‘Everybody Loves Raymond’: These Are Frank’s Funniest Episodes, According to Fans
Everybody Loves Raymond has been off the air for years but is still one of the best sitcoms of all time. Based on the stand-up comedy of Ray Romano, it delivered consistent laughs with each episode.
One of the reasons the show was so good was its well-drawn characters. Each character had their own distinct personality that clashed with the others to hilarious effect. Among the great actors who were in the cast was Peter Boyle, who became a fan-favorite as the wisecracking father on the series.
‘Everybody Loves Raymond’ was well loved
According to IMDB, Everybody Loves Raymond ran on CBS from 1996-2005. Romano played sportswriter Ray Barone. He lived with his wife Debra and their children.
The couple has to deal with Ray’s parents who live directly across the street as well as his brother. The show featured an absolute all-star, hilarious cast.
Most shows aren’t able to stay on the air longer than a few seasons. Even fewer are able to get into syndication. To stay on for a decade is absolutely unheard of.
It’s a testament to the show’s quality, of course. And while the writing and storylines were sharp, the show’s quality was in large part due to its cast and their performances.
Who were the main characters of ‘Everybody Loves Raymond?’
Of course, the main character of Everybody Loves Raymond was Ray himself. The show used Romano’s stand-up act as it’s jumping-off point, but the storylines and characters became so rich that it had developed its own unique sense of humor by the end of the show’s run. That was in large part due to all the fantastic performers on the show.
The show drew praise especially for the interaction between the characters and their rapport with each other. Debra and Raymond often fought to hilarious effect, while Ray’s mother was a busybody who couldn’t keep her nose out of their business. Robert, Raymond’s brother, was incredibly jealous, mostly due to not being quite as well-adjusted as Raymond.
One of the best actors on the show was legendary actor Peter Boyle, who played Ray’s grouchy father Frank Barone. He also had quite the memorable audition that helped him get the part.
Frank’s funniest ‘Everybody Loves Raymond’ episodes
Not all episodes of Everybody Loves Raymond were created equal. For fans of Frank, some episodes spotlight how hilarious the character is and how talented Boyle is in his portrayal of the patriarch of the family.
According to IMDB, the funniest Frank episodes are:
- Frank Goes Downstairs — Season 6, Episode 6
- Frank’s Tribute — Season 3, Episode 16
- The Gift — Season 2, Episode 9
- Driving Frank — Season 3, Episode 2
- Tasteless Frank — Season 9, Episode 12
- Frank Paints The House — Season 5, Episode 24
- Meeting The Parents — Season 7, Episode 17
- The Kicker — Season 6, Episode 11
- The Skit — Season 6, Episode 17
- The Wallpaper — Season 5, Episode 3
How Peter Boyle snagged the role of Frank
One of the keys to any good audition is to appear authentic and true to the character you’re portraying. When Boyle showed up to audition for the role of the Barone family patriarch, it’s fair to say he accomplished both of those things.
According to an interview Boyle conducted with Larry King, it was due to a series of mishaps that made his pot boil over:
“…we couldn’t get on the lot. Then we couldn’t get a parking space. Then when we finally got all of that worked out, we went to where the office — and they said, no, the auditions are being held in another place. So when I walked in, Ray and Phil [Rosenthal, one of the show’s co-creators] were there and I was enraged.”
Boyle’s bad fortune that day appeared to be fortuitous. The rage he showed in his audition was pitch-perfect for the character of Frank, a crotchety old man who often lets his anger get the best of him. It’s surely had to help him get the part — though a screen legend like Boyle may not have needed the assist.
