Debra Barone

Debra Barone
General
Full name	Debra Barone
Actor/Actress	Patricia Heaton
First Appearance	Season 1 Episode 1 "Pilot"
Number of episodes	209
Relatives	Husband - Ray Children - Ally, Michael, Geoffrey In-Laws - Frank, Marie, Robert, Amy Father - Warren Mother - Lois Sister - Jennifer Grandmother -Abby

Debra Barone is the wife of sports columnist Ray Barone. She lives with him and their three kids, daughter Ally and twin boys Michael and Geoffrey. To her dismay, Ray's parents Frank and Marie, live directly across the street. The role of Debra is played by actress Patricia Heaton. She constantly butts heads with her mother-in- law Marie. She was raised in Connecticut.

Childhood and Background

She was born in 1965 Other than that. Not much is known about her childhood, other than the fact that she was raised properly and she grew up in an upper-class family, something that once prompts Marie to pressure her into admitting to the Barones that she thinks she is better than them and that she's spoiled. Her parents are Warren and Lois, and she has a sister, Jennifer, who became a nun.

Debra was used to dating rich, good-looking guys before meeting Ray, whom she met while he was delivering a futon to her apartment. At the time, Debra was doing PR work for the NHL hockey team the New York Rangers.

Character Development

While Debra is usually stressed throughout the series, her frustration isn't too bad early on, but gets worse in later seasons, a result of constantly putting up with Marie's obnoxious behavior and Ray's laziness and reluctance to help out more around the house and with the kids. Her frustrations are compounded by her nosey mother-in-law and Ray's refusal to stand up to his mother.

There was a big blow out between her and Marie, which resulted in a cliffhanger for Season 6 which resolved itself in the beginning of Season 7.

And there was also one episode (The Shower) where Debra went to the local jail for operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol.

Debra's hairstyle and wardrobe constantly change as the show progressed.

Personality

Debra is the loyal and dedicated wife to her husband, Ray Barone She is often at the end of her rope and patient with Ray as he is constantly trying to avoid any adult responsibilities. As Ray mentioned in the episode The Skit, she is a "cranky, uptight yell-machine". Debra is often tired of feeling like the only adult in the house. Despite her constant asking, begging, nagging, and yelling at Ray to get him to do his share around the house, he continues to shirk his responsibilities in the home. Ray occasionally shows his love and affection toward Debra, which keeps the marriage going. She is constantly at odds with Marie who often criticizes her on her cooking and housekeeping skills. Raymond refuses to stand up to his mother despite Debra's constant frustration of being put down and insulted by her mother-in-law. She gets along with her father-in-law Frank for the most part and is a very good friend to Robert, her brother-in-law. She is also best friends with the shy and reserved woman (Amy) who becomes Robert's wife.

Relationship to other major characters

• Wife to Ray
• Younger sister-in-law to Robert and Older sister-in-law to Amy
• Daughter-in-law to Frank and Marie
• Mother to Ally, Michael and Geoffrey
• Friends with Amy and Linda
• Sister to Jennifer
• Daughter to Warren and Lois

Episode Appearances

Debra appeared in all episodes except "Cruising with Marie". (See the complete list of episodes.)

Memorable Quotes

• DEBRA (To Ray): Do you know how close you are to the end of your life?!

• DEBRA (frequently throughout the series to Ray): Idiot!

• DEBRA: Don't you say another word, or I'll send your mother back in there to smack the crap out of you!

• DEBRA: Robert, you have every right to be upset, but I will get a stepladder and fight you to the death over this.

• DEBRA: When I got married, I didn't just get a husband; I got a whole freak show that set up their tent right across the street! And that would be fine—if they stayed there! But every day--every day—they dump a truckload of their insane family dreck into my lap! How would you like to sit through two people in their sixties, fighting over who invented the lawn? The lawn! And then the brother! "I live in an apartment. I don't even have a lawn; Raymond has a lawn!" But you can't blame them when you see who the mother is! She has this kind of sick hold on the both of them, and the father's about as disgusting a creature as God has ever dropped on this planet! So no wonder the kid writes stories! I should be writing stories—my life is a Gothic novel—and until you have lived in that house, with all of them in there with you day after day, week after week, year after friggin' year, you are in no position to judge me!