A switch to Monday nights beginning in the 1997-1998 season proved just what the series needed, and the show built up an impressive audience despite competition from major contenders "Monday Night Football" (ABC) and "Ally McBeal" (Fox). Going from ratings rankings in the 80s to frequent appearances in the Top Ten, the flourishing sitcom finally won Emmy recognition in 1999, when Romano was nominated as producer and lead actor. The following year he repeated in those categories and also grabbed a writing nod, continuing his run of Lead Actor, Comedy Series nominations in 2001. A self-described "stand-up comedian with a day job,” Romano's acting skills increased as the series progressed, and Raymond Barone the TV character began to develop his own distinct quirky persona, actually winning the lead actor in a comedy trophy in 2002. A year later he would win an Emmy again as executive producer of "Raymond" when it was named best comedy series, an honor it earned again for the swansong season in 2005. In addition to appearing on numerous TV specials, Romano also portrayed Barone while making guest appearances on episodes of the CBS series "The Nanny" (1998), "The King of Queens" (1998, 1999, 2006) and "Becker" (1999).