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Everybody Loves Raymond Season 2 Episode 15

Marie's Meatballs

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AIRED: 1/19/98

When Raymond chooses his mother's spaghetti and meatballs over his wife's lemon chicken for dinner, Debra blows a gasket. With good intentions, Ray asks Marie to teach Debra how to make her world-famous dish.

Fan Episode Reviews (4)

Ray chooses Marie's spaghetti and meatballs over Debra's lemon chicken

10

By tigerdude22, Feb 09, 2012

When Raymond chooses his mother's spaghetti and meatballs over his wife's lemon chicken for dinner, Debra blows a gasket. With good intentions, Ray asks Marie to teach Debra how to make her world-famous dish. This was another "Everybody Loves Raymond" episode that I decided to watch as there was nothing good to watch on television and I had an 11:45am Early Release at school today. I really like this show and wanted to see this episode since I haven't seen it in a long time... I've seen it before but it's probably been like 4 or 5 years since I've seen it. Anyways, I loved this episode and I loved the storyline. The realism in this episode was very good and I thought the rivalry between Marie and Debra when it comes to cooking was very funny and entertaining. Debra got angry at Ray and telling him "Who's the Nutcase now? WHO'S THE NUTCASE NOW?" was hilarious. Marie talking to Ray about how she is worried that that Ray will never come to her house again if she doesn't make the food was heartwarming to see as well. So yeah, there isn't much to say about this episode except that it was very funny and the realism was very good which makes this episode aaaa.......... CLASSIC. Overall, a perfect episode of "Everybody Loves Raymond". 10/10moreless
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Marie.

7.2

By thefanof, Nov 23, 2009

Solid episode of Everybody Loves Raymond tonight. This show is not mind-blowingly hilarious comedy like one might see when they watch an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm or Seinfeld or Arrested Development or It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, you get the point, but it is a strong, character-based comedy that is fun for the whole family, like the circus. These exaggerated personalities became icons for a reason and are relatable to the average American household. The struggles between Debra and Marie in this episode are problems everyone goes through with their in-laws and that realism is what made this series a classic.moreless
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Marie cannot let Debra make meatballs as good as hers.

9.3

By Sherringford, Mar 26, 2007

The Debra-Marie wars enter a new stage when the battleground becomes competitive cooking. This is one area where Marie will stop at nothing to protect her status as supreme cook of the family. When Debra asks Ray whether he prefers her tiresome lemon chicken or Marie’s famous spaghetti and meatballs, Ray must admit in all honesty that he would prefer the spaghetti and meatballs. This upsets Debra, who tries to downplay her feelings. Ray, however, feels guilty and asks Marie to share her meatball recipe with Debra so she can make them just as good. He knows “some meat and some balling” are involved, but feels there is more to it. Marie’s response is strangely positive. She denies using a recipe, claiming the most important ingredient is “love.” She insists on teaching Debra herself, using her own ingredients. This is not something Ray or Deb wanted, but the Marie steamroller was underway!

Debra is very excited when she presents Ray with her own spaghetti and meatballs, prepared under Marie’s close supervision. Ray bites into a meatball and pretends it’s just as good as Marie’s, but Debra sees through him. She becomes very depressed to realize that, all other things being equal, her failure must be with that elusive ingredient of “love.” Rightfully suspicious, she sneaks into Marie’s kitchen in the middle of the night to find the recipe, under the pretense of returning a big spoon. Robert catches her and recognizes a “breaking and entering” when he sees one, saying “It’s never the big spoon.” She explains her plight and Robert agrees to help. The recipes are kept in a big hat box that Robert retrieves. But to Debra’s consternation, the recipe ingredients are exactly the ones she used. Back in her own kitchen, Ray tries to cheer Debra up as she despondently packs up the ingredients. She discovers that one ingredient, basil, has a fake label. It is actually tarragon, the source of the odd taste Ray noticed. This kicks off one of Debra’s great scenes. While Ray can’t believe his mother would stoop so low, Deb triumphantly waves the spice bottle in his face, demanding “Who’s the nut case now, Ray! Who’s the nut case now!” Ray confronts Marie, who curses the glue stick that gave her away. Ray admonishes, “That was very baaaad, Ma.” Marie confesses that she wanted Deb’s meatballs to fail because her food was the one thing that kept Ray coming over. To make it up, she decides to give Debra her recipes. Debra looks through them, only to discover the one for Ray’s favorite, steak pizziola, is missing, as Marie runs out the door.

A wonderful running gag in this episode is Frank’s penchant for drinking juice from the bottle, leaving just a tiny bit to infuriate Marie. It’s a well-rounded episode giving everyone in the family a chance to do their thing.moreless
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This is a great episode which I watched over and over

10

By Fiona_mac_92, Nov 21, 2006

This is a series classic episode. This episode starts off with Ray choosing Maries meatballs of Debras lemon chicken. Debra gets really angry at Ray that he didn't take her side. Debra ends up letting Marie teach her how to make meatballs. Ray didn't like Debras meatballs and Debra got disappointed. When Debra was placing all of maries ingrediants in a box to give it back to her, she realised that on one of the spice jars she had glued a fake label on it. She made it look like one of the ingrediance in the recipe even though it wasn't. She and Ray went over and showed Marie. Marie ended up giving Debra her recipes. This is such a great episode.moreless
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Cast & Crew: STARS

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Ray Romano	Raymond Albert Barone
Patricia Heaton	Debra Barone
Brad Garrett	Robert Barone
Doris Roberts	Marie Barone
Peter Boyle	Frank Barone
Madylin Sweeten	Ally Barone

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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TRIVIA (1)
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- This episode's lunch special is a tiny bit juice.
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QUOTES (7)
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- Debra: (about her cooking) It's the one thing that I'm sensitive about.
  Ray: The one thing?
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- Debra: I can't explain it, I just feel like second best.
  Robert: Second best? I can explain it to you.
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- Ray: I don't get it, I don't get it.
  Debra: You know what I don't get? Is that you couldn't see MY side of this! You're so busy defending your "saint of a mother", that you made ME out to be some kind of ungrateful nutcase! Well who's the nutcase now, Ray? WHO'S THE NUTCASE NOW?!?!?!
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- Debra: Why do I care so much about this?
  Ray: Because, because you're a good wife.
  Debra: Don't you EVER call me that again!
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- Ray: Okay, the MEATBALLS, are not EXACTLY like my mother's, and I am saying to YOU: We have a HOUSE! We have a CAR! Our student loans are paid off! You should be able to SLEEP!
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- Debra: This jar of oregano has another label underneath!
  Raymond: Ter - ray -gon....
  Debra: Tarragon!
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- Robert: Marie Barone Meatball Cooking Set, Marie Barone Included.
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