'EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND' Secrecy guards plot of final episode of hit sitcom on CBS

The show's creator doesn't want a lot of hoopla, just a party for his staff.
By DAVE MASON
SCRIPPS HOWARD NEWS SERVICE
Already written, the final story of "Everybody Loves Raymond" will wrap up one of the last of this era's hit sitcoms.
"It's a little scary. The genre needs a shot in the arm," said Leslie Moonves, the Viacom co-president and co-chief operating officer, about the departures of hit sitcoms such as "Raymond" and NBC's "Friends" and "Frasier."
In his new position, Moonves, the former CBS chairman, continues to oversee the Viacom network and its sister entity, UPN.
But, Moonves said he remains optimistic that creative ways will be found to reinvigorate sitcoms.
On Monday, "Everybody Loves Raymond" creator Phil Rosenthal said the final story has been written but declined to give away any plot details for that or any of the other episodes for the final season.
"I don't want to say what will happen, but there will be surprises," Rosenthal said. "I have a strict agreement with CBS; they don't give away plot points [in commercials or promotional campaigns]," he said.
"I believe the audiences want to be satisfied; they want something that feels like an ending, but they don't want to be so devastated and sad that they can't continue living," Rosenthal said.
"I won't tell you what we're going to do. We have something that will satisfy viewers."
Only 16 first-run episodes will air next season; usually 22 to 26 episodes of "Raymond" air per season. Rosenthal said the series is ending next year for the creative reasons: There are only so many stories left to be told.
No hoopla
The final episode, which Rosenthal plans to be a half-hour, as usual, will be taped in January and air at the end of the season in May, he said.
A studio audience will watch, as usual, and Rosenthal said he realizes he may need to have audience members sign an agreement that they won't reveal the details.
"Friends" left NBC in May after intense press coverage and multiple showings of reruns, and "NBC Dateline" devoted special reports to "Friends" and "Frasier."
"I promise there will not be the kind of hoopla seen at other networks," Rosenthal said. "I hope there will be a party for my staff and me; that's the only hoopla I want.
"The danger is you don't want people's expectations [for the finale] to go too high, but [excessive hype] is not CBS' personality."
Rosenthal said he and series co-creator and star Ray Romano aren't opposites, despite Rosenthal's background in television and Romano's career in standup comedy.
"He was worried [in the beginning] that the show would be too TV. My job was to assure him that I was a person who liked humor," Rosenthal said.