When Ray's upper class in-laws come for a visit, he begs his parents to be nice to them and accept their differences even though their lifestyles are worlds apart. Ray admits to his parents that he doesn't always see eye-to-eye with Debra's folks but manages to fake it and he'd like his parents to do the same when they all go out and try to have a family dinner. The request, however, proves to be a tall order for Frank and Marie.

Although Marie has always cooked the traditional turkey dinner for Thanksgiving, Debra decides it's her turn to prepare the holiday meal, but, not wanting to compete with Marie's turkey, she chooses to serve fish which upsets the apple cart. Marie, feeling threatened when her family thinks Debra's fish idea is perfectly acceptable, decides to bring her own turkey to the dinner party to prove that she's the better cook. Meanwhile, Ray's idea of a traditional holiday at home becomes even more untraditional when the relatives opt not to watch football.

After Raymond asks Debra why she ever married him, they take a walk back in time to the very beginning of it all. Raymond is very, very nervous. He's about to propose to his lovely girlfriend Debra and nothing is going right. But when he finally pops the big question, she accepts, the families celebrate, and all is well. At least for five minutes. Then the "nervous" turns into "pure fear" when Ray wonders if she really wants to marry him for love or if it's just for the elaborate wedding she's been planning since she was twelve.

While the Barones prepare for a friend's wedding, Ray kiddingly asks Debra, "Why did you marry me?" When she hesitates, he flashes back to the not-so-magical night 10 years before when he popped the big question. Ray gets unexpected, unsolicited and unwelcome help with from his parents, but Debra says yes anyway. That leaves the gloomy groom wondering if she did so because she loves him or because she felt pressured. So, Ray decides he's "gotta give her another chance to say no."

When Debra’s mother comes to visit the family for a week, Debra finds herself shocked to discover that she wishes her mom were more like Marie. Debra’s highly anticipated week of “quality time” with her mom, Lois, and the family quickly turns into a big disappointment when her mother seems more interested in the Renoir exhibit and her crossword puzzles than in Debra, Ray and the children. When her frustration with Lois’ disinterest reaches a boiling point, Debra makes the mistake of blurting out that she wishes her mother were more like Marie. Then she has the unfortunate double trouble of making amends with her mom — and dealing not only with Marie’s glee, but also with her claim that she deserves credit for teaching Debra parenting skills.

Ray is overjoyed by the reaction he is getting from friends and family who received a personalized “Barone” toaster from him as a gift — even Debra’s pretentious parents are thrilled with it. But, having heard nothing from his parents, Ray confronts Frank and Marie, the two people whose approval matters most, and is amazed beyond belief to hear what they did with the gift — and then what they resort to in order to get it back.

Ray decides to get his parents a family portrait for Christmas and they love the idea, until Debra's parents show up to be in it too.

Ray and Debra renew their wedding vows after they find out that Ray accidentally taped over their wedding with the 1991 Super Bowl.

While celebrating Thanksgiving, Debra discovers that her seemingly contented parents are really not very happy with each other. When Ray accidentally overhears his in-laws going at it with each other, he relays the news to Debra... who has always believed her parents' relationship to be a lot healthier than Frank and Marie's. But, when things come to a head at the Thanksgiving table, it's apparent that there really isn't that much of a difference between the two older couples – much to Debra's dismay.

Debra gets upset when she finds out that her parents have seperated.

It's the first Thanksgiving since Debra's parents have been divorced and Debra is thrilled that both her parents have agreed to have dinner with the Barones. However, she soon learns that Warren is bringing a date. Everyone is horrified except Debra's mother, who thinks it's just great.

Marie gets upset when she sees Ray calling Lois, Debra's mother, mom so Ray tells Debra that maybe she should start calling Marie mom. When Debra calls Marie mom in front of Lois, Lois gets upset because she doesn't think that Debra should be calling Marie mom since she isn't her mother. An argument between Marie and Lois erupts and they decide that perhaps it would be best if Ray and Debra only call their respective mothers mom.

After Debra's mother suggests throwing Debra an ""old-fashioned English Tea Party,"" Ray reluctantly agrees after she promises to do all the work. When Debra realizes Ray is planning something for her birthday, she suggests he change the theme to a Chinese banquet. Unfortunately, Lois has already started planning the tea party and now Ray must find a way to convince her to change her plans.

Debra invites her divorced parents, Warren and Lois, to the family Thanksgiving. When Ray walks in on the two making love, he and Debra assume that they are getting back together. Later on, Warren and Lois inform Debra otherwise and an unprecedented turn of events shocks everyone.