Ping Pong (Everybody Loves Raymond)

"Ping Pong"
Everybody Loves Raymond episode
Episode no.	Season 3 Episode 13
Directed by	Will Mackenzie
Written by	Aaron Shure
Cinematography by	Mike Berlin
Editing by	Patricia Barnett
Production code	9814
Original air date	January 11, 1999 (1999-01-11)
Running time	22 minutes
Episode chronology

"Ping Pong" is the 13th episode of the third season of the American sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond (1996–2005). The episode aired on January 11, 1999 on CBS.

Reception

Following the end of the 1998 Monday Night Football season Everybody Loves Raymond was competing with, CBS chose to air the sports-themed "Ping Pong" in order to attract the football series' male demographic.[1] Upon its original airing, "Ping Pong" attracted 11.6% of 980,000 American homes, making it the fourteenth most-viewed program of the week.[2] According to Screen Rant, "Ping Pong" "is one of the most iconic of the entire series, as it finds Ray and Frank pitted against each other in a vicious battle."[3] However, the source criticized Ray's insult to Robert, "zero serving zero - you experimented in camp," for its homophobic nature.[4] For acting in "Ping Pong" and "Driving Frank," Peter Boyle was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.[5]

King of Queens Connection

A similar premise was also used for companion series The King of Queens (1998-2007): in the Season 6 episode "King Pong", Doug enlists Arthur's help in defeating Carrie.

References

1. Lorando, Mark (January 12, 1999). "Home Stretch". The Times-Picayune. p. F1.
2. "Prime-Time Ratings". The Orange County Register (Morning ed.). p. F2.
3. Daley, Katerina (October 27, 2019). "Everybody Loves Raymond: 10 Best Frank Barone Quotes". Screen Rant. Retrieved January 29, 2020.
4. Daley, Katerina (August 13, 2019). "Everybody Loves Raymond: 10 Jokes That Have Already Aged Poorly". Screen Rant. Retrieved January 29, 2020.
5. "Emmy Episode Submissions 1998–99". Gold Derby. March 7, 2016. Retrieved January 28, 2020.