Ray Romano and creator Phil Rosenthal explain during the show’s 30th anniversary reunion why an Everybody Loves Raymond reboot will never happen as they honor the late cast members who made the sitcom what it was.
The cast of Everybody Loves Raymond came together on Monday night for a milestone celebration, reuniting for the sitcom’s 30th anniversary — but the gathering also came with definitive news about the show’s future. During the 90-minute CBS reunion special, Ray Romano and series creator Phil Rosenthal addressed the one question fans have asked for years: Will the beloved comedy ever get a reboot?
Romano made the answer clear right from the start. “This, I’m sure you know, is a reunion,” he told Rosenthal, emphasizing that the evening was meant to celebrate the past — not launch a revival. Rosenthal echoed that sentiment, reminding viewers that this Barone family gathering was “not a reboot.”
Romano then explained why the award-winning series, which ran for nine seasons from 1996 to 2005, will never return in a new form. “We’re never gonna do one, because we’re missing three cast members, three family members,” he shared. “So we would never try to do the show without them.”
The reunion special paid tribute to those late stars, displaying a photo of Doris Roberts, Peter Boyle, and Sawyer Sweeten — whose deaths marked profound losses for the Raymond family. Roberts, who played Marie Barone, died in 2016 at 90. Boyle, known for his role as the hilariously gruff Frank Barone, passed away in 2006 at 72. In 2015, Sawyer Sweeten, who portrayed one of Ray and Debra’s twin sons, Geoffrey, died by suicide at age 19.
Several cast members attended the reunion, including Patricia Heaton (Debra), Brad Garrett (Robert), Monica Horan (Amy), and surviving Sweeten siblings Madylin (Ally) and Sullivan (Michael). They also honored other cherished recurring actors who have since passed, such as Katherine Helmond, Georgia Engel, and Fred Willard.
For Rosenthal, the idea of a reboot simply wouldn’t do justice to the series or its fans. “It wouldn’t be the same,” he said. “We have too much respect for the show itself and for the beautiful audience… to keep it the way it is, and, thankfully, the show is still on every day, all over the world. If you want to visit your friends, we’re here.”
Romano previously shared the same sentiment earlier this year, telling the New York Post that a revival would be impossible without the original cast. Calling the reason “obvious,” he said, “Peter and Doris and one of the kids, they’re no longer with us. We’re all heartbroken. They’re a big part of the show, the dynamic.”
Heaton agreed, noting that attempting a reboot without those beloved stars “would be a disservice to the show.”
For now, the reunion stands as a celebration of the series’ enduring legacy and the people who made Everybody Loves Raymond a staple of television comedy. Fans can relive the special Everybody Loves Raymond: 30th Anniversary Reunion which aired Monday, Nov. 24 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CBS, with streaming available on Paramount+ beginning Tuesday, Nov. 25.
