The Everybody Loves Raymond Character Fans Can't Help But Love - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TMC · 08-01-2022, 08:47 PM

https://www.looper.com/940630/the-ev...help-but-love/

Quote:

Pat MacDougall was a fan favorite

While "Everybody Loves Raymond" primarily looks at the marriage between Raymond and Debra (Patricia Heaton), the series is also invested in Robert's love life, particularly his on-again-off-again relationship with the bubbly Amy MacDougall (Monica Horan). In Season 7, viewers were introduced to Amy's conservative Presbyterian parents Hank and Pat MacDougall, respectively played by Fred Willard and Georgia Engel.

On the r/EverybodyLovesRaymond subreddit, u/NewShinyThings confessed their love of Pat, who made a strong impression over her 13 episodes on the series. "Who else loved Pat? She wasn't afraid to stand up to Marie and she was actually quite funny!" The soft-spoken Pat was a welcome foil to Marie Barone's nosy, brash personality, as well as a character capable of delivering unlikely jabs. Adding to the hilarity was Engel's high-pitched delivery, once described as "sound[ing] like an angel has just sniffed some helium, per The New York Times.

Another user added that Pat and her husband were a much-needed addition towards the end of the series' run. "Amy's family gave the show a much needed boost in the later seasons," wrote u/NoonTimeHoopsMVP. "They were great. The contrast between both families was hilarious."

Apparently, the network thought the MacDougalls were nearly funny enough to warrant their own series. "When I finished doing 'Everybody Loves Raymond,' there was very serious talk about there being a spinoff of Brad and Amy's parents, and they would have used Fred Willard and me as Amy's parents," Engel said on a panel at the 2018 Television Critics Association's Summer Press Tour (via TV Insider). "The disappointment was so great when that didn't happen," she admitted. Luckily, the missed opportunity freed the actress up for a late-career resurgence on Broadway.

Chocolate Moose · 08-02-2022, 11:07 AM

Didn't she get the part because her husband was a producer on the show? I remember people hating her.

DJM77 · 08-02-2022, 08:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chocolate Moose

Didn't she get the part because her husband was a producer on the show?

I think that was Amy (Monica Horan).

JO Sweet Heart · 09-02-2022, 06:25 PM

With her being so soft spoken, to me, Mrs. McDougall was the more tolerable member of the McDougall family.

God bless you always!!!

Holly

stevea · 09-03-2022, 12:50 PM

She was soft-spoken and she had no problem calmly telling Marie off, which was great.

My favorite scene with them was when they refused to give Robert permission to marry Amy. Also when Peter discovered they'd let his cat outdoors. "I hope Jesus does a good job mowing the lawn!" or something like that.

Least favorite--I really disliked the episode where the MacDougalls put the little bird out of its misery, basically because the Frank objections were so out of character. I even think in another episode he said he had killed a bird once.

08-02-2022, 11:07 AM	#2
Chocolate Moose Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 21, 2007 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 4,899	Didn't she get the part because her husband was a producer on the show? I remember people hating her.
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09-02-2022, 06:25 PM	#4
JO Sweet Heart Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Mar 11, 2012 Location: East Tennessee Posts: 7,880	With her being so soft spoken, to me, Mrs. McDougall was the more tolerable member of the McDougall family. God bless you always!!! Holly
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09-03-2022, 12:50 PM	#5
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 44,740	She was soft-spoken and she had no problem calmly telling Marie off, which was great. My favorite scene with them was when they refused to give Robert permission to marry Amy. Also when Peter discovered they'd let his cat outdoors. "I hope Jesus does a good job mowing the lawn!" or something like that. Least favorite--I really disliked the episode where the MacDougalls put the little bird out of its misery, basically because the Frank objections were so out of character. I even think in another episode he said he had killed a bird once.