MovieChat Forums > Everybody Loves Raymond (1996) Discussion > "Crazy Chin" was completely unnecessary.

"Crazy Chin" was completely unnecessary.

posted 8 years ago by andrereichenbacher
21 replies | jump to latest

This episode does not need to exist. It should not have been written and filmed. The whole thing with Robert touching food to his chin before putting it in his mouth should have remained unexamined and unresolved. Not EVERYTHING that exists needs to have an explanation. People think that all things have to mean something. Well, some things dont mean anything. And Amy putting the blame for Robert's little quirk on herself and assuming that he "hates being married to her" was just absurd. And of course, it's because of something Marie did when he was a toddler that turns out to be the cause of it. What a bunch of crap. This episode REALLY did not need to be made. It's one of the worst ones of the series overall. The only part I liked was the ending where Robert kicks over the coffee table after hearing people on TV praise and compliment Ray. Hey, that inherent frustration and resentment towards Ray had to be expressed somehow, Right? LOL!

[–] wildcat2000 8 years ago

It was a great episode and IS necessary.

Robert had been doing the chin thing since like the beginning of the show or shorty aftter. I assume they planned to explain it all along.

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[–] andrereichenbacher 8 years ago

It is NOT a great episode. And they SHOULDN'T have explained it. You're entitled to your opinion. That is all.

[–] ERThree 8 years ago

It is NOT a great episode. And they SHOULDN'T have explained it. You're entitled to your opinion.

That is officially the most contradictory statement I have ever seen.

[–] alanjobe 8 years ago

It was a great episode and IS necessary.

Completely agree. Love that episode. And how fitting that it was a result of Marie paying too much attention to little Raymond. lol

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[–] Wildstyle26 8 years ago

Yeah. It was foreshadowed very early in season 1.

When Dr. Nora came over to see Debra, and she wanted the family to stay. She say Robert touching food to his chin and asks him if he's very nervous -or if he does that often. So a doctor early on thought it was some kind of nervous tick.

Typical Marie at the end. She says Robert's problem is nobody's fault, then gives Ray a huge bowl of ice cream, and nothing to Robert.
__________
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[–] pulps_suede 8 years ago

I like this episode and thought the explanation fitted with Robert's personality and family view perfectly.

I disagree with the OP. I think that when it comes to quirks and people's ticks/insecurities/ personalities all have meaning and can be linked back to something in their past.

I'm a big advocate of psychology and therapy.

However, I completely understand that many people don't believe in these things and prefer to leave the past where it is. '

[–] andrereichenbacher 8 years ago

"I completely understand that many people dont believe in these things and prefer to leave the past where it is."

Yes. Exactly. Because not bringing up the past in certain situations keeps the peace, you see. A lot of families are like that. They wont bring up embarrassments or tragedies that happened to them in order to preserve the family's union and love for one another. Sometimes it's supressing and forgetting about certain things that happened in the past is what prevents people from outright murdering each other. It's human nature, doncha know. Makes sense to me. But remember the end of "Counceling"? Debra decided on Ray's behalf that his extensive mommy issues were "best left unexplored", after he abruptly admitted that he wished he was married to his mother, who takes care of him no matter what. Because Ray Barone is lazy and selfish and likes to be taken care of, after all. And notice how R & D never went back to see Pamela again after this. It was one of those one-time things that supplied the plot of ONE episode of the series and was then never brought up or referred to ever again. Like Debra working out and Frank being into war re-enactments, for example. That's how this show operated, it would seem. And most of the time it was for the best. And given how incredibly inconsistent the writing and the plots were on ELR in general, they couldn't have managed a recurring plotline anyway, I'm sure. That's pretty much it!

[–] pulps_suede 8 years ago

Suppressing feelings is very unhealthy. Leaving the past in the past, and purposely suppressing feelings are two different things.

It's because Robert suppressed his emotions and didn't really allow himself to deal with his mother's rejection he developed the compulsion. He kept repeating the same action for attention and dd not deal with his emotions as he grew.

Also Ray (or Debra) state at the end of the therapy episode that they discussed everything and they are fine.

[–] andrereichenbacher 8 years ago

Oh, please. Like I said in my previous post, in real life certain things are not discussed in some families and are intentionally kept suppressed in order to keep the peace and to prevent people from murdering each other. Because it does happen. Quite often, as a matter of fact. What about that did you not get? Why would you be in denial about that?

And I'll bet you anything if a woman's husband admitted out loud that he wanted his mother for his wife, that would not be the end of it. She would insist that he get help for his problems, because that is not normal. And it is also just not healthy. No, he didnt say he wanted to sleep with his mother, but for him to say that he wished he had married his mother (because she takes care of him no matter what) is just.....wrong.

But then, NOBODY in that family was really ever the clinical definition of "healthy", anyway. They were all sick and nuts to begin with. Except for Debra, but like they showed numerous times, she eventually "became one of them". And that's sad.

That's all I'm gonna say, I'm done talking about this now.

[–] pulps_suede 8 years ago

There's no need to be so rude and talk down to me.

I'm not disagreeing that people surpress certain feelings for the sake of harmony.
They do. I'm saying that i think that it is unhealthy.

You don't have to discuss your issues with the whole family (like they do in Raymond), but I personally believe it is essential that we all take time to look at our lives and consider why we are the way we are. Self reflection and self improvement are a big priority in my view.

I love a good debate, but please be aware that If you are rude to me again I will not respond to you.

[–] 8 years ago

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[–] MydnightRose 8 years ago

I love that episode and explained more of the pain Robert has gone through in his life. The chin thing was brought up in the very first episode and was always a cute quirk to me, but it clearly came from somewhere and a new group of outsiders (Amy's family) brought the issue to ahead. I also think the episode showed Amy in a good light because she never had an issue with it nor questioned it until she felt she had to. Even at the end of their temp fight she had no desire to change his behavior.

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[–] jayhn1111 8 years ago

I'm not sure I agree with that. I don't think every single thing needs to be explored and analyzed to death. He wasn't killing anybody. He touched his fork on his chin. If somebody wants to pursue therapy on their own because it bothers them that much that's one thing. But ganging up on somebody and making them feel like they belong in a straightjacket for something like that isn't helpful. But it is a sitcom so I understand how they wanted the comedy aspect to revolve around that. I personally didn't think it was all that funny but that's me.

[–] Jeannette_Mary 8 years ago

It was a great episode and IS necessary.
Robert had been doing the chin thing since like the beginning of the show or shorty aftter. I assume they planned to explain it all along.

I agree. It is one of my favorite episodes.

[–] 8 years ago

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[–] jayhn1111 8 years ago

I didn't particularly care for that episode either. If I were him that would've pissed me off with the whole family ganging up on him trying to psycho analyze him.

[–] andrereichenbacher 8 years ago

Exactly. Thank you for understanding. Clearly others here did not!

[–] jayhn1111 8 years ago

NP. It is an interesting debate. I especially thought it made Debra look really bad in the episode. Her arrogance about how she took psychology and she was like "I can figure this out I know I can". How about stfu and don't exploit my life in front of the whole family like your trying to solve a problem in a board game

[–] Ditto-head 8 years ago

I agree with you and the OP on this. Every little quirk doesn't need to be examined and debated to find out why we humans do the things we do, and Robert was already self conscious and awkward enough without having the whole family discuss his odd little trait as if none of them have any of their own.

I also agree that Deb came off as pretty annoying trying to play shrink over it.

[–] TrueLoveWays 8 years ago

I loved that episode.

🌸

[–] Imatwork 8 years ago

Not EVERYTHING that exists needs to have an explanation.

Actually, If it's something that started at say, age 7....something triggered it and once you find out what, you have an explanation.

If he's been doing it since he was able to grab anything at 6 months old, then it would just be something he does and no explanation would be needed.

Since it was stated that he didn't used to do that and it appeared later in childhood there would be an explanation for this sudden change so the episode was necessary.