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Ray Romano has revealed that he recently rated every single episode of his hit sitcom “Everybody Loves Raymond.”
The 66-year-old actor hadn’t revisited the show since its finale in 2005, but a recent binge led him to score each episode on a scale of 1 to 100.
“I got on a little kick there,” Romano reveals in an interview with PEOPLE. “They took on a new look to me. I was appreciating them more.” While he was once critical, the distance reportedly gave him a new perspective, “I felt like an audience member.”
Romano awarded his highest score (96) to a select few episodes, including “Good Girls” – where Marie’s favoritism stirs drama – and the bizarre “She’s the One,” featuring a fly-eating girlfriend.
He also highlighted the episode, “Baggage,” involving a hilarious fight over a suitcase that earned the show an Emmy.
Ray Romano as “Ray Barone” in “Everybody Loves Raymond” (Courtesy: Salon.com)
The actor was tight-lipped about his least favorites, admitting, “I still have dinner with the writers!”
However, he acknowledged the range of quality in a long-running series, “You’re going to have brilliant episodes and some that miss the mark.”
“Everybody Loves Raymond” aired from 1996 to 2005, garnering critical acclaim and 15 Emmys.
Romano expressed his deep respect for the late Peter Boyle, who played his TV father Frank. Boyle, a seasoned actor with credits like “Young Frankenstein,” became a mentor to Romano.
“He was a well-known movie star, and I was nobody,” Romano recalls. “He took me in. It was surreal.” They even lived in the same complex during season 1, fostering a close bond. Romano continues to honor Boyle by hosting a charity gala for myeloma research.
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