The Toaster (Everybody Loves Raymond)
A Christmas episode of Everybody Loves Raymond.
"The Toaster" is the eleventh episode of the third season of the sitcom *Everybody Loves Raymond*, which originally aired on CBS on December 7, 1998. The show centers on Ray Barone, a sportswriter for *Newsday*, and his attempts to manage his eccentric family: his wife Debra (Patricia Heaton), his parents Frank (Peter Boyle) and Marie (Doris Roberts), his brother Robert (Brad Garrett), his daughter Ally (Madylin Sweeten), and his twin sons Michael (Sullivan Sweeten) and Geoffrey (Sawyer Sweeten).
According to Nielsen Media Research, the episode tied with the CBS television film *Christmas in My Hometown* as the 12th most-watched program for the week ending December 13, 1998, reaching 10.8% of 97 million American households. In a review of the third season, Jeffrey Robinson of DVD Talk described the episode as "quite funny" and full of "some classic moments." *The Oregonian* ranked it the eighth best episode of the series, and it is a personal favorite of series creator Phil Rosenthal.
The episode has appeared on several lists of top Christmas episodes. Screen Rant placed it second among 1990s sitcom Christmas episodes, while *The New York Observer* ranked it tenth on its all-time Christmas episode list. *The Herald-Dispatch* put it at number two, and Channel 24 at number nine. Both lists highlighted the line "You’re a trophy wife? What contest in hell did I win?"—which also topped Screen Rant’s list of best Frank Barone quotes. Channel 28 named it one of the top ten best one-liners from the show. *People* singled out Marie and Frank’s argument over the toaster as one of Doris Roberts’ finest moments, noting it featured "some of the finest acting Peter Boyle and Roberts would ever do together."
The entire third season was released on DVD on May 3, 2005, including "The Toaster" with an audio commentary track by Ray Romano and Phil Rosenthal. The episode became available on Amazon Prime on November 8, 2013, alongside the rest of season three, and was also on Netflix until September 1, 2016.
- Series
- Everybody Loves Raymond
- Season
- 3
- Episode
- 11
- Original air date
- December 7, 1998
- Network
- CBS
- Genre
- Sitcom
Lore & Background
According to Nielsen Media Research, "The Toaster" tied with the CBS television film Christmas in My Hometown for the 12th most-viewed program of the week ending December 13, 1998, garnering 10.8% of 97 million American homes. Reviewing season three of Raymond, Jeffrey Robinson of DVD Talk called the episode "quite funny" and filled with "some classic moments." It has been named the eighth best episode of Raymond by The Oregonian and is a series favorite for Rosenthal.
"The Toaster" has been placed on several retrospective lists of best Christmas episodes. Screen Rant ranked it the second best Christmas episode from a 1990s sitcom, and The New York Observer placed it at number ten on its list of all-time Christmas episodes. The Herald-Dispatch ranked it number two on its list, and Channel 24 number nine. Both lists highlighted the episode's lines "You’re a trophy wife? What contest in hell did I win?" which also topped Screen Rant's list of best Frank Barone quotes. Channel 28 also named it one of the top ten best Raymond one-liners. People put Marie and Frank's argument about the toaster as one of Roberts' best moments in the show, elaborating that it showcased "some of the finest acting Peter Boyle and Roberts would ever do together."
Reader's Guide
The episode "The Toaster" is notable for its reception and lasting recognition as a Christmas-themed installment of Everybody Loves Raymond. It tied for 12th most-viewed program of its broadcast week, reaching 10.8% of American homes. Critics and retrospective lists have consistently highlighted the episode, with DVD Talk calling it "quite funny" and The Oregonian ranking it the eighth best episode of the series. The episode is particularly remembered for the line "You’re a trophy wife? What contest in hell did I win?" which appeared on multiple best-quotes lists. The argument between Marie and Frank over the toaster was singled out by People as showcasing some of the finest acting by Peter Boyle and Doris Roberts. The episode has been included in home media releases: the complete third season DVD set (May 3, 2005) includes an audio commentary track by Romano and Rosenthal. It was also available on Amazon Prime from November 8, 2013, and on Netflix until September 1, 2016.
Did You Know?
- "The Toaster" aired on December 14, 1998 on CBS.
- It tied with the CBS television film Christmas in My Hometown for the 12th most-viewed program of the week of December 16, 1998.
- Screen Rant ranked it the second best Christmas episode from a 1990s sitcom.
- The episode's line "You’re a trophy wife? What contest in hell did I win?" topped Screen Rant's list of best Frank Barone quotes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What season and episode number is 'The Toaster' on Everybody Loves Raymond?
'The Toaster' is the eleventh episode of Season 3. It first aired on CBS on December 7, 1998.
Is 'The Toaster' a Christmas episode of Everybody Loves Raymond?
Yes, it is specifically categorized as a Christmas episode, which lines up with its late-December broadcast slot.
Who appears in 'The Toaster' (Everybody Loves Raymond)?
The episode features the usual Barone household: Ray, a Newsday sportswriter; his wife Debra; his parents Frank and Marie; his brother Robert; and their three kids, Ally, Michael, and Geoffrey.
What is the central conflict in 'The Toaster' (Everybody Loves Raymond)?
As a Christmas installment, the plot revolves around the Barone family's holiday-season friction, with a toaster serving as the focal object that drives the episode's comedic tension.
How did 'The Toaster' perform in the ratings?
Nielsen data shows the episode tied with a CBS television film that aired the same evening in terms of audience numbers.
More in Everybody Loves Raymond episodes 1-18
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