Everybody loves a good reboot — but there won’t be one for Everybody Loves Raymond. As the cast of the hit sitcom reunited to celebrate its 30th anniversary, show creator Phil Rosenthal and star Ray Romano clarified that this was only a “reunion,” not a hint at a potential return for the show.
“We’re never gonna do one [a reboot], because we’re missing three cast members, three family members,” Romano explained at the beginning of the CBS Special. “So we would never try to do the show without them.”
Everybody Loves Raymond ran for 9 seasons from 1996 to 2005. Peter Boyle and Doris Roberts, who memorably played Raymond’s comically quarrelsome parents, Frank and Marie Barone, both passed away after the show ended in 2006 and 2016, respectively. The series also saw the loss of one of its youngest cast members — Sawyer Sweeten, who starred as one of Ray and Deborah’s twin sons, Geoffrey Barone.
“It wouldn’t be the same,” added Rosenthal. “We have too much respect for the show itself and for the beautiful audience … Thankfully, the show is still on every day, all over the world. If you want to visit your friends, we’re here.”
Earlier this year, Patricia Heaton also weighed in on the possibility of a reboot, telling the New York Post that she felt it would be a “disservice to the show” to try to do it “without the cast members that we’ve lost.”
“You shouldn’t try to go back and redo something that is pretty much perfect. We need to just leave it there and let people enjoy it for what it was.”
‘Everybody Loves Raymond’ Cast Remembers Sawyer Sweeten
During the reunion special, the cast took a moment to pay tribute to Sawyer, who tragically died by suicide when he was only 19.
“So, Sawyer, of course, is no longer with us, and we miss him,” Romano said, noting that he had been a “bright energy” on set.
Over the years since Sawyer’s death, his real-life siblings, Madylin and Sullivan Sweeten — who also played Ally and Michael Barone — have devoted their time to helping others who struggle with their mental health by working with and donating to the National Suicide Prevention Hotline.
“None of us really expected what happened,” Sullivan shared. “But, I try to think about the good moments. And oftentimes, that’s here on the set.”
The Everybody Loves Raymond: 30th Anniversary Reunion aired on CBS on Monday, Nov. 24. Fans who missed it can still catch it streaming on Paramount+.
If you or someone you know needs help with their mental health, you can call or text the National Alliance on Mental Illness at 1-800-950-6264 or visit the NAMI website. If you are in an immediate crisis, you can text 988.
- Release Date
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1996 – 2005
- Network
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CBS
- Showrunner
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Phil Rosenthal
- Directors
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Gary Halvorson, Will Mackenzie, Jerry Zaks, Kenneth Shapiro, Steve Zuckerman, Jeff Meyer, Michael Lembeck, Brian K. Roberts, John Fortenberry, Michael Zinberg, Jeff Melman, Ken Levine, Alan Kirschenbaum, Andy Ackerman, Asaad Kelada, Michael Lessac, Paul Lazarus, David Clark Lee, Rod Daniel, Wil Shriner
