MUMBAI: CBS' chairman and CEO Leslie Moonves is said to be trying very hard to get the lead Ray Romano back for another season of the eight years old and running strong sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond.

For Romano, it is an issue of how the show can be taken further. Reports say he feels that there might not be enough scope and so has expressed reluctance to go in for another season, although each episode of the series fetches Romanio around $ 1.7 million.

A Reuters report indicates that should Romano decline to return, Everybody Loves Raymond would be the third major comedy series to go off American television this year. NBC's Friends and Frasier too are poised for an exit. All three shows air on Star World in India.

Another report however, throws a not-so-flattering light on the show. There, Romano's reluctance tio continue the show has more to do with steadily falling ratings than fatigue with the concept. The show was off 19 per cent in the fourth quarter among the 18-49 year olds and 12 per cent among 25-54 year olds compared to 2002. Everybody Loves Raymond anchors CBS' Monday night lineup.