Everybody Loves Raymond: Ray Romano Shoots Down Reboot Idea

Reviving popular sitcoms has become more common than ever with beloved shows such as Full House, Saved by the Bell, Roseanne, Mad About You, Will & Grace, Frasier, and more all getting a new life in recent years. However, there are some famous television comedies you shouldn’t expect to see back, including Everybody Loves Raymond. Ray Romano recently appeared on Real Time and told Bill Maher that has no plans to revive the sitcom, which ran for nine seasons from 1996 to 2005.

“As far as a reboot, well its out of the question,” Romano shared. “They’re never as good … and we want to leave with our legacy as what it is.”

Romano added “it’s out of the question” because Peter Boyle and Doris Roberts have since passed away, and many would agree that Ray’s parents were the highlight of the series.

“The rest of the cast wanted it to go on,” Romano added of the show’s original ending. “But myself and [showrunner] Phil Rosenthal, we thought it was time.”

Will Malcolm in the Middle Get a Reboot?

While an Everybody Loves Raymond reboot is off the table, there is another sitcom from that era that could be revived. Before he was Walter White in Breaking Bad, Bryan Cranston played Hal Wilkerson, the lovable and accident-prone dad from Malcolm in the Middle. The show’s star, Frankie Muniz, previously revealed that Cranston was developing a reboot, and the actor recently addressed the rumors. He shared that “there was some talk” about a “reunion movie” for Malcolm in the Middle. During an interview with GQ earlier this year, Cranston gave another update about the project. 

“I’m curious about that family 20 years later,” Cranston explained. “What happened to them? Where are they? What are the kids doing? They’re grown men now.”

“I first proposed the idea of a reunion movie,” Cranston previously shared in GQ‘s video series that saw him breaking down his most iconic characters. “The creator of the show, Linwood Boomer, is warming to it. If we come across an idea that all of us feel is really valid, not just – I have no interest to keep busy or pick up a paycheck – I want to do something that, ‘Man, that’s a great idea.’ And we get to see these people 20 years later. All the boys are now in their, at least in their thirties. They’re all grown men, married, children … It’s just an extraordinary situation for me. I was, in fact, a couple of them are nearing the age I was when I played the dad of those kids,” he added with a laugh.   

Last year, Boomer spoke to Entertainment Weekly about the movie idea. “We’re talking about it,” Boomer shared. “We all think it would be fun if we get the right idea. Honestly, it would be going much faster if everyone wasn’t so annoying.” He added that Cranston was “kind of heading writing the script and getting everything rolling.” 

Are there any sitcoms you’d like to see be rebooted? Tell us in the comments!