"Italy" | |
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Everybody Loves Raymond episode | |
Episode no. | Season 5 Episode 1/2 |
Directed by | Gary Halvorson |
Written by | Philip Rosenthal |
Production code | 0001/0002 |
Original air date | October 2, 2000 (Part 1) October 9, 2000 (Part 2) |
Running time | 44 minutes |
Guest appearance(s) | |
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"Italy" is the two-part season five premiere of the American television sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond. Constituting the 100th and 101st overall episodes of the series, they were written by the creator Philip Rosenthal and directed by Gary Halvorson. In this episode of the show, which revolves around the life of Italian-American Newsday sportswriter Raymond Barone and his oddball family, his parents, Marie and Frank, announce that they're all going to Italy to visit the former's cousin Colletta, and everyone is excited to go except Raymond. Meanwhile, during the trip, Ray's brother Robert is attracted to a woman named Stefania, and tries to get past her father Signore Focagnolo to meet her. With part one originally airing on October 2, 2000 and the concluding half on October 9, both on CBS, the episode has earned positive reviews from critics and received a Writers Guild of America Award.
Frank (Peter Boyle) and Marie (Doris Roberts) announce to their family that they're all going to Italy for two weeks. The latter reasons that with her birthday coming up, she is using the money she had kept aside for 45 years to pay for the family to meet her cousin Colletta (Silvana De Santis), who lives in a small village outside of Rome. Everyone is excited to go, except Raymond (Ray Romano). Ray informs Debra (Patricia Heaton) that he doesn't want to go on the trip because he has no interest in other cultures. Debra replies that she doesn't want his "dumbness" to ruin the vacation.
The family arrive at Colleta's home, who welcomes them along with her husband Giorgio. Ray begins developing a cold which he claims he got from the air conditioning on the van they rode. Robert (Brad Garrett), also becomes miserable, due to his "dilemma"; because he plans to marry Amy but keeps focusing on his ex-wife Joanne, he claims that he is unable to sort out his feelings. At a gelato parlor, he becomes attracted to a waitress named Stefania Fogagnolo (Alex Meneses), whose father Signore Focagnolo (David Proval) is also the owner. He visits Rome with Stefania, but she tells him she doesn't want her dad to know she is dating. Meanwhile, Ray also goes to the city with the rest of the family, but while Debra, Frank and Marie are apparently having a great time, Ray is not.