Everybody Loves Raymond

Robert asks Ray and Debra to assist with his criminal psychology course by completing IQ tests, which he uses as part of the curriculum. After they take the tests, he deliberately provides them with inaccurate scores, aiming to gauge how each reacts to the misleading information.

Standard Deviation is a programme classified as an episode, falling within the broader genre of episodic television. It is presented as a self‑contained instalment that follows a specific storyline rather than a long‑running serial, and its format aligns with typical episodic productions. In this particular episode, the character Robert approaches his colleagues Ray and Debra with a request that ties directly into his academic work. He asks them to take part in a series of IQ assessments, explaining that the tests will serve as material for his criminal psychology course. Both Ray and Debra agree to sit the tests, believing they are contributing to genuine research. Once the examinations are completed, Robert provides the pair with results that are deliberately inaccurate. The falsified scores are intended to provoke a response, allowing him to observe how Ray and Debra react when confronted with misleading information about their own intelligence. This manoeuvre forms the core of the episode’s tension, as the characters grapple with the unexpected feedback and Robert gauges their reactions for his own purposes.