For a criminal-psychology course, Robert issues standard IQ tests to Raymond and Debra and boy, is Raymond smarting when they get the results. But his feelings change when he discovers that Robert was playing mind games with them by telling each they scored hired than the other.

Nemo's niece, Angelina, takes employment at Nemo's as a waitress at Nemo's. When Angelina catches Ray's eye, he has a lot of explaining to do to his wife, Debra especially when Angelina calls him at home. Ray accidentally leaves his wallet at Nemo's, and Angelina calls him at home to let him know she found it. But, because he feels guilty about his innocent attraction, Ray denies ever knowing her. When the situation is blown out of proportion by the Barone family, Debra decides to visit Nemo's to see what all the fuss is about.

Ray finds out that the diamond on Debra's engagement ring is a fake, so he steals it from her to get it changed, only to find out after that she already had it changed. She had her grandma's $15,000 diamond put in.

When Debra tries to change Ray's pessimistic attitude about winning the "Sports Writer of the Year Award," he agrees to change his ways and become more upbeat – and suffers the downside of being the only optimist in his family. When Ray finally starts feeling good about himself and his recent accomplishments, his family is surprised by the change in his personality and accuses him of being a "bragger with a swelled head."

Irate neighbors are seriously up in arms over Ray's noisy dad and meddling mom so they demand a powwow at Ray's house, where his parents stumble upon the raucous caucus.

A popular radio psychologist comes to the house to interview Debra for a book on the American family. But the doctor finds that the rest of the eccentric Barones are more captivating, leaving "normal" Debra feeling left out because she's not "quirky or funny or interesting."

Ray makes a startling discovery when he takes Debra to his 20th high school reunion. It turns out that Debra's "one of them" – the cool people who hated him and used to throw him into the girls' bathroom! Depressed about being unmasked as a "nerd," Ray tries to deal with their mixed marriage.

Feeling left out when he thinks that his father selectively asked his brother to join a Civil War re-enactment, Ray voluntarily enlists for the Battle of Gettysburg. As the men prepare for Battle, a funny thing happens and Ray is finally able to tell Frank that he wishes they did more together. So, although Frank's on the side of the North and Raymond's on the side of the South, the Barone soldiers are able to put their political differences aside and share much more than a Civil War handshake.