While Hollywood has been in its reboot era for some time, don’t expect one from the classic Ray Romano vehicle Everybody Loves Raymond.
Comedian Brad Garrett, who portrays Romano’s onscreen brother Robert, echoed previous cast sentiments about reviving the CBS sitcom in a new interview with People.
“There won’t be [a reboot],” he said. “And I’m just saying that because that’s something that Ray and Phil [Rosenthal, the show’s creator] have always said.”
Running for nine seasons from 1996 through 2005, the 15-time Emmy-winning show has topped many a Best TV list. The series centers on Italian American sports writer Ray Barone (Romano), living with his wife and kids in Long Island, who must deal with his overbearing and nosy parents who live across the street, as well as his older brother’s frequent jealousy of his success.
Because actors Peter Boyle and Doris Roberts, who played Romano’s onscreen father and mother died in 2006 and 2016, respectively, Garrett said it wouldn’t be “right” to revisit the show’s world without them.
“There is no show without the parents. They were the catalyst, and to do anything that would resemble that wouldn’t be right to the audiences or to the loyal fan base. And it was about those two families, and you can’t get around that.”
He added, “I know [the reboot] won’t happen, but 30 years later, I got very lucky to get on that bus. I’m very grateful.”
Garrett’s words reflect previous cast statements about possible continuations of the show: In 2023, Romano said a reboot was “out of the question” largely due to Boyle and Roberts’ deaths, but also the fact that such projects are “never as good.” Most recently, Patricia Heaton, who portrayed Barone matriarch Debra, added of the aversion to a reboot, “It was just sort of perfection — and you don’t wanna mess with perfection,” Heaton told Yahoo! Entertainment. “You know, we’ve lost so many cast members, you couldn’t reboot it because it won’t be the same show.”
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