* AbsentAnimalCompanion: Robert's pet bulldog Shamsky has a whole episode devoted to him explaining how he arrived and how he cost Ray nearly two thousand dollars. After this big build-up Shamsky the bulldog appears in maybe two more episodes and then nothing more is seen or heard.
* AbsentMindedProfessor: In "Who Am I?", Ray and Debra attend a lecture, where the professor appears oblivious to the fact that he's putting Ray to sleep as he drones on in a monotone voice.
* AbusiveParents: In "It's Supposed To Be Fun", Ray says his joke about Geoffrey was nothing, that he used to get worse as a kid. One time, he was combing his hair in the hallway mirror and Frank walked by and told him, "Bad haircut, I can still see your face."
--> '''Debra''': How did that make you feel?\\
'''Ray''': What? Nothing. I knew that he was joking. (Debra doesn't buy it) All right. I felt bad for a moment, but then I forgot about it.\\
'''Debra''': Until ''now''?\\
'''Ray''': Listen, what I did wasn't like that. All I really did was tell a little joke.\\
'''Debra''': Like your ''dad''. You know, you've told me that haircut story before. (Ray realizes he's following in Frank's footsteps and feels bad)
* AccentuateTheNegative: One episode, "Recovering Pessimist", revolved around Ray's inability to look at the positives, even after winning a prestigious writing award. The episode reveals the obvious: he learned this behavior from Frank and Marie.
** Gerard is perhaps even more this trope than Ray; he can't even accept a compliment without finding a negative way to spin it.
* AccidentalMisnaming: Lee keeps calling Debra "Donna". Similarly, the Stipes call Robert "Rodney", particularly annoying since he briefly lived with them.
* AchievementsInIgnorance: The entire premise of "Frank Goes Downstairs". Ray injures himself falling out of bed while having sex with Debra. To cover up the rather embarrassing nature of his injury, he tells everyone (except Robert and a few of his friends) that they injured themselves falling down the stairs. Frank begins to wonder if there is indeed something wrong with the stairs, so he comes over to look at the stairs... [[GoneHorriblyRight and falls through the stairs, all the way down to the basement]]. Oops.
* ActorAllusion: Frank going as Frankenstein's Monster on Halloween, referencing his iconic role in ''Film/YoungFrankenstein''.
* AffectionateNickname: Gianni calls Ray "Big Nose". His use of it in "The Contractor" signals that he's trying to make up with Ray after their fight:
--> '''Gianni''': ''(while watching sports)'' Any score, Big Nose?\\
'''Ray''': Nothing yet... Ass... Nose.\\
''(Gianni raises his eyebrows)''\\
'''Ray''': Ya heard me.
* AirHugging: In the episode "What's With Robert?"
** A sort-of example in "She's the One" when Ray, not wanting to hug Angela (who ate a fly), simply puts his hands on her shoulders and keeps his distance.
* AllPeriodsArePMS: The show provides one of the most iconic examples -- Debra became even crankier than usual, and goes through a full gamut of wild mood swings while Ray alternates between being sympathetic, confused or accusatory ("It's hard to hug someone who's '''''trying to KILL you!!'''''")
* AllWomenArePrudes: Debra, who, depending on the writer, flip flops around this trope. Sometimes she's absolutely adverse to having sex while other times not so much. Most definitely subverted in her youth as she was shown to have been sexually active in college and instigated her first time with Ray together.
** Subverted hilariously in two episodes with Marie of all people. First, the revelation that Marie wasn't a "good girl" when she was a teenager, then later the revelation that the elderly Frank and Marie actually have more sex than Ray and Debra.
* AlphaBitch: Robert's ex-wife Joanne. An extremely stuck-up, bossy, selfish and unkind woman. When Robert reprimands her behaviour via a ReasonYouSuckSpeech, she dumps him - provoking Robert's mother, Marie, to get very angry at her.
* AlwaysSecondBest: Debra, to Marie's cooking/cleaning. Robert, to Ray in general.
* AlwaysSomeoneBetter: "The Sitter": Debra is upset by the fact that the kids have more fun with the babysitter than her, and decides to fire her and use Marie as a replacement, in order to guarantee that the kids wouldn't have fun, and thus be relieved to see Debra when she came home. They end up running Marie ragged, and she sprains her ankle tripping over one of the toys. By the time Debra realizes her mistake, the babysitter's employed by another family.
* AmazinglyEmbarrassingParents: Ray is [[StageDad very]] pushy and vocal about Geoffrey playing basketball in "It's Supposed to be Fun." Geoffrey has to shush Ray, and none of the other spectators want to sit with him, including the rest of his family.
* AmazonChaser: Ray in one episode reveals his crush on Series/XenaWarriorPrincess to the audience.
* AmbiguousSyntax: In "The Sister", Debra's sister Jennifer is becoming a nun and traveling to Zaire for missionary work. Debra laments that she feels like she barely knows her own sister, leading to:
--> '''Debra''': I want a sister!... ''(realizes)'' Not a "sister" sister, a sister!
* AnalogyBackfire: When Frank is with Robert before his wedding:
--> '''Frank''': I guess everyone's kind of on edge today, but you'll be okay. You're used to this type of thing, bein' a cop, seein' murders and whatnot.\\
'''Robert''': [[SarcasmMode Thanks, I feel better.]]
* AndStarring: "With Doris Roberts as Marie and Peter Boyle as Frank."
* AndTheAdventureContinues: The finale changes almost nothing and other than an extended Last Supper inspired shot and a little bit of drama, it is a regular episode that, if shown out of order, would probably be unrecognizable as a series finale by casual viewers.
* {{Angrish}}: Occasionally, Robert will get angry at something and mutter gibberish as he walks away.
* ApronMatron: Marie. Might be the example that modern audiences and young tropers are most familiar with.
* ArmorPiercingQuestion: In "Homework", after Debra catches Ray using Marie to get his work done:
--> '''Debra''': Can I ask you something, Ray? What will it take for you to get involved in something? I mean, the Neighborhood Watch didn't do it for you. The church carnival wasn't for you. You said, "The Lord doesn't need me to sit in a dunking booth." And now even your children's education isn't enough. So I was just wondering, when will something be important enough for you to take a stand?
* ArsonMurderAndJaywalking: Ray tells Debra that they’ll kill his mom and watch a movie.
* ArtisticLicenseEconomics: In "Party Dress," an expensive dress is said to cost $250.00, which includes a ten-percent discount. That would make the dress's regular retail price $277.77. This seems unlikely. (Obviously the writers wanted an even number to smooth out the dialogue, but it's still amusing. They probably never gave it a moment's thought.)
** In "Robert Needs Money," Robert insists that he's so broke he's living on baloney. Obviously the writers just picked an example of a wacky food, but on reflection, it's not very smart; he could buy an awful lot of rice or beans for what he's spending on those packages of baloney. For that matter, he claims to make baloney pie; an educated consumer could eat for a week on the money Robert's spending just on pie crusts.
* ArtisticLicenseSports: The RunningGag about Mets baseball player Art Shamsky, whom Robert says "hit a homerun in his first Major League at-bat and then [went] right into the dumper." Shamsky did homer in his first ''minor'' league at bat, but not the majors. In addition, Shamsky enjoyed a solid pro career and was a key part of the '69 "Miracle Mets" (making an AsHimself cameo with his teammates in "Big Shots"), although his post-Mets career faltered due to a back injury. Of course, Robert ''is'' comparing Shamsky to Ray's hero Mickey Mantle, widely considered one of the greatest American athletes of all time.
* AscendedExtra: Amy [=McDougall=] most definitely. Started out as an occasional guest star, gradually became involved in some of the Robert-centric plots, and finally married Robert in the later seasons and became a Barone.
** Arguably Amy's entire family could count. They certainly didn't appear as often as she did, but in the later seasons, they became fan-favorite recurring guest stars.
* AskAStupidQuestion: In "Sweet Charity":
--> '''Margaret''': Can you fix a radio?\\
'''Ray''': What do you mean?\\
'''Margaret''': What do you ''think'' it means when someone says they need their radio fixed?
* AspectRatio: Was in then-standard 4:3 until season 4's premiere, when it switched to widescreen for the rest of the run.
* AsTheGoodBookSays: In "The Nice Talk", Ray says, "As Jesus said: "Blessed are the nice."" Peter immediately remarks, "He never said that."
** The episode where Ally asked about the meaning of life. Marie exclaims "Oh I know! It's all in the Bible!" and begins thumbing through the family's copy of the Bible and reads Proverbs 14:4.
-->'''Marie:''' ''Ah, here we go. [reads] "Where there are no oxen, the crib remains empty; but large crops come through the strength of the bull."''\\
'' [Ray, Debra, Frank, and Robert all stare blankly at Marie] ''\\
'''Ray:''' ''Ma, that's got nothing to do with this.''\\
'''Marie:''' ''[looking triumphant] Oh no?''\\
'''Ray:''' '' [pauses] No!''\\
''[Marie thinks for a second, then goes back to searching...]''
** Or, when Frank was offended by Pat killing a bird that flew into their house and couldn't fly anymore, Hank recites Genesis 1:26.
-->'''Hank:''' ''Now Frank, God did say, "Let man have dominion over the fish of the sea, and the fowl of the air, and every creeping thing that creepeth upon the Earth."''\\
'''Frank:''' ''[pauses] You creepeth me out.''
** In "A Job For Robert", Marie recites a line that is mentioned many times in Genesis:
--> '''Marie''': But yes, maybe I was wrong to try to create conditions that would encourage you to be fruitful and multiply... ''as it says in the Bible.''
* AttentionDeficitOohShiny: Stefania, in "Stefania Arrives". In one scene, Robert is trying to break up with her:
--> '''Stefania''': ''(noticing his police uniform hanging on the door)'' Oooh, policia! ''(goes over to examine it)''\\
'''Robert''': Attention span of a moth.
* AudienceWhatAudience: In "Ally's F":
--> '''Frank''': Pulled their asses out of two World Wars, the French. What did they give us? A disgusting way to kiss.\\
'''Robert''': ...Who are you talking to, dad?
* AwfulWeddedLife: In "The Lone Barone", Ray is in a foul mood and, when Robert comes to him about relationship advice, whines about how bad he supposedly has it. Debra later finds out what Ray said and chews him out.
* AwLookTheyReallyDoLoveEachOther: Frank and Marie.
** To the point where Frank is appalled and damn near has a conniption when Marie questions this.
** The final episode appeared to address the issue of Debra's treatment of Ray. After Ray [[spoiler: appears to almost die]], Debra actually cries, and spends the middle part of the episode in a state of shock. The episode (and show) ends with Debra and Ray reconciling their differences with a simple, touching scene towards the end where they reiterate that they really do love each other.
** In fact, this is a major component of the show's central concept -- the family annoys the hell out of each other, and make fun of each other on a constant basis, but everyone ''does'' love each other, in their own way.
** There's also a photo of Frank giving Marie a warm, affectionate peck on the cheek during the montage of Robert & Amy's wedding.
* BadDate: Even though it ultimately led to a relationship with Debra (culminating in marriage), Ray's first date with Debra had some issues: He didn't get the obvious hint that Debra wanted Ray to eat lemon chicken ''with'' her ("Wrap it up, I'll eat it in the truck.") and unknowingly smacked Debra in the face when he opened the freezer door. That's not even counting what ''would've'' been Ray and Debra's first date at the Chinese restaurant, if only Ray hadn't cancelled because he accidentally saw Debra naked and was too embarrassed to go through with it.
** Robert's date with Erica in "Young Girl" ends abruptly when she reveals she's nineteen and Debra reveals to Erica that Robert is forty-three.
--> '''Robert''': I've never seen anybody add two numbers so fast.
** In "Meant to Be", Robert and Amy's date turns sour when Robert tells Amy about how he called up his ex-wife but then decided to stay with Amy instead. Amy considered that the equivalent of "settling" for her.
* BadLiar: Ray, who is frequently called out for his bad poker face.
--> '''Robert''': Are you saying that Amy talks too much?\\
'''Ray''': ...No, Robert, I love Amy.\\
'''Robert''': Wow, are ''you'' a liar.
** In "Author", Ray goes to bed in a sour mood (he had been rejected for a book deal) and Debra quickly ascertains that he's jealous of Robert's promotion. When she calls him on it:
--> '''Ray''': Why don't you share a laugh over that with your boyfriend Robert.\\
'''Debra''': Oh, right. So that's it. Robert. That's what this is all about.\\
'''Ray''': ''(annoyed tone of voice)'' No!
* BaitAndSwitch: The entire episode "The Mentor". For the first two acts, Ray and Robert are baffled why Sam considered Frank a mentor when the two worked at the same company years ago. Both think that Frank treated Sam better than his own children (which makes them jealous), but it's revealed in the final act that Frank acted just as mean to Sam. The only reason why Sam looks up to Frank is because Sam's father was too gentle, whereas Frank's "quit crying and suck it up" attitude is refreshing to him.
** When Robert goes to Hank and Pat [=MacDougal=]'s house to ask for Amy's hand in marriage, they both give each other a sweet look after he finishes asking, and then (while still smiling) tell him, "No."
* BathOfPoverty
** The episode where the Barone family go to spend time with relatives in Italy: Raymond's growing frustration with Italian plumbing and the unpredictable trickle of water coming out of the showerhead is a running joke.
* BatmanGambit: The season 7 opener "The Cult". Robert really ''was'' attending a new age-y support group called Inner Path. But he, Ray and Frank concoct a scheme that it's actually a mind-controlling cult, and set up a phony intervention to get Debra and Marie in the same room together (they had been giving each other the silent treatment since the last few episodes of season 6). The group of guys pretend that the intervention is unsuccessful, and just as Robert walks out the door to leave the family for good, Debra and Marie desperately plead for him to stay. Robert says, "Why should I listen to you two? You can't even talk to each other!" They reply, "Yes we can!" and hug, thus ending the feud. That's a lot to go according to the guys' plan, but it went off without a hitch.
* BeamMeUpScotty: Invoked in "She's the One", when Marie wants Robert to just admit he's gay:
--> '''Marie''': Say it! "Hello, I'm queer, and now I'm here!"\\
'''Ray''': Who says that??\\
'''Marie''': That's the slogan!
* TheBear: Gianni is hairy and proud.
--> '''Gianni''': Come on, Ray! Our bodies are covered with hair for a reason.\\
'''Andy''': To nauseate your fellow diners?\\
(later in the scene...)\\
'''Gianni''': Check this out: I shaved ''an hour ago''.\\
'''Andy''': Again with the hair?! What else ya got?
* BeautyEqualsGoodness: Played straight with Debra (the male characters often lampshade her physical attractiveness) but subverted with Joanne (Robert's ex-wife).
* BerserkButton: For Marie, any suggestion that Frank is attracted to Harriet Lichtman.
* BestFriendsInLaw: Debra and Amy who are married to brothers Ray and Robert respectively. Debra had set her best friend and Robert up so she and Amy could intentionally be this. Though it took 8 seasons, it finally came true.
* BetaCouple: Robert and Amy. They were an off-and-on couple throughout most of the series, breaking up and then getting back together repeatedly. Finally, Robert proposed to her and Amy agreed to marry him. A great side benefit was that this led to the introduction of Amy's family, who are arguably the best guest stars of the show.
* BigApplesauce: While not actually set ''in'' New York City, the show is firmly set in the New York metro area. {{Truth in Television}}, Lynbrook is located about a mile outside the NYC border (just outside Queens, to be specific). In fact, the show's creators originally wanted the show to be set in Queens. Also, Ray speaks with a very deep New York accent.
* BigFancyHouse: The Barones' (rather infrequently-seen) rival neighbors, the Parkers, live in a big fancy house. In "The Sitter", Ray has to ring their doorbell and is stuck listening to a long rendition of the WestminsterChimes after he pushes the button, after which he mutters "Parkers."
* BigNo: In "Pet the Bunny", Ray lets out one of these when Michael says that he gave a drawing of his (which had part of Frank's eulogy on the back) to Marie.
--> '''Michael''': Daddy's weird.
** Ray says "OH NOOOOOOO!" in "Ray's Journal" when he realizes what Marie might have read when she read his journal.
* BigStupidDoodooHead: In "Ally on the Bus":
--> '''Ray''': Debra Debra, lovely wife, why am I stuck with thee for life?\\
'''Debra''': It sounds like you've had that one for a while.\\
'''Ray''': Maybe. You want one off the top of my head? All right. (briefly thinks, but can't come up with anything witty) You're a stupid idiot stinker B.M.!
* BilingualBonus: In the opening credits to Series 3 onwards... Music/LudwigVanBeethoven's ''Song to Joy'' is playing while Debra and Ray frantically try to pretend they're not in. A well-thrown missile switches off the stereo, reducing the line ''Alle menschen Brüder werden...'' to chaotic electrical crackle and noise halfway through. As the line means ''All men shall be as brothers'', it sums up the Barone brothers' dynamic perfectly...
* BigScrewedUpFamily: Especially prominent in later seasons.
* BitchInSheepsClothing: In a flashback episode, Robert's ex-wife Joanne is revealed to have been one of these.
** Marie acts sweet and loving, but is very condescending and hypocritical. Not to mention her obsessive control over the lives of Frank, Ray and Robert in the name of keeping up her vision of a perfect, happy family, even if they actually aren't.
** Debra becomes one in later seasons.
* BittersweetEnding: Many episodes feature this, usually played for laughs.
* BlandNameProduct: Episode "Home from School". While Raymond's son Michael is eating breakfast, Raymond pours him a heaping bowl of Fiber 100 cereal. This is a reference to RealLife Fiber One cereal, made by General Mills.
* BlondeBrunetteRedhead: The three loves of Robert: Redheaded Joanne (his bitchy ex-wife), Amy, (his blonde on again, off again girlfriend), and Stefania, (his Italian love interest with the curly brown hair). [[spoiler: He eventually marries Amy]].
* BorrowedCatchphrase: In "Sex Talk", Ray said "Holy crap", which is Frank's catch phrase.
** In "The Mentor", Amy borrows a catchphrase that Frank used to tell Sammy at the office (and Ray and Robert, for that matter): "Get off your pity pot, Nancy!" Of course, this being Amy, it comes out awkwardly and more silly than anything.
--> '''Debra''': [[BrickJoke You really ARE queer]].
** In "Fighting In-Laws":
--> '''Ray''': Hey, your parents seem to be doing okay. It's nice.\\
'''Debra''': It's ''not'' nice. My father just said, "Holy crap."!\\
'''Ray''': What? You always wanted our parents to get along.\\
'''Debra''': Yeah, but I didn't want my parents to ''convert''.
** This also happens with long-lost relative Sarena, who, while unable to speak English, utters Frank's "Holy crap!" when [[spoiler: the Barones realize she's from the wrong Barone family.]]
* BottleEpisode: Due to the show's minimalist approach most episodes have plots that don't leave the main sets of Ray and Debra's house and Marie and Frank's house.
* BookEnds: The premier episodes and season finales use the same elements.
** Season 1: The pilot episode and "Why Are We Here?" both have flashbacks and firmly establish Debra's character.
** Season 2: "Ray's on TV" and "The Wedding: Part II" both address Ray's self-esteem issues.
** Season 3: "The Invasion" and "How They Met" show Debra's scheming side and Ray's issues with nudity.
** Season 4: "Boob Job" and "Robert's Divorce" both show that Ray and Robert can be quite shallow when the chips are down.
** Season 5: "Italy" and "Ally's Birth" both show Ray learning to loosen up and have a good time.
** Season 6: "The Angry Family" and "The First Time" both feature the character Father Hubley, as well as bring Debra's feud with Marie to the breaking point.
** Season 7: "The Cult" and "Robert's Wedding" both focus on Robert and have Ray resolve everything.
** Season 8: "Fun with Debra" and "Golf for It" both involve Ray going to the golf course.
** Season 9: "The Home" and "The Finale" both deal with characters leaving and the void it leaves on the whole family.
* BrandX: When Ally gets needy and wants to sleep with her parents, Ray complains to her that ''Daddy spent three days putting together a beautiful Swedish bed for you!'' This must be an indirect reference to IKEA.
** Although when Debra is forced to share the "beautiful Swedish bed" with Ally, she finds it hideously uncomfortable and describes it as a "Swedish Rack". Make of that what you will.
* BreadEggsBreadedEggs: The premise of "Raybert", when Ray pretends to be Robert and vice versa, which gets Robert a date:
--> '''Ray''': You know, it's like neither one of us could've gotten her on our own, but but melded together, we were like a whole other entity. Like a superhero.\\
'''Robert''': We were better than just Ray.\\
'''Ray''': Better than just Robert.\\
'''Robert''': We were... "Raybert".
** In "The Model":
--> '''Robert''': I've been conned, and I'm a cop. I'm a ''CONNED COP!''
* BreakTheCutie: Averted. In the later seasons, it appeared that the Barones were going to give Amy the {{Break the Cutie}} treatment after she married Robert, but at the end of the series, she still managed to be, well, {{The Cutie}}.
* BreakoutCharacter: Amy started out as a one-shot who dated Robert and was Debra's friend. She quickly became popular - despite being the co-creator's wife - and was fully added to the regular cast by the later seasons, where she married Robert.
** Amy's entire family actually counts, as the show successfully avoided getting tired in it's last couple seasons with the addition of Hank, Pat & Peter to the recurring cast.
* BrickJoke: In "Ally's F," Mr. Putnam offers Debra a throat lozenge that he keeps in a bowl on his desk. After Mr. Putnam leaves, Ray, annoyed at Putnam, says "I'll give you math: This, (takes all of the lozenges) minus this, equals nothing." Towards the end of the episode, Debra gives Mr. Putnam another visit but he's far less pleasant this time, and Debra walks out after saying "You ''are'' mean, and I wouldn't marry you." (a reference to Ray saying Debra should marry Putnam if she "loves him so much"). Mr. Putnam reaches for his lozenges, but they're all gone. He remarks to nobody: "Who took my lozenges?"
** At the beginning of "Ray Home Alone", Ally shows Ray and Debra a doll that, if you talk into it, will repeat whatever you say in a higher pitched voice. Debra sarcastically remarks: "Thanks a lot, Ray, that's gonna be fun all the way to Connecticut." Later that night, Ray gets out of bed to check if a noise was a burglar (it wasn't); when he climbs back into bed, he's startled by a loud noise in the bed. Turns out he unknowingly activated the doll from the start of the episode.
--> '''Ray''': ...Friggin' doll!
** In "Homework," Ray defends the fact that he never read ''Tom Sawyer'' in school by saying that Marie never read ''Legendary Running Backs of the NFL''. At the end of the episode, Marie is helping Ally with her homework and tells Ray that he has some homework too: ''Tom Sawyer''. Ray protests that he shouldn't have to, and Marie fires back:
--> '''Marie''': Yes you ''do''. I read "Legendary Running Backs of the NFL".\\
'''Ray''': Yeah right.\\
'''Marie''': Poor Gale Sayers. First, to lose a friend like Brian Piccolo, and then to have a career cut short because of all his knee injuries. ({{Beat}}) Go. Read.\\
'''Ray''': (under his breath as he walks away) ...Probably just read the one chapter...\\
'''Marie''': Jim Brown averaged 5.2 yards per carry for his entire career.\\
'''Ray''': ...DAMN you.
** A series-spanning one. In Amy's debut episode, she says that sometimes when she's depressed she peels the plastic wrap off of a log of raw cookie dough and eats it like a banana. Nine years later, in one of the last episodes of the series, we see her doing exactly that with no explanation.
** In "Tissues", Debra complains that the hose Ray bought her is way too short; Ray defends his purchase by saying you just have to hold your thumb over the hole to make it spray farther. At the end of the episode, the kitchen catches on fire so Ray runs to gets said hose. But it's woefully short, and Ray can't even make it halfway through the living room.
** In "No Roll", Marie gives Frank a bad food to eat that Debra made. Frank observes: "There's a crunch, but I don't think that's on purpose." He announces that he's eaten the whole thing; Robert says, "And now, we wait." Later in the scene, mid-sentence, Frank says, [[PottyEmergency "To be continued." and quickly exits the house.]]
* TheBrideWithAPast: Mrs Joanne Barone, the former, er, ''dancer'', from Atlantic City.
* BriefAccentImitation: Twice in the series, Ray adopted a cockney accent ("You got it, guvnah!").
** Robert once used a Southern accent to say: "Papa didn't go in for all that fancy book learnin'."
** Debra used a Southern accent in "The Power of No" when she said "Oh, how will I ever resist my baser instincts?" (referring to refraining from sex with Ray) Ray replied with: "That's good. That'll be good when you come crawling back saying, (in Southern accent) "Prettah ''please'' with sugah on top!"
* BrokenAesop:
** "Win, Lose or Draw". Throw your money away on something stupid, and then just go to your parents and ask them to replace the money.
** "Lateness". Debra makes a deal with Ray, breaks it, and then gets mad at him when he holds up his end. Great lesson for married couples to follow...[[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything even if both partners agree on a promise, it's perfectly acceptable for one partner to break that promise, and the other partner should be okay with that.]]
* ButtMonkey: Robert for the most part. Ray himself in the later seasons, particularly to Debra. Debra herself is Marie's least favorite.
* ByTheBookCop: Robert is one, to the point where he reminds someone (usually Frank) that what they're considering doing is against the law.
** In "Big Shots", Ray is pulled over by one for speeding. He's about to get a ticket, but Robert tells the cop that he's a cop too, and that he's going to keep a closer eye on Ray's speed. The cop doesn't budge, and while Robert protests ("Look, I don't know how you do things in the ''sticks'', but in the city, cops look out for one another."), the cop looks at Ray's license plate:
--> '''Cop''': I'm glad we had this conversation. It gave me a chance to notice your brother's inspection sticker. [[DeadpanSnarker Now, I might just be a country bumpkin, don't know much about all that book learning and fancy numbers]], but nearest I can figure, this looks like it's expired. I'll be right back with another little present for "y'all."
* CallBack: Fruit of the Month Club.
** "The Finale" referenced "Ally's Birth", specifically, Ray and Debra's song, "You Are the Sunshine of My Life": On the way home from the hospital (where Ray almost died), Robert had to pull over when the song began playing on the radio.
** Anytime Peggy is part of the plot, one character will always, ''always'' ask Ray: "Isn't that the cookie lady who beat you up?"
** At the end of "Golf", Debra suggests that she and Ray play golf together. Ray is less than thrilled and tries to weasel his way out of it by saying it's going to rain. Much later, in the season 8 premiere "Fun With Debra", Ray and Debra finally go golfing together.
** in "Working Girl", Ray intercedes with the boss who has just sacked Debra. He uses the words "Hi, I'm Ray. I live in Long Island with my wife Debra..." and gets as far as "My parents live just across the street," managing to incorporate most of his exposition during the opening credits of Series One and Two.
* CallForward: In "How They Met," Ray is so enthusiastic about tasting Debra's lemon chicken for the first time that he remarks [[TemptingFate he wouldn't mind eating it every day]].
* CantHoldHisLiquor: Ray and Robert seem to have this problem, as seen in two episodes, "Snow Day" and "A Date For Peter", where both go from perfectly normal to drunk behavior within minutes of drinking. For example, in "Snow Day," during a speech where Ray tries to goad Debra into saying she's better than everybody, she asks, "Are you drunk?" After a pause, Ray says in a slurred voice, "Don't be perposterous." And "A Date For Peter," Robert completely forgets that Amy invited Stefania to Ray's house, because he whispers to Ray, "Listen, don't tell Amy, but Stefania's here."
* CaptainObvious: In "The Canister", after Debra realizes she forgot to return the canister to Marie and got an apology from Marie after Debra felt insulted that Marie kept pestering her about it:
--> '''Robert''': You know what's really bad? She [Marie] apologized to you, even though she knew she was ''right''!\\
'''Debra''': Oh shut up! Why do you come over here? To state the obvious? Is that what you're here for?!\\
'''Robert''': ...I must say, Debra, this is ''not'' your most attractive side.
** In "Pet the Bunny", while Ray is playing the "scratch off" lottery game:
--> '''Ray''': You think you're going to win, but then you don't. That's how they get ya.
** In "Older Women", Debra is upset that her father is bringing a date to Thanksgiving:
--> '''Ray''': I'm starting to think that maybe you're not so okay with it.\\
'''Debra''': Oh, you picking up on that, Einstein?\\
'''Ray''': Yeah. I wish I ''was'' Einstein, because then I'd invent a time machine and go back to when you were nice!
* CarMeetsHouse: Marie/Frank crashed into Ray/Debra's house once.
* CarRadioDispute: A variation appears in the episode "Big Shots". On the way home from a disasterous event with the 69 Mets, Robert starts humming the "Meet the Mets," tune, so Ray turns on the radio; the louder Ray turns up the radio, the louder Robert sings, until finally Robert strains his throat, and gives in, as Ray cuts off the radio.
* CasanovaWannabe: Gianni, one of Ray's best buddies, was usually portrayed this way.
* CassandraTruth: Ray sees Robert's date eating a fly and tells Robert and Debra, who adamantly disbelieve him.
-->'''Ray:''' ''Angela ate the fly!''\\
'''Robert:''' ''What?''\\
'''Debra:''' ''What?!''\\
'''Ray:''' ''The fly, that was flying around...Angela killed it, it landed on her napkin, she picked it up...and then [[{{PunctuatedForEmphasis}} SHE. AAAAAAATE IT!!!!!!!!'']]
** Debra doesn't take Ray seriously in "Ally's F" when he takes Ally's side in saying that her teacher Mr. Putnam is mean. But when Debra visits Mr. Putnam a second time to say she knows why Ally is having a hard time concentrating in class (she's distracted by a cute boy), Mr. Putnam rudely tells her he doesn't care and cuts her off repeatedly.
--> '''Mr. Putnam''': Anything else?? I have thirty distracted chatterboxes on their way in here to get this '''''wrong'''''! If you ''really'' wanna help, be a parent at home and let me be the teacher here.\\
'''Debra''': ......Okay. I hear you, yep, got it. Can I say one thing?\\
'''Mr. Putnam''': Yes.\\
'''Debra''': You ''are'' mean, [[BrickJoke and I wouldn't marry you]].
* CastFullOfCrazy: Every cast member has taken a turn at being the Only Sane Man, if only to contrast the unbalanced personalities of all the others. We get:
** Raymond Barone - ManChild
** Robert Barone - self-pitying depressive, TheEeyore
** Frank Barone - multiple complexes, TheNapoleon
** Marie Barone - passive-agressive manipulator, control freak, "JewishMother"
** Debra Barone - alternates between shrieking shrew, nagging wife, martyr
** Amy [=McDougall=] - ExtremeDoormat - [[BewareTheNiceOnes but only up to a point]].
** Peter [=McDougall=] - ManChild, BasementDweller, TheThingThatWouldNotLeave
** Gianni - KavorkaMan
** Hank [=McDougall=] - [[TheFundamentalist religious freak]]
* CharacterCatchPhrase: Frank: "Holy Crap!" and less frequently, "Jeez-a-loo!" and "Stupid stinkin' hump!" Also asking for food by simply yelling, "[Food item], Marie!" or less frequently, "[Food item], Debra!"
** Garvin: ''Hey, Ray's here! Ha ha ha!!! * does a little dance* ''
*** In the episode in which Debra helps out at the lodge, he does the same for Debra, simply replacing her name with Ray's.
** Marie: "Are ya hungry, dear?" and "I don't like that, [insert name here]."
** Peggy, to Ray: "Hello, Ally's dad."
** Ray, when he walks in the house from work/golfing/etc, to Debra (who has to already be in the house): "Hey, [cute nickname]!" Nicknames used include Snickerdoodle, Snugglepants, Cat Ballou, Jimmyjack, Puka Shell, Puddlepants, Jambalaya, Puff N Stuff, Krispy Kreme, Jelly Cheeks, Teletubby, and Cranapple.
*** And the infamous "Smelly Tramp."
*** In a subversion, Ray also mentions, upon walking in and seeing Debra and their (temporary) baby-sitter Lisa, that "Oh... I don't have a nickname for you" (towards Lisa).
*** In another subversion, Debra and Marie are in the kitchen and Ray walks in and says, "Hey, Pinky ... hey, Debra."
** Robert has an infrequent catchprase: When someone pushes him too far to do something (usually Ray or Frank), he'll shout, "....All ''RIGHT''!" and go do whatever they want.
** Debra frequently calls Ray "idiot."
* CatchphraseInterruptus: In "Debra at the Lodge":
--> '''Garvin''': Hey, Ray's here, hahaha-\\
'''Ray''': ''(cutting him off)'' Shut up, Garvin!
* CharacterDevelopment: Characters gradually change over time. Particularly obvious in Robert (see below), as well as Debra and Ray, who get angrier and more argumentative as they age. Marie explicitly calls this out as a natural progression of marriage.
* CharacterizationMarchesOn: In the first season, Robert was so neurotic and quirky that it seemed amazing that he was able to function at all. But as the series progressed, Robert's characterization developed so that he eventually grew much more confident. By the end of the series, he had finally remarried.
* ChewbaccaDefense: In "A Vote For Debra", when it's revealed that Ray didn't vote for Debra for school board:
--> '''Debra''': I'm your wife. I don't care if my platform was "anti-puppy," you have to vote for me!\\
'''Ray''': Doesn't the Constitution-\\
'''Debra''': I don't care what it says; you vote for your wife! And since when do you know what it says in the Constitution?!\\
'''Ray''': I'm not gonna stand here and let you badmouth America.
* ChildHater: Debra accuses Ray of being this in "The Annoying Kid." Ray denies it, saying that he has a problem with just one kid, Spencer.
* ChristmasEpisode: "The Ball," "All I Want For Christmas", "The Toaster", "The Christmas Picture", "Christmas Present", "Season's Greetings", "The Thought That Counts", "Jazz Records".
* ChuckCunninghamSyndrome: Marie's sister Alda, who appeared in the third episode of the first season, was never seen or mentioned again for the entirety of the series.
** A weird variation. In the first two seasons, Ray has a friend Kevin Daniels, played by Kevin James. Daniels works with Ray at the newspaper, and they also play golf and basketball together. Kevin James would continue to make guest appearances on the show from Season 3 on, but as Doug Heffernan, the truck driver from ''Series/TheKingOfQueens''. The Kevin Daniels character was scrapped, and never spoken of again.
** The Pilot episode features Ray's friend Leo, whose personality is roughly similar to Kevin's. Apparently, Leo's actor (Stephen Lee) wasn't able to commit to the series and the character never appeared again.
* {{Church of Happyology}}: Inner Path, the cult that Robert briefly joins (and of which cousin Gerard is also a member). They apparently also have their sights set on recruiting Ray because of his status as a famous sportswriter. [[{{DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything}} The leader of the local branch of the cult explains that they like to recruit celebrities in order to help get their message to a wider audience]].
* ClassReunion: "High School", where Ray realizes Debra was a popular girl back in high school, as opposed to himself, who was a socially awkward geek.
* {{Cliffhanger}}: "Mother's Day" ends with Debra and Marie not making up with each other, and even refusing to talk to each other at all. They're still giving each other the silent treatment throughout "The Bigger Person", and after a botched attempt to apologize to Marie in "The First Time", Debra renews her decision to not talk to Marie. It's important to note that "The First Time" was season 6's ''finale'', so Marie and Debra wouldn't make up until the season 7 premiere, "The Cult".
* ClipShow: The hour-long "Everybody Loves Raymond: The First Six Years", split into two parts for syndication.
* ClosetKey: Robert tells Ray about a fellow police officer who had no idea he was gay until he went on vacation in Hawaii, where he met his Closet Key on the beach. Ray then considers the possibility that [[EveryoneIsBi everyone]] has a Closet Key, and that neither of them have met "Mr. Right". Reinforced by Ray's run-in with a handsome mailman in the episode's tag.
* {{Cloudcuckooland}}: This is how Amy initially views the Barone household(s) when she first joins them.
** And conversely, this is how the ''Barones'' view the ''[=McDougall=]'' household when they come to visit.
* {{Cloudcuckoolander}}: Peter, Amy's brother, seems to be this trope to a certain extent.
** Debra's mother Lois seems to be this too, although she seems to fit more with the "rich airhead" stereotype. Although she certainly fit the bill in "The Surprise Party" when he acted out how she wanted Robert and Frank to move around in the dragon costume, dipping and swaying in Debra's honor.
--> '''Frank''': That lady is a fruit bat.
* ColdOpen: Occurs in the episodes with a title sequence.
* ComicallyMissingThePoint: In "What's With Robert?", after Frank calls Ray "Nancy":
--> '''Ray''': Y'know, dad, when you talk like that, people could get offended. (...) When you say Nancy, what are you implying, exactly?\\
'''Frank''': That your name should be "Nancy".\\
'''Ray''': And "Nancy" is your word for "gay".\\
'''Frank''': ...Very well.\\
'''Ray''': And you mean that as an insult?\\
'''Frank''': ...Yes, I believe I do.\\
'''Ray''': Well that's not nice.\\
'''Frank''': That's why it's a good insult.
* ComicalOverreacting: Everyone does this quite often.
* TheCon: Robert falls for one in "The Model": He is approached by a man who supposedly represents a modeling agency. At the interview, the man says Robert will need head shots and gives him the names of some photographers, "or you can use our in-house guy". Robert, predictably, goes for the in-house guy, paying $2,000 up front for the pictures. A day later, when Robert brings Ray to the office where he was photographed, he's shocked to find it's abandoned. The employees, the furniture, all gone.
--> '''Robert''': Do you know what this means? I've been conned, and I'm a cop! [[BreadEggsBreadedEggs I'M A CONNED COP!]]
* {{Confessional}}: Troubled by [[SarcasmMode unnaccountable feelings of rage and angry hostility towards his parents]], Ray Barone takes a deep breath and goes to Confession for the first time in twenty years. He is surprised his confession takes the form of a quiet face-to-face in the priest's office[[note]]this is the modern approach adopted by the Church[[/note]] and asks what happened to the booths. After discussing the tricky one about loving and honouring thy father and mother, the priest adds two and two and realises the parents who are hard to love are Frank and Marie Barone. The priest immediately, absolutely and unconditionally absolves Ray of all sin. [[note]]The same priest later tries group therapy on the whole Barone family. It is a complete disaster. [[/note]]
* ContinuityNod: Every so often, the characters will mention (with horror) the "Fruit of the Month Club" incident from the Pilot episode.
** An example was the episode where Frank and Marie [[spoiler: move out of their home to go to a senior citizen community in New Jersey, though the status quo was restored in the very next episode]]. Before walking out of the house, Marie tells the "kids" that if they're hungry, she and Frank left some food in the fridge, and comments "There's always too much fruit in this house," a reference back to her whole "I can't think, there's too much fruit in the house!" rant from the Pilot.
** Frank's interest in UsefulNotes/TheAmericanCivilWar is the subject of one episode ("Civil War") and more subtly referenced in "The Gift," "Frank Paints the House" and a few others. Attentive viewers might also note a Mort Kunstler painting in his basement.
* ContinuityPorn: [[spoiler: Robert and Amy's]] wedding was filled to the brim with characters we'd seen throughout the series. Most of them didn't have speaking parts in this episode, but almost everyone attending the wedding was recognizable as a previous guest star.
* CoolOldGuy: Frank may have been gruff (and sometimes a little gross), but [[SugarWiki/FunnyMoments his one-liners were a big part of what made the show great]].
* CoolOldLady: Somewhat surprisingly, Amy's mother Pat turns out to be this trope.
* CoolUncle: In one episode, Raymond laments the fact that Robert is always willing and able to play with Raymond's kids when he comes over, never seeming to be too busy or too tired to do so. When Robert discovers this, he explains that he's only able to do it because he only ever sees the kids for an hour or so at most. Raymond, meanwhile, cares for his children effectively all the time, and shouldn't be ashamed that he lacks the energy to "Play Monster" with them all day.
* TheCouch
* CouchGag: Each episode features a different dish placed over the "Where's Lunch?" logo.
** In the first two series intros, while Ray is explaining the premise of the show to the audience, a different sound plays after he says "and my brother lives with him" - usually a dog barking, a car horn, a bicycle bell, and other sounds often heard in suburbia.
* CouldHaveAvoidedThisPlot: "The Angry Family". If somebody had simply asked Michael where he got the inspiration to write his book (it was actually from a TV cartoon called ''Monster Maniacs'', not his own family), a whole lot of family conflict could've been avoided.
* CountingToThree: In "Father Knows Least", Ray does this to a stubborn Ally; before he gets to three, he says a couple fractions.
--> '''Ray''': (after 2 3/4) Let me tell you something, Ally: I don't know any more fractions!
** In a subversion of this trope, in "No Fat", Debra does this to ''Frank'' when he refuses to eat Marie's low calorie tofu turkey Thanksgiving meal.
--> '''Debra''': Come on, Frank, we're ready.\\
'''Frank''': I pass.\\
'''Debra''': Okay, Frank, listen. Marie has cooked a very nice meal for everyone, and you are going to sit at that table and eat it.\\
'''Frank''': But I don't wanna.\\
'''Debra''': We are not discussing this. One...\\
'''Frank''': I'm not going.\\
'''Debra''': ...''TWO''...!\\
'''Frank''': All right, all right. (gets up)
* CreditsGag: In "Home From School", Ray Romano is credited as "Pee Pee Raymond" and Phil Rosenthal is credited as "Poo Poo Rosenthal."
* CringeComedy: "The Faux Pas".
* CrossOver: Doug Heffernan from ''Series/TheKingOfQueens'' made a couple of guest appearances. The entire Barone family (before Amy was added) guest-starred on The ''King of Queens''. And Ray himself appeared on ''Series/TheNanny'' at Fran Fine and Val Toriello's high school reunion ({{Truth in Television}}, as actors Ray Romano and Creator/FranDrescher really did attend Hillcrest High School in Queens, NYC in the same class). Later Ray and his father appeared in an episode of ''Series/{{Cosby}}'' as well.
* CurseCutShort: In "The Ball," Ray (dressed as Santa) walks out of Ally's room and stubs his toe on something. He says, "Oh fu-" and catches himself, saying "Fah lah lah lah lah..."
* TheCutie: Amy.
* DarkSecret: Think parents always mean it when they give their kid a compliment? According to Marie and Frank, you should think again:
-->'''Marie:''' ''That's what parents do! We all lie to our kids for their own good!''\\
'''Ray:''' ''But other parents aren't lying. They believe in their kids!''\\
'''Marie:''' ''No they don't.''
** Another dark secret: the revelation that Marie held Ray back a year and made him repeat preschool. And not really for any ''academic'' reasons, but really just because she enjoyed walking Ray to the preschool past a bunch of yellow flowers. Ray's reaction upon discovering this as an adult was...not pleasant.
** What about Robert finding out that Frank and Marie had lied about his birthday, and that he was actually a couple months older than he had previously thought?
** Pat [=McDougall=] smokes. Also, Hank likes to blow up fireworks.
** Debra burps when she gets tense. Amy pees a little when she laughs a lot. Marie has occasionally substituted her home-made spaghetti sauce for a bottle of store-bought Ragu.
** In "Favors," Debra unknowingly threw out a letter from Muhammad Ali addressed to Ray. When she can't bring herself to tell Ray, Marie covers for her and thus, Debra owes Marie a favor for keeping her secret.
** It turns out ''Robert'' was the one to accidentally destroy Frank's jazz records, not Ray as he and Frank thought for thirty years. Amusingly, even though Frank has given Ray a hard time about it for thirty years, his only reaction when Robert finally comes clean is: "Aw, that's okay."
* DeadpanSnarker: Frank is the king of this trope. Ray is also definitely a {{Deadpan Snarker}}. Arguably, everyone in the family gets moments of this trope, but Frank and Ray are the most prominent examples.
* DeathGlare: Debra gives one to Marie in "Mother's Day" when Marie, trying to apologize, instead just makes things worse with backhanded and passive-aggressive pot-shots ("I should've known that by the afternoon, you've lost complete control of the kids"; "you obviously hadn't tidied up"; "you felt the need to snap at me").
** Robert also gives one in "Lucky Suit", after Marie sends the FBI a fax about how she ruined his titular "lucky suit" while ironing, resulting in him becoming embarrassed during his interview.
* DeerInTheHeadlights: Ray's reaction to Angela eating the fly in "She's the One". He holds one disturbed reaction for a good ''two minutes'' of screen time.
* DemotedToExtra: Ray's friends were much more important in early seasons, eventually showing up less and less.
** Some of his friends were written out of the show entirely, such as Dave (played by Dave Attell).
* DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment: In "Ray's Ring", when Ray is talking to an attractive woman in the airport:
--> '''Ray''': I'm a newspaper columnist, for a newspaper.
** In "The Cult":
--> '''Robert''': The path is straight, and the children of the path shall walk upon it, straightly on its straighty straightness.
** In "Sweet Charity":
--> '''Ray''': Saint Stupid Stupid Hospital For the Incurably Stupid!
** In "Getting Even":
--> '''Ray''': Who's gonna bid twenty dollars for this fine piece of craftsmanship, finely crafted by a fine craftsman... who I happen to sleep with?
** In "The Apartment":
--> '''Debra''': (...)You would have to stop living vicariously through Robert.\\
'''Ray''': That's right, vicariously. Vicariously, just looking. Not thinking, not moving, just thanking God for the blessing that is my beautiful wife while I hang pictures, vicariously.
* DespairSpeech: In "Season's Greetings", Robert gives one when he realizes how petty it was to keep a Christmas letter (which made him look bad but Ray look good) for ten years. In particular, he is ashamed at himself on how he always compares himself to Ray, and that if he has a bad day, he actually says a prayer that Ray doesn't do so hot either.
--> '''Robert''': "Come on, God... get 'im!"
* DidYouJustFlipOffCthulhu: In "Not So Fast", Robert tells God He isn't funny after Marie and Frank take back the house and let him and Amy move in with them.
--> '''Debra''': (to Ray) He ''does'' screw with him a ''lot''.
* DietEpisode: In one episode, Marie decides that everyone needs to eat healthier. Unfortunately, it's the Thanksgiving special...
* DiggingYourselfDeeper: Frequently occurs with Ray.
--> '''Robert''': It's like watching a car accident.
** Also occasionally occurs with Robert, such as this example from "Lateness":
--> '''Robert''': I am more than happy to wait for my wife. And I think Amy will attest to the fact that I have waited for her many a time with nary a peep.
--> '''Amy''': ...When I do ever make you wait?\\
'''Robert''': Oh, nothing. We always get to where we're going on time, but when it's time to leave, you always like to talk to every person first, because you're just so sweet and sociable. And when anyone asks what I'm doing, I tell them, "I'm waiting for my wife. She's on her "Goodbye Tour"."\\
'''Amy''': "Goodbye Tour"? You have a name for it?\\
'''Robert''': A ''funny'' name! (emits a nervous, high-pitched laugh)
** Another Robert example occurs in "Pat's Secret" when, after saying that Hank and Pat will be sleeping in his and Amy's room, to enjoy their bed. When he thinks that sounds like sex, he backpedals: "Not that you'll be 'enjoying' it." But then he realizes that's also insulting in its own way, so he adds: "Not that you couldn't enjoy it, because you ''can''."
--> '''Ray''': It's like your mouth is falling down the stairs.
** Yet another Robert example, from "Sister-in-Law": Amy began telling a sweater story, and Robert (still miffed about Raymond saying Amy talks too much, but beginning to suspect it himself) gives her the "wrap it up" hands signal during her story. After she's understandably taken aback by his actions, he says he had a bad day, because of what Ray said. Amy is at first mad at just Ray, but when Robert suggests that she should just give Ray the silent treatment the following night, Amy begins to suspect that Robert feels the same way Ray does. To which Robert stammers a denial:
--> '''Robert''': No no! That's because of what ''Ray'' said! And I didn't want him to think he was right! 'Cause like you said: "Jerky"! And I love the sweater! Great sweater! Great story ''about'' the sweater! I'm ''stealing'' that story! (Amy takes her pillow and leaves the bedroom)
** In "A Date For Peter," Robert is stunned to see Stefania at the cocktail party:
--> '''Robert''': But she's my Stefania! (Amy disapproves) I mean, she's my ''ex''-Stefania. (Amy still looks annoyed) No no, I mean... ''you're'' my Stefania now!
** Everybody in the cast in "The Faux Pas."
* DinnerAndAShow: A ruined family dinner is practically a OnceAnEpisode occurrence.
** Ray himself actually invoked this trope by name in one episode (and once in ''WesternAnimation/IceAge''!)
* {{Dissimile}}: In "Call Me Mom," when Debra doesn't want to call Marie "mom," despite that Ray now calls Debra's mom "mom":
--> '''Ray''': It's easier to use the glue when you don't have to kill the horse yourself!\\
'''Debra''': ...What?\\
'''Ray''': ({{Beat}}) No, I'm sticking with that. It makes sense.
** In "Six Feet Under":
--> '''Ray''': (to Debra) Don't get on your high horse if you can't stand the smell.
** In "Faux Pas":
--> '''Ray''': But I've been thinking of something, though. No. No no no. Because maybe, yes, it it seems I was a little insensitive. But, actually, that thing at the game today: "Hey, you can throw your shells on the floor. That's what they pay the janitor for." I was just stating a fact, right? I mean, it's true, isn't it? It's like this: I'm a sportswriter, right? So the next time you're cleaning up something and your kids are with you, and a ''sporting event'' goes by, and one of your kids says, "Hey, I should write about that," then you can say, "No, you don't have to. That's what they pay the sportswriter for." You see? It's the same thing! Sportswriter, janitor! [[VerbalBackspace Custodian]]! I'm very sorry!
* DistractedByTheSexy: In "Traffic School," it's revealed that Ray got a ticket for hitting a cone because he was distracted by a woman walking on the sidewalk who he thought was topless (turns out she was just wearing a flesh-colored top).
** Subverted in "Humm Vac", when Debra grills Ray after he buys the titular vacuum from a saleswoman:
--> '''Debra''': How good looking was this saleslady?\\
'''Ray''': You know what? She was ''quite'' good looking. But I'm not afraid to say that, 'cause that's how good this machine is. I would've bought this from an ugly man!
%%* DomCom
* DontExplainTheJoke: In the episode with Debra's surprise party:
--> '''Robert''': Confucious say: "He who have stupid husband get stupid party." (Ray sarcastically laughs)\\
'''Frank''': 'Cause you're stupid!\\
'''Robert''': "He who marry Raymond need look elsewhere for good time." (Ray sarcastically laughs)\\
'''Frank''': [[RunningGag 'Cause you're stupid!]]
** In "Who's Side Are You On?", when Ray discovers that Debra and the kids have made a lot of bets about him:
--> '''Ally''': Well, sometimes when you call and say what time you'll be home from work, she bets us what time you'll ''really'' be home.\\
'''Michael (or Geoffrey?)''': It's funny, 'cause you're always so late.
** In "Net Worth", Marie said that Ray was good at telling jokes. She asks Ray to tell the joke about the guy who orders peanuts in the bar, and then proceeds to tell the ''whole joke''. (the peanuts said nice things about the guy; the guy asks what the story was, and the bartender said they're "complimentary") When Marie tells Ray to tell the joke, Ray is confused why he should bother, because she just told the punchline.
** This exchange from "Ping Pong":
--> '''Frank''': Come on, Ray, you gonna talk some more trash?\\
'''Ray''': I don't know, I'm distracted by the shine off your scalp.\\
'''Marie''': ''(laughing)'' 'Cause you're bald!
* DonutMessWithACop: In "Who Am I?", the guys at the lodge remark that Robert is in good shape, so he must not eat too many donuts.
--> '''Stan''': [[DontExplainTheJoke 'Cause cops like donuts!]]
* DoubleStandard: Ray and Debra fall victim to this. Much of the behavior Debra exhibits wouldn't fly if Ray did the same thing. Ray's buffoonishness gets played up on the show in order to provide Debra with an "excuse" for her aggressive behavior. Ray being an imbecile is anti-male, but Debra's bitchiness is fairly anti-female and stereotyping that gender.
** An example is that whenever Debra is in conflict with another person, she demands Ray back her up, but whenever Ray is in the same position, which is more often, Debra never takes his side, unless it's against Frank or Marie. Maddeningly, whenever Debra finds out that Ray was right, she never apologizes to Ray for getting on his case. An example of this is in "The Annoying Kid", where Ray dislikes the kid of friends of his and Debra's. When he tells Debra this, she immediately tells him that he's "bad with kids" and "doesn't want to make new friends". Later, when Debra finds out how smarmy the kids' parents are and how bratty the kid himself is, she simply calls them freaks, without any acknowledgment that Ray had a genuine reason for not liking the kid.
* DoubleStandardAbuseFemaleOnMale:
** Quite possibly the TropeCodifier, Debra tends to insult, belittle, bully, and push Raymond around. Two particular examples include pushing Raymond into a bookshelf hard enough to knock some of the books off, and another time punching Raymond hard in the testicles when he tried to tell Robert she and Marie were trying to manipulate him into a relationship. All to the delight of the audience. Imagine their reaction if Raymond treated Debra the way she treats him.
** Also witness the way Peggy the Cookie Nazi once physically beat up Ray - he has to be rescued by Debra.
* DownerEnding: In-universe, Frank claims this is why he doesn't like to tell the story of how he and Marie got married, because "it doesn't have a happy ending".
* DramaQueen: In a few episodes, Amy's shtick was that she would cry at the drop of a hat.
* DysfunctionalFamily: While certainly not the first show to have this trope in play (Series/AllInTheFamily, anyone?), to modern audiences and young tropers, this show may be the TropeCodifier.
* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: In the very early episodes, the show seemed to have a different pace. Robert was much more quirky (to the point where many fans speculate that the writers were originally writing him as being borderline autistic, but that they seem to have changed their minds), Debra was much nicer, Frank was a little more open about his emotions, and the writing in general appeared to be more about wry humor than over-the-top humor. Ray Romano also worked in some material from his stand-up act, which was more or less abandoned starting in season 2. The first season also had some guest stars from the world of sports, which was also abandoned starting in the second season (with the exception of season 3's "Big Shots").
** The pilot episode featured a different layout for Frank and Marie's house (people entered on the right, rather than on the left), and Ray and Debra's bedroom was completely different. Both houses had many cosmetic differences as well. Also, the twins were played by two entirely different actors and were named Matthew and Gregory instead of Michael and Geoffrey. On top of all that, it featured a unique opening credits sequence where Ray tries to put together a backyard playset while addressing the audience.
** Marie was as brusque and tactless as Frank in Season 1. She became a lot more urbane and sophisticated beginning in Season 2, tending more toward SugaryMalice than [[DeadpanSnarker direct insults]].
** The first couple seasons featured several plots revolving around Ray's work life, and a few episodes showed Ray at the office interacting with his colleagues. These plots were scrapped by the middle of Season 3, and Ray's job would play a much smaller role in the series from then on.
* TheEeyore: Robert comes across as this sometimes, even down to the vocal intonation.
* EmbarrassingNickname: "Pee Pee Raymond".
* EnforcedPlug: It is interesting that on ''Series/{{Frasier}}'', a caller sounding ''very'' like Debra rings the radio shrink to complain bitterly about pushy, intrusive, parents-in-law who live across the street and are continually coming over to criticise her cooking and housekeeping and hijack the kids. The caller breaks off to exclaim ''"Oh God! They're coming over right now!"'' and drops to all fours to avoid being seen and to pretend nobody's home....
* EngagingConversation: In "Sister-in-Law", Amy tried to have a conversation with Ray during a football game. After finding out Ray didn't really want to talk to her, she was annoyed at first but decided to be the bigger person and apologized to Ray, saying that she should've realized he's just a guy, and guys are only interested in being left alone to watch sports and not discuss their feelings. To which Frank interjected:
--> '''Frank''': Amy, will you marry me?
* EvenBeggarsWontChooseIt: Peter notes that when it comes to the ladies, he has very high standards:
--> '''Peter''': You see, I'm a DC Comics man. If the lady's into Marvel, then it's "see ya!"
* EverybodyKnewAlready: [[{{SecretDiary}} Ray's journal]]. Not only does it turn out that Robert knew about it, but apparently, in Marie's own words, she and Frank used to "sit up to read it after Johnny Carson."
* EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep: Peggy calls Ray "Ally's dad".
* EvilLaugh: Frank has an ''awesome'' one at the end of "Traffic School."
* EvilMatriarch: Marie.
* ExactWords: In "Sleepover at Peggy's":
--> '''Ray''': I'm sorry. I didn't mean to...\\
'''Peggy''': Didn't mean to what: Call me a "scary, mean old ass grabber"?!\\
'''Ray''': I did ''not'' say "ass".
** In "The Sigh", after Ray squirted the kids with the new shower head, Debra grabs the shower head and tells the kids with a grin, "I promise ''daddy'' won't spray you."
* ExperimentedInCollege: In "Ping-Pong", Ray's sole taunt to Robert during a ping-pong game was "zero serving zero, you experimented at camp!" Robert immediately quit the game in annoyance.
* ExplainExplainOhCrap: At the end of "Marie's Vision," which takes place on Thanksgiving Day, Marie and Frank make up after their bitter fight, and she starts making him a sandwich. As she's assembling the ingredients, she stops herself: "It's Thanksgiving, the kids are over there, [[LethalChef Debra]] made all that food..." There's a {{Beat}} as Frank shoots her a knowing look, and she ends with "...you're right, we'll eat first."
* {{Expy}}: The Stipes; as Ray himself puts it, "You put a lot of make-up on one and thirty pounds on the other, that's Mom and Dad!" Robert denies it: "They're nothing like Mom and Dad.... they're ''Jewish!''
* FatBestFriend: Doug, who eventually [[Series/TheKingofQueens got his own spinoff]].
** Later, Bernie.
* FeeFiFauxPas: The TropeNamer. An episode from the last season, appropriately titled "The Faux Pas", is entirely devoted to an outsider being stuck in the Barone home for an afternoon and surrounded by their customary insanity, as every member of the family spits out one faux pas after another.
** The ending to "Who's Next?" certainly also counts. Marie informed Frank that years ago, she chose Rose Caputo as the woman he was supposed to marry if she died. At the wake, Frank, still miffed about this decision being thrust upon him without any choice (plus, he wanted Harriet Lichtman instead), tells Marie loud enough so that the whole place can hear, "I don't care how many plans you make, I wouldn't be caught dead with Rose Caputo!" Immediately, Frank, Marie, Ray, Debra, Bernie, Linda, Robert, and Amy all file out in a line, ashamed of themselves.
* FelonyMisdemeanor: In "Somebody Hates Raymond", Andy tries to make Ray realize that he's wasting his time and energy by worrying that Jerry Musso hates him, saying that he heard Jerry's a real slimeball. His example:
--> '''Andy''': I heard one time, a co-worker asked him to buy some chocolate for his kid's school fundraiser, and Jerry said, "No thanks, I'm allergic to chocolate." ({{Beat}}) And I have a ''feeling'' that he ''isn't''.
* FeudEpisode: "The Contractor" involves Gianni taking a long time to get a new stove, then being unable to fit the new stove in the space because he screwed up the measurements. When Debra tells Gianni to just put the old stove back in and he still charges Ray full price for his work, the two have a feud, Ray rips up his bill, and Gianni declares they're not friends anymore. However, the two make up in the epilogue.
** A whole story arc is devoted to a running argument between Debra and Marie.
* FeudingFamilies: The Barones and the [=MacDougalls=].
* FictionalCounterpart: Hackidu is the InUniverse spoof of ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}''.
* FinishingEachOthersSentences: Debra and Mr. Putnam in "Ally's F", at least in their first encounter. Ray remarked, "You two know each other??"
** Subverted a couple times; Ray will finish somebody else's sentence, but it's not at all what was going to be said:
** In "Party Dress":
--> '''Ally''': Peggy's just so...\\
'''Ray''': Horrible, yeah.\\
'''Ally''': I was going to say "excited".\\
'''Ray''': Yeah. I meant, "horribly excited".
** In "Frank Paints the House":
--> '''Marie''': He [Frank] just isn't good at...\\
'''Ray''': Living among humans.\\
'''Marie''': ...Y'know, I think you're the only one who thinks you're funny.\\
'''Robert''': ''Amen'' to that!
** A subversion happened with Robert as well:
--> '''Pat''': I've tried to quit smoking, but it's hard because they're so...\\
'''Robert''': Addicting.\\
'''Pat''': I was going to say "wonderfully relaxing."
* FormerChildStar; The very worst outcome happened to Sawyer Sweeten, who between the ages of sixteen months and ten years old played Geoffrey Barone. [[http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2015/apr/24/everybody-loves-raymond-actor-sawyer-sweeten-dies-aged-19 The reason is not yet clear]], but on Friday 24th April 2015, aged nineteen, Sawyer Sweeten shot himself. His twin brother and older sister, who played his siblings on the show, are traumatized by his death, as are the adult cast members.
* FormulaBreakingEpisode: "Cruising With Marie", for a couple reasons: Debra isn't in the episode at all, and Ray/Marie's plot is completely separate from Frank/Robert's plot. It's also one of the few episodes to feature a brand new location; that is, the cruise ship.
* FourPhilosophyEnsemble: Ray (the Realist), Debra (the Optimist), Marie (the Cynic with limited [[TheIdealist idealism]]), Frank (the Apathetic 1000%), and Robert (the Conflicted 1000%).
* FourTemperamentEnsemble: [[ManChild Ray]] and [[HotBlooded Debra]] (sanguine), [[DeadpanSnarker Frank]] (choleric), [[TheWoobie Robert]] (melancholic), Geoffrey and Michael (phlegmatic), and [[EvilMatriarch Marie]] and Ally (eclectic).
** Ray's friends: Gianni (laid-back but choleric), Cousin Gerard (melancholic), Kevin, a.k.a. Doug (sanguine), and Andy (phlegmatic).
** [=MacDougall=] family: Hank (choleric), Pat (melancholic), Amy (phlegmatic), and Peter (sanguine).
* {{Flanderization}}: Ray was initially only unhelpful around the house and a sometimes-incompetent father, while Debra was only perturbed at him sometimes. Compare that to later seasons, when she becomes a shrill omni-harpy and Ray is a doddering imbecile.
* FlashbackCut: Ray briefly flashed back to his teenage years in "The Car" and "Pants on Fire."
* FollowTheLeader: Helped restart the somewhat-dormant trend in dysfunctional family comedies (after several years of ''Series/HomeImprovement''-style [[DomCom Dom Coms]]) and basically jump-started a whole new era of UglyGuyHotWife sitcoms. ''Many'' of the sitcoms from the ''Raymond'' era are clones -- ''Series/TheKingOfQueens'' being the most notable and famous one.
* FoodEnd: The very last episode fades out on the Barone family sharing a meal. Almost the last words spoken by Ray are his concession that he and Debra need a bigger dining table so as to fit everybody. Instead of muisic, the credits fade to black over small-talk at the dinner table.
** And the "Where's Lunch?" VanityPlate, showing a different meal every time, is the FoodEnd to every individual show... in the last episode there is no food, just a bill.
* FoodPorn: The “Where’s Lunch?” {{Vanity Plate}}s.
* FoodSlap: Ray and Debra are eating ice cream when Ray brags about how he got a higher score than Debra in an IQ test. Debra responds by dumping the ice cream bowl on his crotch.
* FootsieUnderTheTable: Joanne did this to Robert in "Meant to Be".
* {{Foreshadowing}}: While many people thought Debra's behavior in later seasons was unexpected, it was heavily hinted that this is common progression among Barone wives who marry into the family. In Season 1, Marie mentions that Frank's mother (who she compares to herself in the same manner Debra does to Marie) moved in with them at some point when Ray and Robert were kids. Frank's relationship with his mother is almost identical to Ray and Robert's with Marie. Early in Season 2, Marie and Frank tell Ray about a time when they nearly divorced over the same kind of petty arguments that Ray and Debra have and even openly admit that they were a lot like Ray and Debra at that age (Frank and Marie were about the same age as Ray and Debra were in later seasons when this became a problem). Frank, several seasons later mentions that his father was a lot like him, but violent, saying that each generation of Barones '''are''' getting better at these negative traits but that it'll be a while before they're gone. Debra starts walking the path to becoming a new Marie once they moved across the street, like how Frank's mother moved in with them at one point. In the first season, they had only lived across from the elder Barones for 2 years (they moved in when the twins were born and there was only mild friction between Marie and Debra before that, mostly from Marie), so Debra was still very much her pre-Barone self. By later seasons, she had progressed down the same path as Marie with one major difference. She rarely showed any signs of controlling Ally or the twins (beyond basic parental needs, like chores) as opposed to Marie's complete dominance over Ray and Robert, focusing that part of her personality primarily towards Ray (and Amy in one episode). So while Debra became a BitchInSheepsClothing and no different from Marie, she did however, stop the cycle towards the kids. Although, Ally did become quite the DeadpanSnarker in later seasons.
* ForeignRemake:
** ''Voroniny'' (The Voronins), a Russian remake. The characters seem to be [[FlatCharacter kind of bland]], most of the humor is derived from the father's charisma, jokes and making fun of the mother. The brother is, despite being a cop, quite a manchild. The wife is much less of a bitch, portrayed as closer-to-Earth with shades of {{Woobie}} thrown in because the mother just openly dislikes her. Oh, and they live in two separate apartments but they are next to each other, allowing the parents to come over through the balcony whenever the hell they want, many jokes are made of that fact also. Otherwise, according to whoever saw the original, ItsTheSameNowItSucks.
** A British remake, starring [[OopNorth comedian]] [[Series/NotGoingOut Lee Mack]] in the Raymond role, never made it past the pilot.
* AFormYouAreComfortableWith: When little Ally unmasks "Santa Claus" in an early episode, revealing that it's really Robert in disguise, the following exchange occurs:
-->'''Ally:''' ''It's not Santa, it's Uncle Robert!''\\
'''Robert:''' ''No, no! I...I've just assumed the shape of a lifeform you would accept!''\\
'''Ray:''' ''OK, you're supposed to be Santa Claus, not a Klingon!''
* FormerTeenRebel: "Pants on Fire" is devoted to Marie's dismay when she discovers that Ray was one of these in his younger days. In "The Disciplinarian", the grownups debate the futility of attempting to be an overly-strict parent when they end up talking about how young Ray and Robert both managed to do things that fit this trope.
--> '''Marie''': Oh Frank, [[ComicalOverreacting our sons are juvenile delinquents!]]
* FreudianExcuse: An episode from the later seasons is devoted to exploring why Robert's "Crazy Chin" habit started.
* FreudianSlip: In "Older Women", Ray comments that Warren (newly divorced from Lois) wasn't going for somebody younger, but somebody different when he decided to date a woman older than him. While Ray said it just slipped out and didn't mean anything by it, Debra begged to differ, claiming that he'll lust after anybody that's not her. Which is what she claimed he meant by "someone different".
** In "Counseling", Ray mentions that he likes to be taken care of, which leads to this exchange:
--> '''Debra''': But... you've gotta understand, Ray, that's not a wife, that's a mother.\\
'''Ray''': Well maybe that's what I want! ({{Beat}}; he realizes what he said came out wrong)\\
'''Frank''': Holy crap!\\
'''Robert''': On the contrary, dad, I think we've made a real breakthrough. Oh, no, no, it's very simple, really. You see, apparently the deep reasons behind the fights is that you wished you married your mother.\\
'''Ray''': That's not what I said.\\
'''Robert''': (whispering) Yes ya did.
** In "Sister-in-Law", after Amy defends Ray (saying that the family is using an incident where Ray called Amy "Lady Chatterly" as an excuse to attack him), Ray agrees with her and says the family will use any excuse to make him miserable, then blurts out: "For all I know, you've been sending her in every day on purpose just to annoy me!" Immediately, he realizes what he said came out wrong and Amy walks into the kitchen, offended.
--> '''Frank''': Even ''I'' know you gotta go in there.
** In "Super Bowl", during a big speech, Ray lets it slip that he didn't really want Debra there when he said "You weren't even supposed to be here!"
** Similarly, in "Net Worth", during an argument about finances, Ray lets it slip that it's ''his'' money to screw up with.
--> '''Debra''': What did you say?\\
'''Ray''': "With which to screw up"?
** In "The Apartment", Ray is amazed by all the hot single women in Robert's apartment building, and later that night while discussing Robert with Debra:
--> '''Ray''': He's a great guy, Robert. You know, I, I just want what's ''breast'' for him.
* FriendsRentControl: Ray, on a sportswriter salary, owns a two story house in Long Island while also supporting his wife and three kids with seemingly no financial issues whatsoever.
* FriendToAllChildren: Amy is definitely this trope. After Amy marries into the family, one episode reveals that Ally goes to Amy to talk because she knows that Amy wouldn't be judgmental.
* TheFunInFuneral: More specifically, a wake. In "Who's Next?", Marie is upset because Rose Caputo (who the wake is for) is the person she chose for Frank if she died. Frank is annoyed that she didn't let him choose Harriet Lichmann, and during an argument, Frank shouts out, "I don't care how many plans you make, I wouldn't be ''caught dead'' with Rose Caputo!" Understandably, everyone is shocked, and Frank and Marie sheepishly leave the wake (followed by the rest of the Barones).
* FunnyFlashbackHaircut: Flashbacks are usually signalled by the characters wearing hair appropriate to the late years of The Eighties or the early years of The Nineties, up to a decade before the show's "present" in the early 2000's. Flashbacks to Debra Barone show her wearing hairstyles appropriate to an earlier time: restrained, well chosen, and on her they look good. Her husband Ray and brother-in-law Robert, on the other hand, go to comic extremes: Freddy Mercury moustaches, Afro hairdos, mullet perms...
* FunWithAcronyms: In "Lateness", Ray revealed one from his and Robert's childhood: "A.I.S.": "Ass in Seat".
* {{GASP}}: In "Sweet Charity":
--> '''Robert''': You said I was a talented ventriloquist.\\
'''Debra''': You... ''are'', Robert!\\
'''Robert''': (gasps appallingly) Debra!
** In "The Ingrate", Debra lets out an appalled gasp when Ray suggests that maybe why he didn't thank Debra in his doctorate speech is because it was a subconscious reaction to Debra teasing him the night before.
* GeorgeJetsonJobSecurity: In "Working Debra", Debra is fired on her first day of the job at a marketing agency. Subverted when Ray realizes ''why'' she was fired: She belligerently argued with the boss about an advertising mascot she made.
%%* GettingCrapPastTheRadar: Please check the trope page to make sure your example fits the current definition.
* GetOut: In "The Sigh", Ray wants his bathroom back but Debra refuses, telling him to get out. When he doesn't budge, she takes the shower head and squirts him.
** An odd one in "A Job For Robert":
--> '''Marie''': And by the way, what would be so terrible if you and Amy had a baby?\\
'''Robert''': Ma, try to understand. It's not the right time right now.\\
'''Marie''': I understand. (turning to Amy) What do you think, Amy?\\
'''Amy''': Well, I think we both need to be ready.\\
'''Marie''': But I ''am'' ready!\\
'''Amy''': No, Marie; me and ''Robert''.\\
'''Robert''': Yeah, ma. You could see that, can't you?\\
'''Marie''': Of course I can. I only want the best for you. Get your ass out of my house.
** In "Sleepover at Peggy's", Peggy shouts this repeatedly to Ray when Ray called her a bad, scary lady.
** In "The Bigger Person", after Marie discovers that Robert talked to both her and Debra about being the bigger person and apologizing:
--> '''Marie''': Let me ask you something, Robert: Who did you talk to first about this? Debra, or me?\\
'''Robert''': Uh... I don't remember.\\
'''Marie''': You went to ''her'' first, because you couldn't wait to take her side over mine!\\
'''Robert''': I'm on no one's side!\\
'''Marie''': You obviously don't love me the way I love you! Get out!
** In "I Wish I Were Gus", Marie throws Ray out when he doesn't take her side in her grudge against Aunt Alda.
** In "Tissues", Ray kicks Robert, Marie, and Frank out of the house for making fun of the tissues he bought.
--> '''Ray''': This is ridiculous! I get one thing I want, and everybody's got to jump all over me!\\
'''Robert''': Get something better next time.\\
'''Ray''': GET OUT.\\
'''Frank''': I'll tell you one thing: I've blown my nose for the last time in this house!\\
'''Ray''': Oh boy, there goes our Saturday night!
* TheGhost: Nonny Barone, as Debra puts it, "The woman who brought dysfunction to America".
* GirlsWithMoustaches: Ray's wife had a mustache that she waxed regularly. He didn't know this until years into their marriage.
* TheGloriousWarOfSisterlyRivalry: Debra's interactions with Jennifer, in which it is hinted that Debra and Jennifer had a dynamic much like Robert and Raymond, only Jennifer was the favoured one while they were growing up.
** Marie's rather turbulent relationship with her own sister; Ray is mauled when he tries to reconcile his mother and aunt. A grievance concerns their mother favouring the sister over Marie.
* GodSaveUsFromTheQueen: While Marie technically isn't royalty, she certainly rules the family as if she is. In the famous "Lucky Suit" episode, Robert actually invoked this trope:
-->'''Robert:''' So you could keep your family the way you like, with you sitting on top, Queen Marie.
-->'''Marie:''' This is crazy talk!
-->'''Robert:''' Oh no? Everyone isn't beneath you? Look, there's little Prince Raymond, heir to the throne.
-->'''Raymond:''' What throne?
-->'''Robert:''' SHUT UP!
-->'''Raymond:''' You say shut up to the prince?
-->'''Robert:''' [''points to Frank''] And then you have your court jester, with his bald head and weighty behind! And then there's me...the peasant, the serf. And God forbid I move up a bit because it might upset your perfect order!
* GoingCommando: Ray, on the "cult" Robert joined:
--> '''Ray''': They don't wear underpants, Debra! They're ''freaks''!
* GoneHorriblyRight: In "Frank Goes Downstairs", Frank believes the lie that Ray told that he and Debra injured themselves going down the stairs, and insists there must be something wrong with the stairs. He ends up finding out the hard way that there ''is'' something wrong with the stairs, and falls through them, all the way down to the basement.
* GoodNewsBadNews: In "The Tenth Anniversary":
--> '''Ray''': I've got good news and bad news. The bad news is, if you like being mad at me, you're outta luck, milady! The good news is, I couldn't get the tape back, which I know sounds like ''bad'' news, but actually is good news, because if the tape existed, we wouldn't be able to get ''married again''!!!\\
'''Debra''': ({{Beat}}) ...What are you doing?
* GossipyHens: Ray accuses Debra of being this with her friends in "Blabbermouths". However, only a scene or two later, Ray ends up sinking to her level by gossiping with Frank and Robert about Debra (and to whom they share secrets about Marie and Amy, respectively).
* GotMeDoingIt: In "Cousin Gerard", Raymond tries to help Gerard (who is working for him) work on himself. This includes helping him talk better, starting with the word "now", which Gerard pronounces with an "e" so that it rhymes with "meow". He fails several back-and-forth repetitions, gets fed up, quits, and leaves. Shortly afterwards, Raymond pronounces it Gerard's way a couple of times before catching himself and saying it properly.
* GrammarNazi: Marie was one in "Homework" when Ray unknowingly ended a sentence with a preposition ("That's how I got to be where I'm at."):
--> '''Marie''': You're a writer and that's how you use the English language??\\
'''Ray''': What?\\
'''Marie''': You do not end a sentence with "at".\\
'''Ray''': Big deal; so I ended a sentence with a proposition.\\
'''Marie''': ''Preposition''! It's a prepo- '''''OH MY GOD!'''''\\
'''Ray''': What's the big deal?\\
'''Marie''': Because ''this'', is the ''end'' of civilization! People like you don't want to learn anything, because they're too busy with their remote control televisions and their hula hoops! And before you know it, "that's where we're ''at''!"\\
'''Frank''': Where the cookies at?
** In "Security", when Ray wants Robert to make a decision on whether to stay a cop or become an alarm salesman, he tells him to finish this sentence: "I'm a..."
--> '''Robert''': ...Cop.\\
'''Ray''': Okay. Now why'd you say "I'm a cop"?\\
'''Robert''': Because you said "I'm a", not "I'm an".
* GratuitousItalian: Averted, even though the Barones are a loud and lively Italian-American family. Spoken Italian is only used in episodes and scenes where anything else would be odd: at the dinner table in ''Mia Famiglia'', for instance, or during the two-part Italian Holiday special. [[note]]It does illustrate that Italian as spoken in North America is classed, by linguists, as [[UsefulNotes/SeparatedByACommonLanguage a distinctly separate dialect of the language]] with its own peculiarities: different pronunciation, new vocabulary items, especially different words for foodstuffs and dishes. People more familiar with European -Italian culinary terms are often baffled by seeing Marie prepare familar dishes with completely unfamiliar names. ''Braciole'', for instance, is better known as ''Involtini'' in Europe.[[/note]]
* GroinAttack: Debra gives Ray a knee to the groin in "Jealous Robert" when Ray is about to spill the beans about Debra and Marie planning to make Robert jealous of Amy dating Gianni.