The series is struggling in the sophomore season. They wrote out Kevin's wife as being dead for a year. They brought Leah Remini as Kevin's ex partner. Kevin works at Vanessa's security agency. Remini and James have great chemistry and a good working relationship. The series still has work to do in the writing and character development. Remini is a great addition though. The series is taped in Long Island, New York because Kevin James wanted it. You wouldn't know the difference. I like the casting of Chaz Palminteri as Vanessa's Father in another episode.
4 Reviews
They panicked. They retooled the show. It didn't work
studioAT18 April 2021
Warning: Spoilers
While the first series of this show never really set the world alight it was an amiable and funny enough sitcom that just needed a bit of time to bed in. And maybe to lose the two kids that weren't funny or added anything...
However the powrs behind this show decided to panic and kill off Erin Hayes character of Donna (Kevin's wife), which gets merely a passing reference here, and bring in Leah Remini (from Kevin James's previous sitcom hit 'The King of Queens') in the hope that they would "re-find that magic touch" once more.
Unfortunately there were far bigger problems with this sitcom far beyond the wife character (who I thought was great) and this remained a pretty plot-less show. This episode offers some laughs, but it hasn't got a clue what it's meant to be about.
It would have been far better if they'd have focussed on Kevin and Donna living with their daughter and her new husband from the off. Or just done a 'King of Queens' reboot.
However the powrs behind this show decided to panic and kill off Erin Hayes character of Donna (Kevin's wife), which gets merely a passing reference here, and bring in Leah Remini (from Kevin James's previous sitcom hit 'The King of Queens') in the hope that they would "re-find that magic touch" once more.
Unfortunately there were far bigger problems with this sitcom far beyond the wife character (who I thought was great) and this remained a pretty plot-less show. This episode offers some laughs, but it hasn't got a clue what it's meant to be about.
It would have been far better if they'd have focussed on Kevin and Donna living with their daughter and her new husband from the off. Or just done a 'King of Queens' reboot.
Civil Ceremony
bobcobb30126 September 2017
Warning: Spoilers
I am glad the show went for a big deal with the wedding in tonight's season premiere. The problem is they barely even covered the offscreen death of a central character. Kevin showed no remorse for Donna. They mentioned her dying due to a mailer from her gym and moved on.
During the wedding you could have had Kevin say something like, "Your mother would have been so proud of you," but the writers couldn't even include that in.
We all know the work Leah Remini did on The King of Queens and the great work she is doing fighting back against scientology today, but her character didn't work in the season finale last May and really doesn't work here.
This show has a laughs problem. It simply isn't funny and you have to wonder how long fans will stick with it for nostalgic purposes.
During the wedding you could have had Kevin say something like, "Your mother would have been so proud of you," but the writers couldn't even include that in.
We all know the work Leah Remini did on The King of Queens and the great work she is doing fighting back against scientology today, but her character didn't work in the season finale last May and really doesn't work here.
This show has a laughs problem. It simply isn't funny and you have to wonder how long fans will stick with it for nostalgic purposes.
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