Silent Partners

Silent Partners
Ray and Debra in "Silent Partners"
Season	5
Episode	15
Air Date	February 12, 2001
Cast	Ray Romano
Director(s)	Gary Halvorson
Writer(s)	Aaron Korsh
Preceded by	Ray's Journal
Followed by	Fairies

Silent Partners is the 15^th episode of Season 5, and is episode 112 of the full 210 episodes for the entire series.

Episode information

• Episode Title: Silent Partners
• Episode Number: Season 5, Episode 15 (#112 of 210)
• Air Date: February 12, 2001
• Episode description (from DVD): ""
• Cast:
  • Ray Romano as Ray Barone
  • Patricia Heaton as Debra Barone
  • Brad Garrett as Robert Barone
  • Madylin Sweeten as Ally Barone
  • Doris Roberts as Marie Barone
  • Peter Boyle as Frank Barone
  • Monica Horan as Amy MacDougall Barone
  • Sawyer Sweeten as Geoffrey Barone
  • Sullivan Sweeten as Michael Barone
• Guest Stars:
  • Eric Ramirez as Waiter
• Crew:
  • Gary Halvorson - Director
  • Phil Rosenthal - Writer
  • Tucker Cawley - Writer
  • Ray Romano - Writer
• Preceded by: "Ray's Journal"
• Followed by: "Fairies"

Plot

After an uncomfortable Valentines Day dinner date, Ray and Debra discover they have nothing to say to each other anymore. Debra believes that part of the problem is that they do not share any interests. Therefore, they decide to take interest in each other's life by connecting over one of each of their favorite hobbies. Debra starts by agreeing to watch sports with Ray and then asks Ray to read a book that she has just finished reading and really enjoyed.

The next afternoon, Ray complains to Robert that the book is boring and likens it to a “horse tranquilizer”. Ray invites Robert and his dad over to watch a Basketball game with him so that he doesn’t have to be alone with Debra. After some uncomfortable conversation, Frank reveals that Ray invited him and Robert over to watch the game. Debra becomes upset and asks Ray what the book is about. When she realizes that he didn’t actually read anything beyond the first line of the book, she gets angry and storms off.

When Ray goes to pick up the kids from his parents house the next day, he and Debra watch Marie and Frank have a completely silent awkward meal through the window of the living room. Debra thinks it’s sweet saying “they aren’t talking because they don’t have to… it’s like they are in tune”. She states that maybe she and Ray are at a point where they are so comfortable together that they don’t need to fill the silence with talk. Ray and Debra make up and end their fight.

External links

• "Silent Partners" at IMDb.com