All the best comedy has a bit of honesty in it. That’s why a show like Everybody Loves Raymond feels so timeless. Though the series originally premiered in 1996, many of the scenes have a timeless quality to them. A good, crazy family never goes out of style, and the Barone family is certainly no exception. Years after the show aired its final episode, audiences still tune in to laugh at Everybody Loves Raymond.

This relatability was Phil Rosenthal’s bread and butter, and it was arguably the reason he became so successful. As the creator of Everybody Loves Raymond, Rosenthal wanted his audience to feel a connection with the characters he was writing about.

“All the shows I valued took place on planet Earth,” wrote Rosenthal, according to The Kansas City Star. “Meaning, no matter what the situation, no matter how crazy, you believed that it could actually happen in real life.”

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Rosenthal also wasn’t interested in portraying an idealized version of life. Many popular sitcoms earn their success by romanticizing everyday life. The audience aspires to become television characters instead of relating to them.

Rosenthal, married to an actor, was aware that relationships weren’t all sweet all the time. You can be sure that for every kiss Ray and Debra enjoy, there’s sure to be an argument that follows. Rosenthal wanted to portray marriage and family life as accurately as possible, and his frank nature earned him a massive fanbase. “Marriage isn’t all nice and kissy,” said Rosenthal, “but a little bit of war, too.”