Everybody Loves Raymond Reunion Special Set for November 24, 2025 on CBS and Paramount+

On November 24, 2025, fans of one of television’s most enduring sitcoms will get a rare gift: the full Everybody Loves Raymond cast reuniting in the same living room where it all began. The 90-minute reunion special, hosted by Ray Romano, will air on CBS and stream simultaneously on Paramount+, marking three decades since the show’s September 13, 1996 premiere. Oddly, it’s coming nearly 29 years after the debut — not quite 30 — but the timing feels right. This isn’t a revival. It’s a homecoming.

Back in the Barone Living Room

The reunion will be filmed on a meticulously recreated version of the Barone family’s iconic Long Island living room — same floral couch, same cluttered coffee table, same faint smell of Raymond’s dad’s cigar lingering in the air (metaphorically, of course). The full original cast is confirmed: Patricia Heaton as Debra, Doris Roberts as Marie, Peter Boyle as Frank (in archival footage and voiceover, given his 2006 passing), and the Sweeten twins, Madylin Sweeten and Sullivan Sweeten, who played the Barone children. The special’s promotional materials highlight moments like "Ray Romano and Patricia Heaton’s Chemistry," a nod to the quiet, electric tension that made their on-screen marriage feel so real.

It’s not just nostalgia. It’s validation. The show, which ran for nine seasons and 210 episodes, was a ratings powerhouse, often finishing in the top five during its run. It won 13 Emmys, including four for Romano and two for Roberts. And yet, for years, it was dismissed by critics as "just another family sitcom." Now? It’s seen as a masterclass in observational humor — the kind where the punchline isn’t a punchline at all, just a sigh, a look, or a perfectly timed "I’m not mad, I’m just disappointed."

Why Now? Why This Moment?

CBS is clearly banking on a wave of midlife nostalgia. The show ended in 2005, but it never really left. Syndication kept it alive on local stations, streaming platforms kept it discoverable, and parents today are introducing it to their kids — the same way their parents showed them Happy Days or Seinfeld. The timing of this reunion is no accident. With younger audiences discovering the show on Paramount+, and older ones craving comfort in familiar faces, this is a low-risk, high-reward move. The network’s official schedule lists it as "Season 2025, Episode 1," but make no mistake: there won’t be a Season 2026. This is a one-off tribute, not a reboot.

Even the scheduling is telling. November 24, 2025, is the day after Thanksgiving — a traditional TV graveyard, but also a time when families gather, remote in hand, looking for something warm and familiar. It’s the perfect slot for a show about family dysfunction wrapped in love. CBS is counting on viewers to put down their turkey sandwiches and tune in to see how Ray Romano’s hair has held up — and whether Doris Roberts’ legendary glare still works without her.

Behind the Scenes: The Stories They Won’t Tell on Air

Paramount’s press materials tease exclusive segments: Phil Rosenthal, the show’s creator, reflecting on working with Doris Roberts — who reportedly once told him, "If you write another line for Frank that’s not funny, I’m walking out." And then there’s the Sweeten twins, now adults, talking about growing up on set. Madylin, who played Ally, was just two when the show started. Sullivan, who played Geoffrey, was a toddler. They’ve said in past interviews that they didn’t realize how big the show was until they were teenagers. One wonders what they’ll say now — whether they still feel like they were part of something special, or just another job.

And what about Peter Boyle? His absence will be felt. The reunion will include voiceovers and archival clips, but his absence — like Frank’s in the final season — will be a quiet, heavy presence. Romano has said in interviews that Boyle was the one who taught him how to act by doing nothing. "He’d just sit there, looking at me like I was an idiot," Romano once said. "And somehow, that made me funnier."

What This Means for TV Nostalgia

This reunion isn’t just about Everybody Loves Raymond. It’s part of a broader trend: networks reviving beloved sitcoms not to continue stories, but to honor them. Friends did it. The Office did it. Even Seinfeld is rumored to be in the works. But Raymond was different. It wasn’t flashy. No wacky schemes, no laugh tracks that felt forced. It was quiet, messy, and deeply human. In a world of algorithm-driven content, this feels like a deliberate act of resistance — a reminder that sometimes, the best TV is the kind you watch with your parents, your siblings, or your partner who’s pretending to be asleep while you cry at Frank’s last line.

For CBS, it’s also a chance to reassert its legacy. In the 1990s and early 2000s, it dominated comedy with Friends, Will & Grace, and Raymond. Now, it’s chasing younger demographics with reality shows and dramas. This special is a love letter to the audience that stuck with them — the ones who still know the difference between "I’m not mad, I’m just disappointed" and "I’m not disappointed, I’m just mad."