User reviews

Kevin James retires from the Nassau County, Long Island Police force after twenty years (started at 21 this makes him 41). With his partial pension he and Wife Donna, played by Erinn Hayes, work through season one deciding how they'll make up some income by renting out their garage as an apartment (Common on Long Island). The chemistry was being built by wife Donna redirecting Kevin's mistakes along the way. The family was deadpan except for "Chale" the eldest daughters nerdy boyfriend in Country via a Visa and the retired friends were something that could of and should of been built upon. Chale fast became a season one bright spot as the chemistry between him and Kevin was wrought with tension and humor. THIS was something the audience expected would grow in Season Two, However show runner Rob decided the ratings were not up to par. The Ratings took a nose dive in season two as Donna was mysteriously killed off without explanation in the season two opener. Leah Remini was brought in to recreate the King Of Queens TV show, much to the viewers despair. The show needed to build on season one's characters of friends and family but has instead focused on Remini and James opening a P.I. agency. In short, the fun was taken out of the show, something even the canned laughter can't save as the ratings are showing. They left no room to bring back Kevin's wife Donna (Erinn Hayes) and the show is trapped in a corner. The friends and family are now all but forgotten as they were dropped from focus as a point of tension and laughter. Kevin James is likable and Leah Remini's old shtick doesn't work here. I don't see an out for this show to rebound and reconnect with the audience which is a shame. I liked season one but season two might just be it's downfall. It was a family show you could watch with your children (who know and love Kevin James) but that has been removed from the show in favor of the downtrodden banter James and Remini had in King Of Queens. If you want that, watch those re-runs, their still on.

Seriously, this show wasn't terrible, but I'm not too sad that it was cancelled. What I am sad about, is that the crazy Dutch Rutger won't be around to make my evenings a hilarious laugh-a-thon. Give this man his own show!

This was mostly a cute show last season, but the season 2 cast change is a big mistake: the firing of talented Erinn Hayes is a tragedy, as is the hiring of Leah Remini. I have zero interest in seeing The King of Queens II - 10 years later. The character interaction between James and Remini is stale. I cringed trying to watch the first episode ... bad jokes, canned laughter ... huge mistake.

You had a chance to do something completely different than king of queens. Kevin and his wife a great chemistry on the show. It would have been a success but when you put in Leah Remini you ruined the show. It was like watching king of queens all over again. You had success with king of queens but you already did that, this was your chance to move forward and do something different but you ruined it.

Bad decision to fire Erinn Hayes. She was one of the few good things about the show and her character was a way better fit than Leah Remini's. The show's story relied heavily on Kevin and Erinn's interaction. Now that they've removed her, it's just painful to watch. The other characters don't have what it takes to carry the show, and inserting Remini just doesn't make sense at all. What were the producers thinking? Still watching but might stop soon if there's no improvement.

I can't remember having written a review before, but I just had to vent about how they've made a mess out of a pretty decent show.

I can't believe I'm the only one who liked this show and REALLY enjoyed the return of Leah Remini. Oh well. If they had managed to get some better actors as Kevin's friends then I'm sure the show would have been better. Heck, they should just have gotten the whole cast from KoQ!

Why the hate? For whatever reason, lots of individuals feel that there is no room on television for old school sitcoms. Always complaining about the laugh track, or the formulas often times used such as the goofy husband with a strong character wife. I too have felt that way at times, but that is because TV is currently at it's all time best, so many different genre of shows available out there, and the comedies are so much more in depth and it's refreshing to see the new styles we get to witness each week (such as Modern Family, It's always sunny in Philadelphia), but I also enjoy being able to lay back and watch a good old school sitcom with newer material or recent topics. There should always be room for the Friends, Big Bang Theory, Seinfeld type sitcoms.

The pilot was decent, it's a pilot therefore obviously the chemistry isn't what it is after a handful of episodes (same as any other comedy). The 2nd episode I can honestly say had me laughing out loud most of it. Is it unique? No. Is it smart comedy? No. In fact, it's familiar which is nice. I enjoyed it as it brought me back to watching King of Queens and reminded me of just how much fun it was.

I suggest to those who want to watch it, avoid the message boards as unfortunately it's the people that have nothing better to do than troll and bash shows that they apparently don't like (although somehow watch the entire series ???) that share their input.

Again, good show and looking forward to seeing a full season.

Cheers!

Kevin James is funny and likable... What more can you ask for? :)

Okay, so his brand of humour can be somewhat predictable at times, but it still manages to make me laugh out loud... Repeatedly... Which I absolutely love!!!

I truly miss seeing more lighthearted and positive sitcoms available on our TV schedule. In a sea of dark and gloomy shows, this is a welcomed addition to our television screens.

My advice for the show would be to slowly remove some of its cast members (mostly the kids unfortunately) from the story lines and focus more on his relationship with his wife, his friends and his brother. Maybe bring on Ray Romano as a regular. That would be absolutely AWESOME!!!

All that being said, I think this sitcom deserves a solid 10 rating, because I always look forward to watching the show and it makes me smile with each and every new episode. Honestly, who doesn't need more laughter in their lives?

Give it a try... And leave all your worries behind! :)

Alright, I know... Crazy. A 7/10? Maybe a little much, yes, but honestly, I think it deserves at least that much. The first episodes of this show were a little rough, but it's been getting better, honestly. There isn't really much to say about this show, though. It's a pretty average idea with pretty average acting and pretty average characters. So why does it get seven stars from me? Because it's really funny, once you get past all the canned laughter. I have to say that canned laughter is killing me. Example (Not an actual scene from the TV Show):

Kevin(to wife): Hey, honey, how are you? (small canned laughter)

Wife: Well,I haven't slept in three days because of my tooth, I've had two dentist appointments in the last week, and now I have a concussion from the petting zoo accident, so yeah, I'm doing GREAT(sarcastic)(canned laughter) ... how are you? (canned laughter)

Kevin: Well, before you got in the room, I was doing pretty good...(canned laughter)

Kevin: Emphasis on "was"... (canned laughter)

Kevin: Actually, honey, could you please go, I was really invested in the game, could you... you know move? (more canned laughter than a Disney show)

So while some of the jokes may be genuinely funny, they are lost in the waterfalls of canned laughter. Honestly, though, I'd recommend this show. It's not the best out there, but it's pretty darn good sometimes. Kevin James saves the day with his hilarious satire and clever jokes, but otherwise, the show has a long way to go. Once the other actors figure out that they're on national television, they may start actually trying to act well, but until then, we need to just wait... It will get better...(canned laughter) I hope...(canned laughter) I mean it might not, but you know... (Canned laughter and the generic whistle with the fingers)

Overall: 72/100 not amazing, but still pretty good. We just need to Wait it out.

Season 1 was funny. ERINN HAYES was fantastic!!! I think it's so lame they let her go and brought in Leah Remini. I loved King of Queens but that ship has sailed. I can't even stomach the show now. Such a shame. They gave a poor performance about how the mom died. I am very disappointed that Kevin James decided to go this route.

What a difference from season 1, oh wait there is.....they fired the wife & down played the bantering with the son in law. Adding Leah Remini was a disaster.

Glad that comedian and funny guy Kevin James is back with a sitcom as I miss and loved him on his "King of Queens" days. This time Kevin is a retired police officer with a family a house full of a wife and kids and guess what he has a lot of free time on his hands! Now wouldn't that be great doing the stuff you want to do like playing football and video games and racing with your kids. Yet on the other side their is always drama from the wife who always wants chores and housework done yet Kevin likes retired life and is a little lazy! And the headache is around from his daughters as Kevin has to deal with the boyfriends issue. Overall not the best still this series entertains with real life issues of life and family and it brings plenty of good laughs it's doesn't take things to serious and it's nice seeing the round man of sounds and laughs Kevin James back at doing his thing!

If you watched "King of Queens", it is nearly impossible to watch this new show (also starring Kevin James) without making comparisons. During the first episode, give yourself some time to mourn the absence of Carrie (Leah Remini) and Arthur (Jerry Stiller). Kevin's wife on "Kevin Can Wait" is played by Erinn Hayes. Donna is a suitable foil for Kevin, but she is not as much of a ballbreaker as Carrie. Take a deep breath; you'll get through it. Good news: Gary Valentine is on the show (but Nicole Sullivan is not).

When you get to episode 2, you are rewarded by a genuinely funny script about how Kevin discovers that the entire house has been decorated to satisfy his wife's comfort, with no regard for his. The comic chemistry between the two heats up. She may not be Carrie (or Alice Kramden), but she's still running the household whether he knows it or not.

The supporting cast is fine, but the writing has not yet developed those characters as much.

Bottome line: the premise and the cast are fine, but the writing is what will make or break this show. Hopefully, the episodes to follow will be written with the skill displayed in episode two.

Update 10/4/16: After three episodes, I am enjoying it.

Update 10/4/17: With Leah Remini joining the cast full-time, now we know what Kevin was waiting for.

This show deserved to be cancelled for the away it treated Erin Hayes

I think most review Nazis are being unfair to this show. I watched Kevin can Wait and Big Bang theory back to back and honestly this show got genuine laughs out of me. the jokes remind you of sitcoms from a decade or so ago but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. I felt that the daughter's boyfriend was an overkill and a lame way to include the whole millennial / tech savvy nonsense into one character and the writers may need to write him out of the show but apart from that it reminds you of King of Queens and has the typical endearing comedic style of Kevin James. This should has a future in my opinion and i highly recommend it.

Most states and municipalities Police Officers have the option to retire at 20 or 27. The State I live in has a mandatory retirement at 276 years of service. You know why I know this because I am one. 45 years old, retired at 20 years of service with 43% of my base pay as pension. 27 gets you 63% of your base pay for a pension. with each year past 20 gives you 2.5%. So yes it is perfectly plausible for someone in their 40's to retire. Seeing as his wife works, he can stay retired. I on the other hand could of stayed retired but I chose to start a new career and work toward a new pension to supplement both my Social Security and State Pension in later years which would allow me to fully retire at 62 instead of 67 and have the same quality of life as I do now.

The more you know..........And all that jazz. As for the Show, it's hella funny and I like it.

SPOILER: I thought that the first season was funny, though it mainly contained sophomoric humor (what else do you expect from Kevin James?!?). But, killing off Erinn Hayes' character, Donna, was a death sentence. She is what made the show funny because without a good "straight man" Kevin James is not funny. I am done with this show and if CBS is interested in making money in this time slot, they would cancel it and replace it with ANYTHING else.

Now that Leah Remini is back in position with Kevin James the show is rolling right along; they keep turning out hit show week after week; Ryan Cartwright (new to me) is So funny too; & with Kevin's brother it's like a Reboot of King of Queens; which I'd watched re-runs of 20 x's each; I was ready for a Leah/Kevin show again; if it was up to me I'd restarted KOQ again; w/ Leah n Kev having kids & so this is cool. Kind is the age of kids they'd had; had they'd kept that show going.

Great Show guys; Please keep the seasons coming & going a decade or more like King of Queens and this will be another success.

Season 1 was hard to watch! I powered through because I like Kevin James, but I found the show lacked any real storyline. I mean a 50+ year old retired cop is gonna sit around eating at Enzo's or playing with his Men of a Certain Age buddies every episode?! Plus, there was no chemistry with the actress that played his wife.

Season 2 was SO much better! And much funnier. I really liked the private security firm angle. it made sense and inspired some really fun episodes! I also liked that they brought in Leah Remini, even though it's tough watching her looking so old and plastic looking after all the surgery. Considering how pretty she was in the early seasons of King of Queens, I ain't gonna lie, it was tough to watch! BUT, it was amazing the chemistry that her and Kevin James have 10+ years later! I'm disappointed that Netflix or someone else didn't pick up the show after CBS cancelled them.

One of the most often heard complaints about "Kevin Can Wait" was that Kevin James did not carry "King of Queens" by himself alone. He had co-stars like talented comedian Patton Oswalt or Leah Remini. Apparently Kevin's wife was identified as the main issue of the show by its producers.

However, Erinn Hayes was never the problem in Kevin Can Wait. It were Kevin's extremely bland ex-cop buddies, who couldn't even hope to measure up to Spence, Deacon or Richie.

Instead of fixing that problem, the producers decided to literally kill off Kevin's wife between season one and two with a one-line elegy. They then replaced her with Leah Remini, Kevin James' wife from King of Queens.

What was a fun encounter in the finale of the first season turned out to be a disaster when Leah replaced Erinn in season 2. She is nothing like she was in King of Queens anymore.

She turned out to be a botox'd up has-been with the voice of a chain-smoking alcoholic and the facial expression of a brick wall. There is no chemistry, no charisma, no character. Leah Remini may just have killed her entire legacy by revealing to the world what she has become.

"Kevin Can Wait" is dead to me until Leah Remini gets removed and either replaced by a believable actress, or with the miraculous return of Erinn Hayes.