Fall of the Romano Empire

SAY CHEESE, EVERYBODY (From left) Raymond's Peter Boyle, Roberts, Monica Horan, Garrett, Romano, and Patricia Heaton

EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND cast photo by Gavin Bond.

All About

Everybody Loves Raymond

Fall of the Romano Empire

What is it about Ray Romano and his TV alter ego, Ray Barone, that everybody loves? Most likely, its his relatability — an Everyman blend of insecurity, hound-dog expressions, and benign buffoonery — that has made Everybody Loves Raymond an unlikely top 10 staple for the last five seasons. (That and the fact that each member of Raymond's supporting cast is talented enough to carry his or her own series.) With ratings still strong — the sitcom will finish the season as TV's No. 1 comedy with 16.7 million viewers — why not go on for another year?

Romano says that shortly after Raymond's debut in 1996, he and creator Phil Rosenthal made a deal: Never, never do something the other doesn't want to do. Rosenthal, in particular, feels this is the perfect time for Raymond to end (the finale airs May 16 at 9 p.m. on CBS after an hour-long retrospective) because he's simply run out of stories. Never mind that he said the same thing about seasons 7 and 8 — this time he really means it. ''We do pride ourselves in going home, getting in fights with our wives, parents, and kids, and making stories from them. There's a limit to that,'' says Rosenthal, 45. ''If we kept getting in fights with these people, they'll leave us.'' Adds Romano, who at a reported $2 million per episode is the highest-paid actor on TV: ''This sounds obnoxious, but even my wife, who likes to spend money, has enough.... We didn't want to feel like we were just cranking out another year because they were going to pay us for it.''

Saying goodbye hasn't been easy for any of the troupe. ''I'm going to miss the camaraderie, and the parking. It took me 25 years to get that kind of parking,'' says Brad Garrett, who plays Ray's perpetually envious brother, Robert. Doris Roberts (nosy mom Marie) is a tad more serious: ''I've been crying for two weeks. This was my home.''

Here, the Raymond castmembers reminisce about their favorite episodes — and what they'll do after the Barones take their final bow.