If there's light at the end of the tunnel, the MLR crew hasn't seen it. This time around, they tackle the penultimate episode of Raymond's first season, in which Debra endures a dark night of the soul: in Barone absentia, who is she? Appropriately, Matt and Kevin dispense with the jokes for a more serious, contemplative conversation, addressing topics including sports philosophy, Larry King, and fedoras. You won't want to miss this riveting case study in sadomasochism. 

In the 12th installment of the podcast, two very bland episodes of Raymond are the occasion for a real laidback MLR affair. Matt and Kevin take their time (and yours) working their way through the show's least pressing questions: What does dom Debra look for in a sub? Do the Barones know how to sleep? How do you play Baker in the Mineshaft? There's also the promise of a ginger ale bit that never arrives. 

Hurtling toward oblivion, the MLR Boys gear up for the end of Ray's first season with recaps of the 17th and 18th episodes: namely, "The Game" and "Recovering Pessimist." What little goodwill toward the show they still possess is nearly exhausted in a conversation that ranges from Gary Oak to Canada Dry's new market disruptor, Ginger Ale Bold, all before coming to an abrupt and almost disorienting end. 

In their 10th episode, Matt and Kevin celebrate their first Valentine's Day at the Barone house, an occasion that merits their full and undivided attention. The holiday provides the MLR crew with an opportunity to investigate several conspiracies, including the occult ministry of Barry Bonds, the social conditioning concealed within elementary school Valentine's traditions, and the possible influence of reptilians on the production of Everybody Loves Raymond. 

As Matt and Kevin wrap up the "middle third" of Raymond's first season, morale has never been lower. Wallowing in self-pity and complaining throughout, the hosts tackle the big questions asked by the show's fourteenth and fifteenth episodes--namely, "Which Barone man is hottest?" and "How bad does dancing have to get before it is no longer considered dancing?" Other topics include Bob's Discount Furniture, Simoniz car wax, and the original Long Island campus of Hogwarts. 

"If we're watching the watchmen, who's watching the baby?" In the latest installment of Must Love Raymond, our hosts follow Ray into a brave new world called "1997," where the Looney Tunes wear baggy jeans and backward hats, and shielding one's children from the harsh light of reality is a moral crime punishable by soul-death. As they recap the 12th and 13th episode of Ray's first season, Matt and Kevin find time to discuss a number of other topics like candy mixology, Little Carmine Lupertazzi, and the international appeal of the musical "Grease." 

In a stunning return to form, the MLR Boys dissect the tenth and eleventh episodes of Raymond's first season. No guests, no gimmicks. All muscle. Topics include Richard III, Casper the Friendly Ghost, and what Bilbo Baggins hates. 

The MLR crew is at it again, this time joined by the elusive Steely Ray (@ray_steely), whose Raymond/Rosenthal expertise helps rescue what would have been a painful recap of the show's dismal ninth episode. Topics include brand-name antacids, dream analysis, and, of course, the 1992 Parker Brothers board game Don't Wake Daddy. 

In this installment of the single biggest Everybody Loves Raymond recap podcast in the Anglophone world, Matt and Kevin take a loose and laidback look at the eighth episode of the first season, in which Debra's parents pay the Barones a visit. The hosts take a moment to correct some of their many past errors, and shots are fired at a certain rival podcast. Other topics include Columbo, cultural transposition, and the allure of the dugong. 

In the latest episode of MLR, Matt and Kevin are given a new lease on life when friend of the pod John shows up to discuss the 6th and 7th episode of Everybody Loves Raymond's first season. The deepest dive yet, this episode is almost criminally long, clocking in at over an hour and a half. Topics include the cultural shift from "porno" to "porn," whether or not one can retire from a marriage, and ginger ale: friend or foe?