The Untold Truth Of Everybody Loves Raymond

One thing that makes "Everybody Loves Raymond" feel so much more authentic than other sitcoms is that it feels grounded in reality. You always get the feeling that you are watching something that could happen in any suburban household, albeit dialed up to 11. 

This sort of grounded absurdity was no accident, but something that the makers of the show consciously set out to do. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, co-creator Phil Rosenthal explained that he decided to keep the setting for "Everybody Loves Raymond" as close as possible to Ray Romano's real life, because Romano's personal life was "funnier than anything he could have dreamed up." Also, Rosenthal didn't want relative newbie actor Romano to have stretch himself too much trying to play a completely different personality.   

In the same interview, Romano stated that his real-life family, who all inspired the characters of Debra, Robert, Marie, and Frank to some extent, enjoyed seeing their television counterparts cause mayhem on the show. The fact that the people on the show so closely resemble people in the real world ultimately helped separate "Everybody Loves Raymond" from other sitcoms containing more over-the-top characters.