Reboots and revivals are hit or miss. Some strike gold with nostalgic fans, while others fall flat. But when it comes to this beloved CBS comedy sitcom, the stars agree: a reboot just isn’t worth the risk of tarnishing its legacy.
Created by Philip Rosenthal, Everybody Loves Raymond is hands down one of CBS's best shows ever made. It ran for nine seasons from 1996 to 2005 and still remains a fan favorite today. The comedy sitcom revolves around Raymond "Ray" Barone, a sportswriter navigating life with his wife, three kids, and his overbearing but loving family who just so happen to live across the street.
Three-time Emmy Award-winning actor Ray Romano stars in the leading role of Ray Barone. Also in the cast are Patricia Heaton as his wife, Debra Barone, along with Brad Garrett, Madylin Sweeten, Doris Roberts, Peter Boyle, Monica Horan, and Sawyer Sweeten.
On June 16, some of the cast and crew of Everybody Loves Raymond reunited for the show’s 30th anniversary at the Paley Museum in New York City. In attendance were Romano and Heaton, whom the New York Post got the chance to speak to about a potential reboot. Both stars were clear in their responses, explaining why they believe the sitcom should remain as it is and why a reboot just isn’t in the cards.
Romano explained that the main reason for refusing a reboot is the loss of key cast members who were essential to the show’s dynamic. He emphasized that without actors like Boyle, Roberts, and Sawyer Sweeten, it wouldn’t feel like Everybody Loves Raymond anymore, and trying to continue without them would disrespect the legacy they helped create.
“No, there won’t be a reboot. The obvious is Peter [Boyle] and Doris [Roberts] and one of the kids — they’re no longer with us. We’re all heartbroken. They’re a big part of the show, the dynamic. Without them, I don’t know what the dynamic is. We love the show too much, we respect it too much to even try to do it.”
Boyle died in 2006 at the age of 71 following a battle with heart disease and multiple myeloma. Roberts passed away in 2016 at 90 from natural causes. Sweeten, tragically, died by suicide in 2015 at the age of 19.
Heaton agreed with Romano that there should not be a reboot because of the loss of several beloved cast members. She also stated that since the show was so well done and complete, trying to remake or reboot it would be unnecessary. She thinks it’s better to leave the show as it is and let fans appreciate and enjoy the original version without trying to change or redo it.
"To try to do it again without the cast members that we’ve lost would be a disservice to the show. 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.”
Heaton then goes on to share that Romano and Rosenthal chose to end Everybody Loves Raymond after nine seasons because they felt they had told all the stories they could. They didn’t want to “run the show into the ground,” even though the network wanted more seasons.
I personally agree with Romano and Heaton. Sometimes, it’s best to leave a great show untouched rather than risk diminishing its legacy. Reboots can never fully capture the original magic, especially when iconic cast members are no longer with us. Letting the show stand on its own allows fans to continue appreciating it for the timeless classic it is.
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