten himself into.
Director: Kenneth Shapiro
Writer: Phil Rosenthal, Tucker Cawley
7.9/10480 votes#2 - Counseling
Season 7 Episode 2 - Aired 9/23/2002
After arguing with Ray over his inability to help her with the housework, Debra becomes intrigued when their friends, Linda and Bernie, mention they've been seeing a marriage counselor. Although Ray is completely against the idea, he quickly adopts a cooperative attitude when they meet the therapist, Pamela, who instantly takes a liking to Ray when he claims that he'll do anything to make his marriage work. Frustrated by the session, Debra accuses Ray of acting phony during therapy. Marie intercedes and conducts a mock ""therapy"" session with them which leads to a breakthrough that leaves even Ray horrified.
Director: Kenneth Shapiro
Writer: Mike Royce
7.5/10431 votes#3 - Homework
Season 7 Episode 3 - Aired 9/30/2002
When Ally's teacher, Miss Purcell, overhears Ray commenting about the kids' excessive workload, she invites Raymond to address the curriculum review board and gives him a mountain of material for review and evaluation. But when Raymond still hasn't touched the material the night before the review, and Debra refuses to bail him out, he goes to the one person he knows will help him with his homework... Marie.
Director: Gary Halvorson
Writer: Jeremy Stevens
7.5/10440 votes#4 - Pet the Bunny
Season 7 Episode 4 - Aired 10/7/2002
As a challenge, Ray writes a eulogy for Frank, who hasn't died yet. In the eulogy, he tells a childhood story about watching his tough dad pet the family bunny, named Hoppy. Unfortunately, Marie reads the paper, who wants a tribute in it. Also, Robert and Frank learn of Ray's sentimental recollection.
Director: John Fortenberry
Writer: Aaron Shure
7.6/10432 votes#5 - Who Am I?
Season 7 Episode 5 - Aired 10/14/2002
Ray fears something is wrong with him after he comes back from a night out with his friends and tells Debra that he didn't enjoy it. She thinks Ray is finally growing up. But then Ray says he wants to join his Father's lodge.
Director: John Fortenberry
Writer: N/A
7.5/10459 votes#6 - Robert Needs Money
Season 7 Episode 6 - Aired 10/21/2002
After deciding to lend Robert $1,000 when he complains he's struggling with finances, Ray and Debra are surprised when Robert uses the money for a vacation to Las Vegas.
Director: Michael Zinberg
Writer: Tom Caltabiano
7.8/10467 votes#7 - The Sigh
Season 7 Episode 7 - Aired 11/4/2002
Ray moves his things out of his bathroom and into the kids' bathroom so Debra has more space, but he soon regrets it when his dad and Robert start teasing him and tell him that he is no longer the king of his own house, Debra is.
Director: Jerry Zaks
Writer: Steve Skrovan
7.3/10481 votes#8 - The Annoying Kid
Season 7 Episode 8 - Aired 11/11/2002
Ray and Debra are excited to have finally met a couple, Neil and Lauren, who are just like them. However, Ray starts having mixed feelings when their annoying 8 year-old son, Spencer, wreaks havoc around the Barone household.
Director: Jerry Zaks
Writer: Lew Schneider
9.0/10903 votes#9 - She's the One
Season 7 Episode 9 - Aired 11/18/2002
Robert think he has finally found "the one" or a girlfriend. The girl is Angela, an international-trade lawyer who seems too good to be true. She's bright, speaks four languages and clearly loves Robert. The girl goes on to endear herself to Debra by complimenting her lemon chicken. While Ray, is also initially smitten with Angela, he see's something disgusting: Angela eats a dead fly out of a napkin. After he tells Robert and Debra, the won't believe him.
Director: John Fortenberry
Writer: Phil Rosenthal, Ray Romano
8.1/10503 votes#10 - Marie's Vision
Season 7 Episode 10 - Aired 11/25/2002
While Raymond, Robert and Frank don't want to bring up the fact that Marie is having vision trouble, Debra decides to level with her and suggests she visit an eye doctor. When Marie winds up with a pair of specs just in time for the holidays, she winds up putting the family on edge when she starts seeing them for better and for worse! Meanwhile, Robert gets back together with Amy and invites her to a Thanksgiving dinner.
Director: Sheldon Epps
Writer: Jay Kogen
7.7/10462 votes#11 - The Thought That Counts
Season 7 Episode 11 - Aired 12/9/2002
Robert gives Ray a great idea on what to get Debra for Christmas, but he isn't very happy when Ray takes all the credit for it.
Director: N/A
Writer: Tucker Cawley
7.6/10454 votes#12 - Grandpa Steals
Season 7 Episode 12 - Aired 1/6/2003
Boisterous Frank learns a difficult lesson in humility from his granddaughter, Ally. During a trip to the supermarket with Ray and Ally, Frank starts nibbling on some trail mix, completely ignoring the nearby ""no sampling"" sign. He's soon confronted by a testy manager, and a heated argument ensues. Watching it all unfold is Ally, who becomes frightened by Frank's ranting. When the trio returns home, Ray speaks to his father about his behavior. While Ray's comments initially fall on deaf ears, Frank later realizes he needs to talk to Ally... but now he's scared because he's never had a real conversation with her.
Director: Jerry Zaks
Writer: Lew Schneider
7.4/10437 votes#13 - Somebody Hates Raymond
Season 7 Episode 13 - Aired 1/27/2003
Raymond's friend Andy tells him that Jerry Musso, a radio talk show host, hates him. While Raymond is in shock over this, Robert enjoys seeing him fall over like this and they fight.
Director: Jerry Zaks
Writer: Steve Skrovan
8.2/10516 votes#14 - Just a Formality
Season 7 Episode 14 - Aired 2/3/2003
The six-year on-again, off-again relationship between Robert (Brad Garrett) and Amy (Monica Horan) is definitely on again in this pivotal episode. So much so, in fact, that ""Robert wants to propose to Amy,"" says executive producer Philip Rosenthal. But there's one formality the hopeful groom-to-be must take care of first: asking Amy's devout churchgoing folks (Fred Willard, Georgia Engel) for their daughter's hand in marriage. To that end, ""Robert convinces Ray to accompany him to meet her parents in [Pennsylvania],"" says Rosenthal. How they---and possibly Amy---respond determines whether wedding bells will be ringing anytime soon. Peter: Chris Elliott. Frank: Peter Boyle.
Director: Gary Halvorson
Writer: Steve Skrovan, Phil Rosenthal
7.5/10428 votes#15 - The Disciplinarian
Season 7 Episode 15 - Aired 2/10/2003
Tired of being labeled the ""evil witch"" around the house, Debra convinces Ray that it's his turn to discipline the kids. While leaving to take Ally to a Frontier Girls meeting, Debra tells Ray that he must force the twins to clean up their room or they can't go out and play. Reluctant at first to spoil their fun, Raymond starts to tire of their devilish antics and winds up going overboard with the boys' punishment. Meanwhile, Frank proclaims himself a model disciplinarian, only to learn that despite his scare tactics, Ray and Robert broke plenty of rules around the house.
Director: Jerry Zaks
Writer: Mike Royce
7.3/10432 votes#16 - Sweet Charity
Season 7 Episode 16 - Aired 2/17/2003
Ray reluctantly agrees to do some charity work at a hospital after Debra signs him up, but he soon becomes a hit with the patients and starts spending more time there than at home, much to his wife's dismay.
Director: Jerry Zaks
Writer: Aaron Shure
8.2/10501 votes#17 - Meeting the Parents
Season 7 Episode 17 - Aired 2/24/2003
Amy's mom and dad finally meet the Barone Family. Amy's folks show up unexpectedly at their daughter's house on a Sunday morning. They want to talk Amy out of marrying Robert and take her home to Pennsylvania with them. First, they are stunned to see Robert there. Then Frank and Marie arrive. It doesn't take long for the two sets of parents to disliking each other.
Director: Jerry Zaks
Writer: Lew Schneider, Mike Royce
8.3/10517 votes#18 - The Plan
Season 7 Episode 18 - Aired 3/10/2003
Yet another bump appears on the rocky road to Robert and Amy's wedding, which was nearly blocked by her disapproving parents. When the bride-to-be (Monica Horan) puts her betrothed (Brad Garrett) in charge of writing the wedding invitation, he seeks input from Ray and Frank. While they can't believe Robert let himself get roped into such a chore, they nevertheless come up with a plan: If Robert makes a mess of the job, it will convince Amy that she should take care of all the wedding plans herself. So the groom drafts an appalling mock invite---complete with the wrong date and names---and waits for Amy's reply...which is worse than he ever expected.
Director: Jerry Zaks
Writer: Tucker Cawley
7.5/10464 votes#19 - Sleepover at Peggy's
Season 7 Episode 19 - Aired 3/31/2003
Ray takes Ally over to her friend's house for a sleepover and is mortified when the girl's mother pats his behind after he helps set up a tent for her. Ray finds out that the mother is the same one Ray had a nasty run-in with over some Frontier Girl cookies a year before.
Director: Gary Halvorson
Writer: N/A
7.7/10483 votes#20 - Who's Next
Season 7 Episode 20 - Aired 4/14/2003
Debra and Ray pick out replacement spouses for each other and jealousy starts. Marie announces that Rose, the elderly lady next door, has passed away. Marie is upset because Rose is the woman she'd chosen for Frank if she hadn't died. Debra thinks it would be fun to fantasize about who should take her place and tells Ray she's selected her friend Linda. But then Ray picks Linda's husband Bernie for Debra.
Director: Gary Halvorson
Writer: Steve Skrovan
8.1/10487 votes#21 - The Shower
Season 7 Episode 21 - Aired 4/28/2003
Debra gives a bridal shower for Amy, but her good intentions get sidetracked by Marie's overzealous participation. When Marie attempts to ""take over"" Amy's wedding shower, Debra gets upset and yells at her, prompting Marie to leave in a huff. Returning to the party festivities, Debra starts drinking a little too much champagne and winds up being too tipsy to drive. When she can't reach Ray on the phone, Debra decides to take a nap in her car with the keys in the ignition and is awakened by a police officer, who arrests her for drunk driving. When her license is suspended, Debra finds herself in a precarious situation when she's forced to rely on Marie for help.
Director: Jerry Zaks
Writer: Leslie Caveny
8.6/10604 votes#22 - Baggage
Season 7 Episode 22 - Aired 5/5/2003
Ray and Debra wind up in a two-week standoff over a suitcase. When Robert asks Ray if he can borrow a suitcase sitting on the stairway landing for his honeymoon, Ray explains he and Debra have been locked in an ""unspoken"" battle of wills since a weekend trip over who is responsible for putting the suitcase away. Although Robert thinks Ray and Debra are insane, Frank and Marie can easily relate and offer their own words of wisdom – with Frank counseling Ray and Marie advising Debra on how to resolve their marital differences.
Director: N/A
Writer: Tucker Cawley
7.5/10468 votes#23 - The Bachelor Party
Season 7 Episode 23 - Aired 5/12/2003
Ray hosts a lame bachelor party for Robert and is shamed by Debra, Marie and Amy into throwing him another one at the lodge, which is attended by Amy's father and brother.
Director: Gary Halvorson
Writer: Ray Romano, Tom Caltabiano, Mike Royce
8.5/10615 votes#24 - Robert's Wedding (1)
Season 7 Episode 24 - Aired 5/19/2003
Robert and Amy exchange vows in a classic Barone family wedding ceremony.
Director: Jerry Zaks
Writer: Phil Rosenthal
NaN/100 votes#25 - Robert's Wedding (2)
Season 7 Episode 25 - Aired 5/19/2003
Robert and Amy exchange vows in a classic Barone family wedding ceremony.
Director: Jerry Zaks
Writer: Phil Rosenthal
The Best Episodes of Everybody Loves Raymond Season 7
Every episode of Everybody Loves Raymond Season 7 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of Everybody Loves Raymond Season 7!
Ray Barone is a successful sportswriter living on Long Island with his wife Debra, daughter Ally, and twin sons, Geoffrey and Michael. That's the good...
Genre:Comedy
Network:CBS
Season 7 Ratings Summary
"The Cult" is the best rated episode of "Everybody Loves Raymond" season 7. It scored 8.1/10 based on 551 votes. Directed by Kenneth Shapiro and written by Phil Rosenthal, Tucker Cawley, it aired on 9/23/2002. This episode is rated 0.2 points higher than the second-best, "Counseling".