Everybody Loves Raymondis a great sitcom that had many hilarious episodes, but its worst-reviewed episode on IMDb points out the series’ biggest problem. WhenEverybody Loves Raymondended after nine seasons, it was one of the top-rated shows on television, and in the years since, it has endured as a beloved classic. But it’s not all roses.
AlthoughEverybody Loves Raymond’s greatest episodesdemonstrate the series at its absolute best, the show wasn’t perfect. While shows likeBob’s Burgers,Kim’s Convenience,Friday Night Lights, andThe Dick Van Dyke Showhave depicted a happy, healthy, loving marriage,Everybody Loves Raymondportrays marriage at its most toxic and contentious, and it’s not always fun to watch.
While the top-rated episode has a near-perfect 9/10,Everybody Loves Raymondhas a lot of episodes with mediocre ratings on IMDb. Season 1, episode 11, “Captain Nemo,” in which Ray and Robert get into a basketball feud, and season 3, episode 8, “The Article,” in which Ray is jealous of his friend’s success, have both garnered a subpar 6.9 rating.
The lowest-rated episode ofEverybody Loves Raymondhighlights the biggest problem with the show, and the main reason why it hasn’t aged gracefully in the two decades since it went off the air. There are someharsh realities of rewatchingEverybody Loves Raymond, andRay and Debra’s ridiculously unhealthy marriage is the biggest one.
The Worst-Rated Everybody Loves Raymond Episode Is “The Children’s Book”
Season 2, Episode 8 Is IMDb Users' Least Favorite Episode
The lowest-ratedEverybody Loves Raymondepisode on IMDb is season 2, episode 8, “The Children’s Book.”This episode starts out with Ray and Debra on the same page (no pun intended), but it quickly leads to a bitter falling-out. It kicks off with Debra complaining to Ray about reading the same old bedtime stories to the kids.
This gives Debra the idea to write a children’s book of her own. She plans to base the story on her own experiences as a parent and her knowledge of what kids like, and she asks for Ray’s help because he’s a professional writer. Ray is initially reluctant to help, but gets talked into it, and they get to work.
“The Children’s Book” originally aired on July 25, 2025.
As soon as they put pen to paper,they turn out to have massive creative differences. They agree that the story should be about a kid running away from home, but they disagree on what kind of animal the main character should be, how the story should progress, and what the ultimate message should be.
Ray and Debra start out collaborating with each other, but they end up competing with each other.
Ray and Debra start out collaborating with each other, but they end up competing with each other. They each write their own version of the story andforce Ally to decide which one is best. By the end, it’s just uncomfortable to watch — especially when they get Ally involved and force her to choose a winner.
“The Children’s Book” Shows Ray & Debra’s Adversarial Marriage At Its Worst
Ray & Debra’s Bickering Is The Most Uncomfortable Part Of Everybody Loves Raymond
The worst part ofEverybody Loves Raymondis Ray and Debra’s adversarial marriage. The show often makes you wonder why they even got married in the first place, becausethey don’t seem to even like each other, let alone love each other, and Ray is a terrible husband. It’s uncomfortable to watch them yelling and screaming at each other.
Many aspects ofEverybody Loves Raymondhave aged well: everyone can still see their own parents or grandparents in Frank and Marie, while Robert’s arc is hilarious and heartwarming in equal measure. Butthe show is at its worst when Ray and Debra devolve into a bitter argumentthat makes you think they should just get a divorce.
“The Children’s Book” epitomizes what makesRay and Debra’s relationshipthe worst part of the show.They don’t support each other; they do the complete oppositeand try to one-up each other. The episode starts with Debra asking for Ray’s help, and it ends with Ray desperately trying to outdo Debra in the eyes of their young, impressionable daughter.
Ray & Debra’s Constant Fighting Is Very Uncomfortable When The Kids Are Involved
It’s Shown To Have A Negative Impact On The Kids
What makes “The Children’s Book” the worst episode ofEverybody Loves Raymondis that it involves Ally in Ray and Debra’s heated argument. They each write their own children’s story, then read them to Ally and force her to choose which one is better. It’s bad enough when Ray and Debra are fighting, but it’s even worse when they involve the kids.
Throughout the series,Ray and Debra’s constant bickeringand mutual resentment is shown to have a negative impact on the kids. In the season 6 premiere,Michael wrote a story called “The Angry Family,” about his own angry parents and grandparents. His story ends with the heartbreaking line, “The grownups were always very loud. It hurt the kids’ ears.”
All the fighting and arguing between Ray and Debra created a hostile, dysfunctional environment for these kids to grow up in.
All the fighting and arguing between Ray and Debra created a hostile, dysfunctional environment for these kids to grow up in. Just yelling at each other within earshot of the kids would be more than enough to have a negative impact, but inEverybody Loves Raymond’s worst-rated episode, Ray and Debra directly involve their daughter in the conflict.
Everybody Loves Raymond
Cast
Everybody Loves Raymond: The show follows Ray Barone, a sportswriter residing in Long Island with his wife Debra and their three children. Challenges arise as Ray’s intrusive parents, Frank and Marie, live directly across the street, often entangling themselves in his family’s daily life.
