It's not funny. It's not sharp. It's not witty.
It's predictable. It's slow. It lacks any surprise punch.
Are we supposed to sympathize with Ray? He's not the sharpest guy, but some of the writing makes him not only out and out stupid but also lazy. Not only can he not keep his bills paid on time, but he can't even clean his house.
An example of why you have a hard time liking this guy... After his divorce, he moves in to his deceased(?) parent's home (you get the impression he inherited it) that is quite run down. At a later time, he has a new neighbor that is moving in and the new neighbor approaches him and mentions a housewarming party. Ray thinks he's being invited, but really the neighbor is there to ask Ray to clean his own gutters before the new neighbor's friends come to the party and see Ray's house. The problem?... The writers intended you to:
a - find this funny.
b - feel sorry for Ray (being kicked when down).
c - dislike the "lawyer" neighbor.
But instead you don't feel any of that. It's predictable, as the house is an eyesore; you see the condition of the house and think Ray should be grateful he has a place available and take care of it; and you're more apt to empathize with the neighbor, esp. when the camera pans to the gutters and show plants growing out of them. It's worse than the Bundy's house!
It only gets worse. Ray constantly complains about his station in life, but he isn't looking for an honorable way to make extra money. He only complains and compares the present to how things used to be. Again, it's meant to be funny or have the watchers agree, but instead you just want to shake him and tell him to wake up and get over it.
There are times when he comes across as a nice guy, but then you'll learn something about him later to erase it. For example, in the Pilot, we find out the nature of his divorce and you immediately side with Ray. But later, in a flashback of the first time he ever met who will become his "pimp," the timing of the scene reveals Ray is not beyond committing adultery. This makes you think maybe he deserved the divorce.
He's constantly portrayed as a victim, but not real likable. He wants money, but it comes across as he thinks he's entitled to it.
With his better days behind him, and him always looking back, he's just not a character I want to relate to.
Don't waste your time.
36 out of 75 found this helpful