| The Gift | |
| |
| Frank admiring the fish tank in "The Gift" | |
| Season | 2 |
| Episode | 9 |
| Air Date | November 17, 1997 (USA) September 27, 2004 (Canada) |
| Cast | Ray Romano Patricia Heaton Brad Garrett Doris Roberts Peter Boyle Madylin Sweeten Sawyer Sweeten Sullivan Sweeten Andy Kindler John Lee |
| Director(s) | Will Mackenzie |
| Writer(s) | Ellen Sandler Cindy Chupack |
| Preceded by | The Children's Book |
| Followed by | High School |
The Gift is the 9th episode of Season 2, and is episode 31 of the full 210 episodes for the entire series. In this episode, Ray buys Frank a giant fish tank for his birthday, but the gift doesn't go over so well.
Episode Information[]
- Episode Title: The Gift
- Episode Number: Season 2, Episode 9 (#31 of 210)
- Air Date: November 17, 1997
- Episode description (from DVD): "Ray and Robert each buy their father a gift."
- Cast:
- Ray Romano as Ray
- Patricia Heaton as Debra
- Brad Garrett as Robert
- Doris Roberts as Marie
- Peter Boyle as Frank
- Madylin Sweeten as Ally
- Sawyer Sweeten as Geoffrey
- Sullivan Sweeten as Michael
- Guest Stars:
- Andy Kindler as Andy
- John Lee as Wo-Hop
- Crew:
- Will Mackenzie - Director
- Ellen Sandler - Writer
- Cindy Chupack - Writer
- Preceded by: "The Children's Book"
- Followed by: "High School"
Synopsis[]
It's Frank's 65th birthday. For the last number of years, the family didn't give presents on their birthday, but because it was his 65th, Robert and Marie got him something and Ray didn't. Robert laughs when he finds out Ray didn't buy his father anything.
Marie got him a sweater and Robert got him the Remote Boat. Ray, on the other hand, lies and says he special ordered something but it hasn't arrived yet.
While in bed that night, Ray remembers that his father always liked the large fish tank at Wo-Hop's Chinese Takeout. So, he decides to get a large fish tank with some tropical "specially ordered" fish.
With the tank finally set up in Frank and Marie's living room, Frank just stares at the tank all day instead of the TV. Ray is then worried because he knows he has to top himself next year and get an even better gift.
Then when one of the fish dies, Frank becomes upset. Debra suggests that, since Frank is getting older, the dead fish could be somewhat symbolic of his own mortality. So Ray confronts his father about it. As it turns out, Frank was only upset because he found out how much money Ray had spent on it: a $40 fish in a $600 aquarium.
So finally, they get rid of the tank and donate it to Wo-Hop's restaurant.
Running Gags[]
- This is one of the few episodes where the Fruit of the Month Club reemerges. When Ray says he special ordered a gift, his parents freak out, hoping it's not the Fruit of the Month thing again. This gag was started back in the Pilot episode.
Trivia[]
- In the beginning of the episode, we see Ray and Andy in their office at Nassau Coliseum, not the office at Shea Stadium.
- Even though Lee and Stan are mentioned, they don't appear in the episode. But, two of the fish in the tank end up being named "Lee" and "Stan".
Production Notes[]
- Guest Star Andy Kindley is uncredited.
- Don Rosemond subs for Rhonda Robinson as Property Master. It's possible that this episode was taped while Robinson got married and legally changed her last name to Snyder instead of adding it to her first last name joined with a dash.
- Michael Duddie takes over for Randall Lowe as one of the Production Staff members.
Quotes[]
- Ray: "It's not that I don't have to worry for a year. It's that I have a year to worry."
- Frank: (to Ray) "I don't give a Flying Wallenda..."
