History Headscratchers / EverybodyLovesRaymond

**** Maybe not, but there are still plenty of examples that come to my mind in regards to that (and I haven't even seen every episode). And while she may not always be ''portrayed'' as right, she almost always gets her own way. I think that's why so many people are anti-Debra (including myself).

* One of the show's biggest selling points was "It's not about the kids." In that case, why even ''have'' kids on the show if they're just scenery? Is it that hard to fathom a happily childfree couple on a primetime sitcom?

*** And that was the problem, it's true that Debra is not really portraited as always right, but because the episodes go as being funny how Ray loses even when he's right, it eventually annoys people. The problem was that Ray started to go down as an idiot who needed his mommy all his life (which brought the question as to why did he kept putting the front that he wanted them out of the house or to move somewhere else) so Debra was left alone against the rest of the Barone family with a gross father in law, a snoopy and crazy mother in law and an idiot husband; when it was suppose to be Ray and Debra against Frank and Mary's antics.

** Indeed. Debra basically always wins out in all the episodes that involves an argument involving her. And she is meant to be taken as in the right. Listen to the audience. That's the big clue in sitcoms that employ a laugh track. I'm not fond of Debra most of the time, but she does really shine in the episodes when she's shown to still love Ray, no matter what she does to him. This includes the episode that [[HowWeGotHere shows how Ray and Debra's relationship started.]] The finale, as well, when Debra breaks down thinking that Ray would not make it through surgery alive. The first season is better about those episodes than the rest. It's sad, because Debra and Ray could have been portrayed as a married couple of [[DeadpanSnarker Deadpan Snarkers]] and it would have been a much better show.

*** The "encouraging the kids to think negatively of Ray" incident isn't a good example, seeing as how Ray ''won'' that argument in the end. And I can think of several episodes where Debra was ''not'' portrayed as absolutely-right-even-when-she's-wrong, though the later seasons did admittedly tend to skew that.

** Indeed. Debra basically always wins out in all the episodes that involves an argument involving her. And she is meant to be taken as in the right. Listen to the audience. That's the big clue in sitcoms that employ a laugh track. I'm not fond of Debra most of the time, but she does really shine in the episodes when she's shown to still love Ray, no matter what she does to him. This includes the episode that [[HowWeGotHere shows how Ray and Debra's relationship started.]] The finale, as well, when Debra breaks down thinking that Ray would not make it through surgery alive. The first season is better about those episodes than the rest. It's sad, because Debra and Ray could have been portrayed as a married couple of [[DeadpanSnarker Deadpan Snarkers]] and it would have been a much better show.
** Exactly. I'm glad I'm not the only one.

** Indeed. Debra basically always wins out in all the episodes that involves an argument involving her. And she is meant to be taken as in the right. Listen to the audience. That's the big clue in sitcoms that employ a laugh track. I'm not fond of Debra most of the time, but she does really shine in the episodes when she's shown to still love Ray, no matter what she does to him. This includes the episode that [[HowWeGotHere shows how Ray and Debra's relationship started.]] The finale, as well, when Debra breaks down thinking that Ray would not make it through surgery alive. The first season is better about those episodes than the rest. It's sad, because Debra and Ray could have been portrayed as a married couple of [[DeadpanSnarker Deadpan Snarkers]] and it would have been a much better show.

**** The "congratulations, you're a successful parent" was a reference to Frank's stated opinion earlier in the episode that "If your kids like you, then you've failed as parents!" Her tone seemed to be more wry than snide.

* Robert lived with parents. Fair enough. But according to Frank and Marie's numerous discussions about money throughout the series, it's apparent that Frank paid for rent and all the food despite being fired from his job without a retirement fund. While Robert is a new york police sargeant and he doesn't pay for anything. WhatTheHellHero?

** The anti-Debra attitude comes from that fact that she ''is'' shown as right most times, even though she's not completely right most times. Whenever she yells at and/or ''physically abuses'' Ray, even when it's for next to no reason, the audience cheers. Also, whenever there's a fight, the majority of the time, Debra is portrayed as in the absolute right and we're not meant to sympathize with the other person at all, despite the fact that you could see where the other person was coming from. Yes, Ray calls her a "cranky yell machine", but when he does, it's a joke and meant to be taken as such. When Debra insults and attacks Ray (such as when she decided that encouraging the kids to see him as less of an authority figure than her by making bets on what he would do), it's supposed to be taken seriously, evidenced by the wildly inappropriate clapping and cheering from the audience.

** The anti-Debra attitude comes from that fact that she ''is'' shown as right most times. Whenever she yells at and/or ''physically abuses'' Ray, even when it's for next to no reason, the audience cheers. Also, whenever there's a fight, the majority of the time, Debra is portrayed as in the absolute right and we're not meant to sympathize with the other person at all, despite the fact that you could see where the other person was coming from. Yes, Ray calls her a "cranky yell machine", but when he does, it's a joke and meant to be taken as such. When Debra insults and attacks Ray (such as when she decided that encouraging the kids to see him as less of an authority figure than her by making bets on what he would do), it's supposed to be taken seriously, evidenced by the wildly inappropriate clapping and cheering from the audience.

* What Just Bugs Me is the extreme anti-Debra attitude on this site, particularly when people think she gets away with everything, or is shown as morally right. Debra is NOT always shown as right -- they regularly point out she's a crappy cook, is horribly mean, is disrespectful, arrogant and often morally questionable. Ray even calls her a "Cranky yell machine" when he doesn't think she's watching. She's just as nasty and bad as the rest of the cast, and everyone knows it. She's not a Mary Sue in ANY case.

* In the episode where they get a family picture, why the hell does Debra invite her parents? She knew that it was a gift for Marie, (And probably knew that Marie told Robert not to bring Amy) which meant that it was a picture of ''Marie's'' Family, not hers. She refuses to realize that her parents did not fit into that, yet is treated like she is in the right.

*** True, but, if the situation was reversed and it was Ray who was the one that made them late and they agreed that, if he wasn't ready by a set time, then Debra [[DoubleStandard would be portrayed as being absolutely justified in leaving the SECOND that the agreed time passed]].

*** True, but, if the situation was reversed and it was Ray who was the one that made them late and they agreed that, if he wasn't ready by a set time, then Debra [[DoubleStandard would be portrayed as being absolutely justified in leaving the '''second''' that the agreed time passed]].

*** True, but, if the situation was reversed and it was Ray who was the one that made them late and they agreed that, if he wasn't ready by a set time, then Debra [[DoubleStandard would be portrayed as being absolutely justified in leaving the ''second'' that the agreed time passed]].

* In the episode where they get a family picture, why the hell does Debra invite her parents? She knew that it was a gift for Marie, (And probably knew that Marie told Robert not to come) which meant that it was a picture of ''Marie's'' Family, not hers. She refuses to realize that her parents did not fit into that, yet is treated like she is in the right.

* I don't remember the title of the episode, or the specifics, but Ally was invited to a rather formal party where she and her friends would wear dresses. Debra was particularly supportive of Ally's interest in going. Ray, however, didn't find the concept appealing because it looked like they'd be paying for a dress she'd only wear once, and he attempts to persuade the other parents to make the party more casual. Naturally, this puts Ray at odds with Debra. In the end, he relents and gets Ally a dress for the party, but when they arrive, they discover the other parents have decided to make the party more casual after all, making Ally run off upset, and Debra gives Ray the evil eye? This is just one instance of Ray's InformedWrongness which honestly ticks me off.

* In the episode where they get a family picture, why the hell does Debra invite her parents? She knew that it was a gift for Marie, (And probably knew that Marie told Robert not to come) which meant that it was a picture of ''Marie's'' Family not hers. She refuses to realize that her parents did not fit into that, yet is treated like she is in the right.

* Robert lived with parents. Fair enough. But according to Frank and Marie's numerous discussions about money throughout the series, it's apparent that Frank paid for rent and all the food despite being fired from his job without a retirement fund. While Robert is a new york police sargeant and he doesn't pay for anything. WhatTheHellHero?