Everybody Loves Raymond
Advertisement
Fascinatin' Debra
Drnora
Dr. Nora in "Fascinatin' Debra"
Season 1
Episode 21
Air Date March 17, 1997 (USA)
September 20, 2004 (Canada)
Cast Ray Romano
Patricia Heaton
Brad Garrett
Doris Roberts
Peter Boyle
Madylin Sweeten
Sawyer Sweeten
Sullivan Sweeten
Mary Kay Adams
Desmond Howard
Lorraine Shaw
Director(s) Jeff Meyer
Writer(s) Jeremy Stevens
Tucker Cawley
Kathy Ann Stumpe
Lew Schneider
Preceded by Neighbors
Followed by Why Are We Here?

Fascinatin' Debra is the 21st episode of Season 1, and is episode 21 of the full 210 episodes for the entire series. In this episode, Debra calls a radio psychologist. After the conversation, the psychologist, Dr. Nora, says she wants to meet up with Debra for an interview.

Episode Information[]

Synopsis[]

The episode opens with Ray meeting with Desmond Howard in a bar. They talk about the article Ray wrote about the football star. This opening sequence has nothing to do with the main story of the episode.

As the main story begins, Ray comes home to find his wife Debra on the phone with the radio psychologist Dr. Nora. Debra then explains to Ray that she and Dr. Nora talked about Debra feeling unappreciated at home.

After the radio show ends, Dr. Nora calls Debra back and says she would like to interview her for a book she's writing. She tells Debra that she's a dying breed: a housewife.

Debra tries so hard to impress Dr. Nora when she arrives that things begin to go terribly wrong right from the start. First, Ray starts in with his sense of humor, than the kids act-up, and to top it off, Frank, Marie, and Robert all barge in.

Trying to continue on with the interview, Debra tells Dr. Nora that she did PR work of a hockey team. But Dr. Nora wasn't paying attention to her at all...she was more interested in the rest of the Barone family's behavior.

For the remainder of the episode, Ray and his family try to make Debra feel better because she thinks that she's a boring person. Ray ends up telling Debra that she was weird and twisted because she willingly married into his crazy family.

Running Gags[]

Robert does his little "crazy chin" habit while eating, and Dr. Nora is fascinated by the behavior. She asks Robert if he's nervous. And Robert doesn't understand what she's talking about.

Trivia[]

Even though they don't actually appear in the episode, Lee and Stan's names are mentioned.

This is the second time in the show that a character speaks the line: "Everybody loves Raymond". Debra says it as she shoves potato chips into her chin imitating Robert.

Also, when shows move to syndication in the United States, a few minutes have to be trimmed off of the episode. So, for this episode, the opening scene with Desmond Howard was cut when the show was in syndication.

Production Notes[]

Today’s syndicated reruns use an alternate version of the Where’s Lunch? dish from Debra's Sick. This version has the full piano ditty, plus the dish is more centered, and the image is slightly zoomed out. When it starts, almost all of the dish is already in the frame.

Quotes[]

  • Debra: (imitating Robert) "Everybody loves Raymond."

External links[]

Season 1 Episodes

PilotI Love YouI Wish I Were GusStandard DeviationLook, Don't TouchFrank, the WriterYour Place or Mine?In-LawsWin, Lose or DrawTurkey or FishCaptain NemoThe BallDebra's SickWho's Handsome?The CarDiamondsThe GameRecovering PessimistThe DogNeighborsFascinatin' DebraWhy Are We Here?

Advertisement