Ray is bewildered, but not altogether displeased when Debra starts initiating sex on a more than regular basis. He can't believe his luck - and good fortune when as a result of Debra's new behavior it's as if he and she were newlyweds again. Ray is even willing to give up his golf game to satiate Debra's desires. But, never able to leave well enough alone, Ray looks for a reason behind her sudden burst of energy and gets a crushing blow to his ego.

Ray and Debra's plan of getting Frank and Marie their own friends backfires when instead of going to their house they bring their friends to Ray and Debra's.

The competition for attention between Ray and Robert reaches an all-time high with the brothers ending up in a fight. Ray's dreams of authoring a sports book get squashed when the publishing company takes a pass on it, just as Robert receives the good news that he is being promoted to lieutenant. The Barone family doesn't quite know how to react to this most bizarre of situations in which Ray has failed at something while Robert has succeeded. But worst of all, Ray doesn't know how (or if) he's ever going to get past this.

Ray is mortified when he realizes that Marie used to read the personal journal he kept as a teenager. When Marie blurts out an embarrassing incident from Ray's past, he can't figure out how she could have possibly known that information. That is, until he discovers that she must have broken the secret code he used when writing in his journal. And in the process, his mother has learned about his most personal, and perverted, thoughts.

Tempers flare when Marie accuses Debra of not returning a borrowed canister that holds sentimental value and Debra insists that she has already given it back. Debra is then horrified when she discovers that she does indeed still have the canister in her possession. With Ray and Robert's reluctant assistance, she concocts an elaborate scheme to get rid of the evidence, rather than confess to Marie that she was wrong and her mother-in-law was right all along.

When Ray gets hit on at the airport after losing his wedding ring on a business trip Debra gets jealous and tries to get back at him by going to the supermarket without her wedding ring but her plan backfires on her when nobody pays attention to her.

When Debra grudgingly agrees to let Ray be more involved in daily decision making, Ray starts grocery shopping for things that he likes, and Debra lets him choose where the family will go for their next vacation. However, these newfound powers quickly become Ray's undoing.

After arguing with Ray over his inability to help her with the housework, Debra becomes intrigued when their friends, Linda and Bernie, mention they've been seeing a marriage counselor. Although Ray is completely against the idea, he quickly adopts a cooperative attitude when they meet the therapist, Pamela, who instantly takes a liking to Ray when he claims that he'll do anything to make his marriage work. Frustrated by the session, Debra accuses Ray of acting phony during therapy. Marie intercedes and conducts a mock ""therapy"" session with them which leads to a breakthrough that leaves even Ray horrified.

Tired of being labeled the ""evil witch"" around the house, Debra convinces Ray that it's his turn to discipline the kids. While leaving to take Ally to a Frontier Girls meeting, Debra tells Ray that he must force the twins to clean up their room or they can't go out and play. Reluctant at first to spoil their fun, Raymond starts to tire of their devilish antics and winds up going overboard with the boys' punishment. Meanwhile, Frank proclaims himself a model disciplinarian, only to learn that despite his scare tactics, Ray and Robert broke plenty of rules around the house.

Amy's mom and dad finally meet the Barone Family. Amy's folks show up unexpectedly at their daughter's house on a Sunday morning. They want to talk Amy out of marrying Robert and take her home to Pennsylvania with them. First, they are stunned to see Robert there. Then Frank and Marie arrive. It doesn't take long for the two sets of parents to disliking each other.

Ray hosts a lame bachelor party for Robert and is shamed by Debra, Marie and Amy into throwing him another one at the lodge, which is attended by Amy's father and brother.

Debra persuades Ray to hire Gianni to do some remodeling in their kitchen, but they both soon regret it due to their friend's laziness. His hiring also upsets Frank, who believes he should be allowed to do any handiwork needed around Ray's house.

Robert and Amy convince their families to spend Thanksgiving together. When the Barones arrive at the Pennsylvania home of Amy's parents, they find that their differing family traditions encourage lots of lively conversation. If only the MacDougals owned a television set! Things start to come together when the families separate into Pilgrims and Indians for the annual MacDougal Thanksgiving Family Pageant. All is well until a bird flies into the house and Pat McDougal decides to ""put it out of it's misery.""

After realizing that Debra places bets with the kids on his questionable behavior traits, Ray is disgusted that his own children now think he's a ""doof."" When reflecting upon his own childhood, Ray remembers that Marie used to complain about Frank in front of him all the time – making him think his dad was a loser. Concerned that his own kids will think of him the same way as Frank, Ray contemplates how to get the kids back on his side.

Amy's parents put Robert on the defensive when they point out his strange habit of touching food to his chin before he eats it. When Amy confides in Debra, who tells her that Robert's strange behavior could be psychological, she devises a plan to break him of his chin habit for good.

Robert and Ray end up with the mother of all guilt trips when they decide not to help Marie with a home project so they can land a prime spot on the golf course. Their overnight wait in the car for a tee time becomes a brawl over their respective roles in their parents' future.

When Ray and Debra visit Fank and Marie's condo, they learn that the owners are going to kick them out. Marie and Frank move out. Robert and Amy are upset, but they let Frank and Marie live with them.

Amy's parents ask Ray to give their son, Peter, some tips on dating. Later, Debra throws a cocktail party and invites some single women to meet Peter, but Ray isn't thrilled with the guest list.

Ray tells Robert that Amy talks too much after she chats with Ray for over an hour while he tries to watch a basketball game on TV. Of course, Robert tells Amy, which leads to a heated confrontation between ""Lady Chatterly"" and her insensitive brother-in-law.

Ray fears getting his adenoids removed, but Debra convinces him to go through with the surgery. At the hospital, while Marie is in the bathroom, the nurse says that Ray isn't waking up from the anesthesia and everyone fears he may die. Fortunately, thirty seconds later, the doctor comes out and says he's just fine. Everyone agrees not to tell Ray or Marie about it; however, Frank ends up telling Marie who rushes over to smother Ray with kisses. Ray finds out about it and begins acting weird as if he thinks he really is going to die. After a couple minutes, he gets out of it. The show closes with the entire family sitting around the table eating and arguing, just like the Barones always have in the past nine years.