Doris Roberts

Before synopsizing the made-for-TV romantic comedy Raising Waylon, it is essential to point out that hero Reg (Thomas Gibson) is a blue-collar bar owner who prefers to date models; that heroine Julia (Poppy Montgomery) is a globetrotting photographer who likes to go out with rock stars; and that, except for only one blind date, Red and Julia are not now and never have been "a couple." All this changes when the parents of 9-year-old Waylon (Jeremy Bergman) are killed in a car accident. It seems that Waylon's parents had arranged that blind date for Reg and Julia, had assumed that the two were "made for each other",and had arranged for them to be Waylon's godparents. According to the terms of the deceased couple's will, Waylon is to be raised by Reg and Julia, with the boy's elderly but peppery Great Aunt Marie (Doris Roberts) allowed to drop in from time to time to dispense advice. Since Reg and Julia don't get along too well, they do their best to alternate looking after Waylon, even though it forces them to reluctantly rearrange their busy schedules. Soooooo. . ..how long will it be before hero and heroine finally realize what Waylon's parents knew all along: That they were, indeed, Made For Each Other? Raising Waylon premiered February 22, 2004 on CBS. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In keeping with his background in television sitcoms, Sam Weisman directs the cameo-filled comedy Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star. Dickie Roberts (David Spade) was a child actor on the hit TV show "The Glimmer Gang" and remains remembered for a particular catch phrase. Now in his thirties, he finds work as a parking valet and spends time with other nominal child stars (enter cameos by Danny Bonaduce, Corey Feldman, and the like). Wanting to make a comeback, he manages to get an audition with director Rob Reiner. When the role requires him to be normal, he decides to hire a normal family in order to relive the childhood he missed out on. He ends up with sleazy salesman George Finney (Craig Bierko) and his loving wife, Grace (Mary McCormack). Dickie shares a room with their two kids: sunny daughter Sally (Jenna Boyd) and impressionable son Sam (Scott Tessa). Former child star Alyssa Milano appears as Dickie's girlfriend, Cyndi. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide

Some things stay the same, others change as Everybody Loves Raymond enters its eighth season on CBS. Sportswriter Ray Barone (Ray Romano) is still the husband of PR exec Debra Romano (Patricia Heaton), the couple still has three kids, and they still live next door to Ray's overbearing parents, Frank (Peter Boyle) and Marie (Doris Roberts). However, Ray's neurotic policeman brother, Robert (Brad Garrett), has finally married his longtime girlfriend Amy (Monica Horan) -- and at long last has moved out of his parent's house and into a place of his own. In fact, we don't see much of Robert during the early stages of season eight, due to contractual problems between actor Brad Garrett and the series' producers. Of the season's episodes, several stand out: "Misery Loves Company" finds Debra bemoaning the fact that she and Ray aren't nearly as lovey-dovey as newlyweds Robert and Amy; in "Peter on the Couch," Amy's eccentric brother Peter (Chris Elliott) misinterprets an invitation to drop in and stay a while to mean "stay forever and ever"; "The Bird" is the series' traditional Thanksgiving episode, this time pairing Frank and Doris off against Amy's folks (Fred Willard, Georgia Engel), in a "Pilgrims vs. Indians" charade; "Slave" finds Ray and Debra's daughter, Ally (Madylin Sweeten), regretting the fact that she has proven herself the "perfect" babysitter for her younger siblings; and in "The Mentor," Ray and Robert are astonished when a young man (Jason Kravits) insists that their dad, Frank, has been the most positive influence on his life! While Everybody Loves Raymond continued to post excellent ratings during its eighth season, for the first time in five years the series brought home no Emmy awards, even though it received nine nominations. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Everybody Loves Raymond's Doris Roberts is perfectly typecast as lifelong busybody Rose (Doris Roberts), who insists upon meddling in the affairs of her grown daughter Maggie (Mare Winnignham) whether anybody likes it or not. Aware that Maggie's marriage to husband Brian (Tom Verica) is in trouble, Rose tries to "fix" things by arranging a Eastern vacation for the couple, which will allow them to hear the Bells of St. Peters' in Rome; perhaps, reasons Rose, this will bring about the miracle that will bring Maggie and Brian back together. A sudden, fatal illness forces a radical change in plans--and an unhappy ending seems to be inevitable. So where's the miracle? And for that matter, where are Monica (Roma Downey), Tess (Della Reese) and Andrew (John Dye? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Actor and playwright Dan Bucatinsky wrote the screenplay for this adaptation of his play I Know You Are, But What Am I?, though for the big-screen version, his slightly fractured love story was given a same-sex twist. Eli (Dan Bucatinsky) is a journalist working with a major L.A. newspaper who is single and not loving it. Eli is also gay, and makes no secret of the fact that he's looking for a nice guy that he can settle down with. Eli's best friend Brett (Adam Goldberg) knows a woman named Jackie (Sasha Alexander), who says she has a friend who would be perfect for Eli. Thus Eli is introduced to Tom (Richard Ruccolo), a special education instructor and devoted nightlife enthusiast. Eli and Tom's first date turns out to be just short of a disaster; Tom indulges in his overweening enthusiasm for alcohol and tobacco, and Eli is disgusted to learn Tom has never seen Gone With the Wind. Things appear to be over for Eli and Tom before they even started, until they meet by chance while shopping a few days later; this time, a conversation rather than an argument develops, and the two end up spending the night together. Eli begins to think love may have finally found him, until Tom dashes off the next morning, leaving Eli to wonder if Tom has any interest at all in a long-term commitment. All Over the Guy also features small cameo roles by Lisa Kudrow, as an actress not skilled in voice-over work, and Christina Ricci as Eli's cynical sister. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

So here's how things stand as Everybody Loves Raymond enters its fifth season on CBS. Sportswriter Ray Barone (Ray Romano), his PR-rep wife, Debra (Patricia Heaton), and their three kids are still living in Long Island, still next door to Ray's obstreperous parents, Frank (Peter Boyle) and Marie (Doris Roberts). And after experimenting with independence by moving into his own apartment, Frank's brother, divorced cop Robert (Brad Garrett), has returned to his parents' home -- minus his off-and-on girlfriend Amy (Monica Horan), who has apparently given up on Robert because of his inability to make a commitment. But things aren't entirely bleak romantically for Robert this season. While vacationing in Rome with his family (in an episode shot on-location in Italy), the neurotic policeman falls head over heels in love with Stefania (Alex Meneses). Inasmuch as Robert has proclaimed her "the girl of my dreams," Stefania shows up in New York later in the season, certain that their relationship will soon become both permanent and legal. Alas, Robert is still constitutionally incapable of committing himself to any woman, and the couple breaks up -- but not before Stefania's strict, "old world" father, Marco (David Proval), who is now a friend and kindred spirit of Ray and Robert's prickly dad, Frank, has decided to remain in the Big Apple, going so far as to purchase the Barones' favorite restaurant, Nemo's.

With all this going on, one would think that series star Ray Romano had taken a back seat to his supporting cast -- but one would be wrong. During season five, Ray Barone has many a misadventure of his own, beginning with the emotional fallout attending his decision to finally tell his parents that they are far too much a part of his and Debra's lives. Later on, Ray accidentally commits "petslaughter" on his daughter Ally's (Sawyer Sweeten) beloved hamster; receives a serious ego drubbing when his book on sports is rejected by the publisher; goes into "hamana-hamana-hamana" mode upon meeting a girl he'd dated 25 years earlier (an evening that he messed up with his untoward advances!); and tries to mediate a battle between his parents and his in-laws (Robert Culp, Katherine Helmond) during Thanksgiving dinner. The season closer is likewise devoted to Raymond, as he recalls the day that wife Debra gave birth to daughter Ally. For the second year in a row, Patricia Heaton won an Emmy award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series at the end of Everybody Loves Raymond's fifth season. Likewise honored was Doris Roberts, for Outstanding Supporting Actress. The series itself continued to be the shining jewel of CBS' Monday-night schedule, moving up again in the overall TV ratings. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Season three of Everybody Loves Raymond finds sportswriter Ray Barone (Ray Romano), his wife, Debra (Patricia Heaton), and kids, Ally (Madylin Sweeten), Geoffery (Sawyer Sweeten), and Michael (Sullivan Sweeten), still living next door to Ray's overbearing father, Frank (Peter Boyle), and snoopy mom, Marie (Doris Roberts), in the same Long Island neighborhood. As for Raymond's brother, divorced cop Robert (Brad Garrett), his romance with Amy (Monica Horan) is now a thing of the past, due to Robert's inability to make a commitment. As the season progresses, Robert finally moves out of his parents' house and into an apartment of his own, but can't deal with independence any more than he could with a relationship, and is soon back where he started. Meanwhile, Debra decides to re-enter the workplace, taking a PR job. By season's end, Ray and Debra are still commuting to work, and Robert is still camping with his folks -- after a tentative effort to rekindle the flames of passion with Amy has failed, and for the very same reason as before (this guy's in a rut!). Even with all this going on, the writers haven't forgotten that, after all, Ray Romano is the star of the show. Thus, there are plenty of episodes revolving around the tribulations of Ray and his family, beginning with a lively season opener involving an infestation of termites in the Barone household, and ending with the season finale, in which Ray and Debra recall their first meeting way back in 1984. Having ranked as the 30th most popular TV program in America during its second season, Everybody Loves Raymond zoomed up to 11th in the ratings for season three -- making a renewal for season four a foregone conclusion. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Securely snuggled into a new Monday-night slot after languishing for half of its first season on Friday nights, Everybody Loves Raymond continued to accumulate loyal fans during the series' second season, closing out the year in TV's Top 30 (it was, in fact, the 30th highest-rated program). Few changes were made in format or personnel during season two. Ray Barone (Ray Romano) was still a newspaper sportswriter, still living in Long Island with wife Debra (Patricia Heaton) and children Ally (Madylin Sweeten), Geoffery (Sawyer Sweeten) and Michael (Sullivan Sweeten). Ray and Debra's house was still next door to the one owned by Ray's obstreperous father, Frank (Peter Boyle), and incurably snoopy mom, Marie (Doris Roberts); likewise, Ray's brother, divorced cop Robert (Brad Garrett), still resided with his parents, and still refused to make a commitment to his erstwhile girlfriend Amy (Monica Horan). Added to Ray's circle of friends was Kevin (Kevin James), a color announcer for the New York Mets. As mentioned, ratings for Everybody Loves Raymond were solid if not spectacular, assuring the series a third season on CBS. ~ All Movie Guide

The first season of Everybody Loves Raymond drew heavily upon the standup routines of comedian Ray Romano, who depicted himself as a loving but befuddled husband and father of three children, bedeviled by his own overbearing Italian-American parents and a jealous older brother who happened to be a policeman. In the series proper, Romano played Ray Barone, Long Island-based sportswriter for New York Newsday. Ray, his wife, Debra (Patricia Heaton), and their three children lived next door to Ray's parents, bombastic Frank (Peter Boyle) and snoopy Marie (Doris Roberts). Frank and Marie in turn lived with Ray's older brother, a divorced cop named Robert (Brad Garrett), who still harbored a childhood jealousy for his younger sibling. In the pilot episode, Ray's three children were played by the Ferreira children: Amber, Drew, and Justin. The youngest kids, twin boys, were named Matthew and Gregory (after Romano's real-life children), while the six-year-old daughter was not identified by name. Thereafter, the children were known as Ally, Michael, and Geoffrey, and were played by members of the Sweeten family: Madylin, Sullivan, and Sawyer. During season one, a handful of semi-regulars were introduced, among them Ray's friend Andy (Andy Kindler), a sports statistician; Nemo (Joseph V. Perry), the owner of the pizza parlor; and Amy MacDougall (Monica Horan), Robert's off-and-on girlfriend. Also firmly established was the intensely combative relationship between Ray's parents, who also had a cute habit (cute to everyone but Ray's long-suffering spouse Debra) of dropping into their son's house unannounced and poking their noses into everyone else's business. More welcome drop-ins occurred whenever Ray's sports-world friends -- usually celebrity athletes and famous TV commentators -- opted to pay a visit to the series. Despite languishing in a low-rated Friday-night slot, Everybody Loves Raymond quickly became a critical favorite, encouraging CBS to move the series to a more advantageous Monday-night berth in mid-season. Though the ratings didn't exactly go through the roof, the series garnered enough of a fan following to warrant a second season. ~ All Movie Guide

Two people fall in love without meeting -- and discover a wealth of complications when they try to get together -- in this romantic comedy. Even though he's about to be married, Brian McVeigh (Kevin Anderson) doesn't want to give up his old apartment, where he can swill beer, scarf pizza, and be as much of a slob as he wants. He decides to hold onto his flat as a weekend clubhouse, but he rents it out to other people during the week. Brian's new tenants, sharing the place on alternating days, are Sam (Matthew Broderick), an aspiring gourmet chef who's just been dumped by his spacey girlfriend Pastel (Jeanne Tripplehorn), and Ellen (Annabella Sciorra), who is stuck in an unhappy marriage and wants a place to work on her art. Ellen mistakenly assumes that Brian is the guy who leaves her gourmet snacks and admiring notes about how much he likes her paintings, and when she sets up a liaison with Brian, she wonders how the seemingly perfect man could be such a loser in person. The Night We Never Met also features Justine Bateman as Brian's fiancée and Christine Baranski as Ellen's best friend. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Originally telecast in two parts, Blind Faith was adapted from a fact-based book by investigative author Joe McGinniss. The scene is Toms River, New Jersey; the year is 1984. Insurance salesman Rob Marshall (Robert Urich) informs the authorities that his wife Maria (Joanna Kerns) has been murdered by a band of marauding thieves. Marshall claims that he and his wife were ambushed at a remote picnic area, and for a while everyone believes the man. But further investigation leads to the conclusion that Maria was the victim of a murder conspiracy, fomented by Marshall himself in order collect his wife's insurance. The climactic trial forces Marshall's three teenaged sons to bear witness against their own father. With grim irony, Blind Faith was first broadcast just before Valentine's Day, 1990. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide