Kevin James is breaking his silence on why Kevin Can Wait shockingly killed off its female lead.
Over the summer, it was revealed that James’ TV wife, Donna (played by Erinn Hayes), would be dead when the CBS sitcom kicked off its sophomore season. Leah Remini, who starred as James’ onscreen wife for nearly a decade on King of Queens, replaced Hayes on a full-time basis.
News of Hayes’ abrupt departure was surprising to viewers. While Kevin Can Wait showrunner Rob Long said the decision to kill Donna off was done “out of respect for the character,” James had a slightly different take. (Remini, for her part, defended her place on the show, writing on premiere night that she’s “been having the time of my life being reunited with my favorite funny man.”)
"The plot of the show didn't have enough drive," James said in a new interview with the New York Daily News. "If we got through...
Over the summer, it was revealed that James’ TV wife, Donna (played by Erinn Hayes), would be dead when the CBS sitcom kicked off its sophomore season. Leah Remini, who starred as James’ onscreen wife for nearly a decade on King of Queens, replaced Hayes on a full-time basis.
News of Hayes’ abrupt departure was surprising to viewers. While Kevin Can Wait showrunner Rob Long said the decision to kill Donna off was done “out of respect for the character,” James had a slightly different take. (Remini, for her part, defended her place on the show, writing on premiere night that she’s “been having the time of my life being reunited with my favorite funny man.”)
"The plot of the show didn't have enough drive," James said in a new interview with the New York Daily News. "If we got through...
- 10/16/2017
- Entertainment Tonight
2017-09-26T07:26:44-07:00How Did 'Kevin Can Wait' Deal with Its Huge Cast Change?
At the beginning of its second season, Kevin Can Wait had to get rid of one of its main characters and significantly alter the role of another one. How would the series' writers explain the absence of Erinn Hayes' character, to whom Kevin James' character had been married for years and years? Pretty offhandedly, it turns out. Read on to find out how it went down.
Via Us Weekly.
And that's that. It seems that Erinn Hayes won't make even the slightest appearance in Kevin Can Wait's season 2. In the premiere, which aired on Monday, September 25, it was revealed in the first scene that her character, Donna Gable, had died.
The CBS comedy briefly mentioned her absence when Kevin Gable (Kevin James) received a postcard for her gym saying they missed her.
At the beginning of its second season, Kevin Can Wait had to get rid of one of its main characters and significantly alter the role of another one. How would the series' writers explain the absence of Erinn Hayes' character, to whom Kevin James' character had been married for years and years? Pretty offhandedly, it turns out. Read on to find out how it went down.
Via Us Weekly.
And that's that. It seems that Erinn Hayes won't make even the slightest appearance in Kevin Can Wait's season 2. In the premiere, which aired on Monday, September 25, it was revealed in the first scene that her character, Donna Gable, had died.
The CBS comedy briefly mentioned her absence when Kevin Gable (Kevin James) received a postcard for her gym saying they missed her.
- 9/26/2017
- by EG
- Yidio
Erinn Hayes’ last episode of “Kevin Can Wait” was not only shared with her Season 2 replacement, Leah Remini, but it was titled “Sting of Queens” — as if the creators’ long con to swap out Kevin James’ wives was already underway.
The series got such a bad rap after announcing it was letting Hayes go, viewers might have expected them to deal with her character’s departure with grace and respect. After all, even fans who weren’t overwhelmed by the news would need a good reason to forget about a woman they spent 24 episodes getting to know during Season 1.
Read More:‘Lethal Weapon,’ ‘Ballers,’ and Why You Should Make Time for Guilty Pleasures in a Peak TV Era
Instead, in the blunt tradition of CBS sitcoms — which tackle off-camera issues with the subtlety of a piano being dropped on Charlie Sheen — the “Kevin Can Wait” Season 2 premiere spent less than...
The series got such a bad rap after announcing it was letting Hayes go, viewers might have expected them to deal with her character’s departure with grace and respect. After all, even fans who weren’t overwhelmed by the news would need a good reason to forget about a woman they spent 24 episodes getting to know during Season 1.
Read More:‘Lethal Weapon,’ ‘Ballers,’ and Why You Should Make Time for Guilty Pleasures in a Peak TV Era
Instead, in the blunt tradition of CBS sitcoms — which tackle off-camera issues with the subtlety of a piano being dropped on Charlie Sheen — the “Kevin Can Wait” Season 2 premiere spent less than...
- 9/26/2017
- by Ben Travers
- Indiewire
Kevin Can Wait on Monday killed off Donna in part “out of respect” for former series regular Erinn Hayes, who was let go from the CBS comedy back in June and (essentially) replaced with Leah Remini. So just how respectful was the show towards the actress and the character in its Season 2 premiere? Well, that depends on your definition of “respectful.”
RelatedCBS’ Young Sheldon Premiere: Grade It!
Not only has Donna been killed off, but the Powers That Be decided it would be best to sidestep the specifics of Donna’s demise. Season 2 picks up over a year after the Gable family matriarch has passed,...
RelatedCBS’ Young Sheldon Premiere: Grade It!
Not only has Donna been killed off, but the Powers That Be decided it would be best to sidestep the specifics of Donna’s demise. Season 2 picks up over a year after the Gable family matriarch has passed,...
- 9/26/2017
- TVLine.com
Kevin Can Wait has made its highly-anticipated return following Erinn Hayes’ surprising exit.
The CBS sitcom parted ways with their female lead, who played Kevin’s wife, Donna, at the end of season one, citing creative and personal reasons and announcing their decision to kill the character off.
On Monday’s season two premiere, Donna’s sudden absence was felt immediately, as Kevin (Kevin James) struggled to pack lunch for his youngest kids, while elder daughter Kendra (Taylor Spreitler) tried to help her dad out. But things turned somber when the mail delivered a reminder of the family's late matriarch, in the form of a "We miss you" postcard from Donna's gym.
"Give me that, I will call them right now," Kendra insisted. "It's been over a year since she died, they shouldn't still be sending this."
The premiere culminates with Kendra's wedding, and before the ceremony, she and Kevin share an emotional moment, remembering...
The CBS sitcom parted ways with their female lead, who played Kevin’s wife, Donna, at the end of season one, citing creative and personal reasons and announcing their decision to kill the character off.
On Monday’s season two premiere, Donna’s sudden absence was felt immediately, as Kevin (Kevin James) struggled to pack lunch for his youngest kids, while elder daughter Kendra (Taylor Spreitler) tried to help her dad out. But things turned somber when the mail delivered a reminder of the family's late matriarch, in the form of a "We miss you" postcard from Donna's gym.
"Give me that, I will call them right now," Kendra insisted. "It's been over a year since she died, they shouldn't still be sending this."
The premiere culminates with Kendra's wedding, and before the ceremony, she and Kevin share an emotional moment, remembering...
- 9/26/2017
- Entertainment Tonight
Kevin Can Wait‘s controversial decision to kill off its leading lady was more than just creatively driven. It was also made out of respect for Donna’s portrayer Erinn Hayes, according to exec producer Rob Long.
RelatedKevin Can Wait: Leah Remini Shares First Season 2 Set Photo
“The goal was to give Kevin’s character a real drive and a real predicament [involving] how a family comes back together [after tragedy],” Long says. “Also, out of respect for the character of Donna — and certainly the way that Erinn Hayes portrayed her — it seemed like the only right and fair way to treat her character.
RelatedKevin Can Wait: Leah Remini Shares First Season 2 Set Photo
“The goal was to give Kevin’s character a real drive and a real predicament [involving] how a family comes back together [after tragedy],” Long says. “Also, out of respect for the character of Donna — and certainly the way that Erinn Hayes portrayed her — it seemed like the only right and fair way to treat her character.
- 8/22/2017
- TVLine.com
Life after Donna has officially begun for Kevin Gable, with production underway on Kevin Can Wait Season 2.
RelatedKevin Can Wait Shocker: Erinn Hayes’ Donna Will Be Killed Off
The CBS sitcom will look slightly different when it returns this fall — and we’re not just talking about the beard Kevin James is sporting in this first on-set photo. New series regular Leah Remini, who is (essentially) replacing former leading lady Erinn Hayes, posted an image to Instagram late Friday night of her and her former King of Queens hubby.
“It’s been an amazing first week on Kevin Can Wait,...
RelatedKevin Can Wait Shocker: Erinn Hayes’ Donna Will Be Killed Off
The CBS sitcom will look slightly different when it returns this fall — and we’re not just talking about the beard Kevin James is sporting in this first on-set photo. New series regular Leah Remini, who is (essentially) replacing former leading lady Erinn Hayes, posted an image to Instagram late Friday night of her and her former King of Queens hubby.
“It’s been an amazing first week on Kevin Can Wait,...
- 8/12/2017
- TVLine.com
Kevin Can Wait is sending Donna six feet under.
At CBS’ portion of the Television Critics Association’s summer press tour on Tuesday, Thom Sherman, Senior Exec VP of Programming, was asked how the fledgling sitcom will handle the absence of leading lady Erinn Hayes, who over the summer was dismissed and (essentially) replaced with Kevin James’ former TV bride Leah Remini.
“The character will have passed away,” Sherman revealed, before adding that Season 2 will begin with a time jump (but not too much of a time jump; daughter Kendra is still in the wedding planning stages when show returns.
At CBS’ portion of the Television Critics Association’s summer press tour on Tuesday, Thom Sherman, Senior Exec VP of Programming, was asked how the fledgling sitcom will handle the absence of leading lady Erinn Hayes, who over the summer was dismissed and (essentially) replaced with Kevin James’ former TV bride Leah Remini.
“The character will have passed away,” Sherman revealed, before adding that Season 2 will begin with a time jump (but not too much of a time jump; daughter Kendra is still in the wedding planning stages when show returns.
- 8/1/2017
- TVLine.com
Kevin Can Wait brings Kevin James back to TV in his first sitcom since The King of Queens. Does his second CBS comedy deliver laughs anywhere near as well as Doug Heffernan delivered packages?
RelatedFall TV 2016: Your Handy Calendar of 120+ Season and Series Premiere Dates
Monday’s series premiere introduced us to Kevin Gable (James), a newly retired cop, a caring husband to school nurse Donna (former Childrens Hospital doc Erinn Hayes) and a father to three kids, including the blink-and-you’ll-miss-’em Jack (James Digiacomo) and Sara (Mary Charles-Jones). Unfortunately, Kevin’s dreams of a carefree retirement are...
RelatedFall TV 2016: Your Handy Calendar of 120+ Season and Series Premiere Dates
Monday’s series premiere introduced us to Kevin Gable (James), a newly retired cop, a caring husband to school nurse Donna (former Childrens Hospital doc Erinn Hayes) and a father to three kids, including the blink-and-you’ll-miss-’em Jack (James Digiacomo) and Sara (Mary Charles-Jones). Unfortunately, Kevin’s dreams of a carefree retirement are...
- 9/20/2016
- TVLine.com
When Caitlyn Jenner (formerly known as Bruce Jenner) revealed her true self via a stunning series of photographs shot by Annie Leibovitz for Vanity Fair, "#CallMeCaitlyn" and "Caitlyn Jenner" began trending immediately as her fans and family alike came out in droves to support her transition.
However, support was not necessarily the unanimous reaction. Former Nickelodeon star Drake Bell was met with animosity on social media after he Tweeted on Monday, "Sorry...still calling you Bruce" in response to Jenner's Vanity Fair cover story reveal.
Someone come collect Drake Bell trash day is Wednesdays you can't leave this garbage can...
However, support was not necessarily the unanimous reaction. Former Nickelodeon star Drake Bell was met with animosity on social media after he Tweeted on Monday, "Sorry...still calling you Bruce" in response to Jenner's Vanity Fair cover story reveal.
Someone come collect Drake Bell trash day is Wednesdays you can't leave this garbage can...
- 6/2/2015
- by Amanda Michelle Steiner, @amandamichl
- People.com - TV Watch
ABC
Live, from four living rooms in the greater New York City area, it’s Speakeasy’s “Dancing with the Stars” live blog!
After 10 weeks of shimmying and bellyaching, we’re at the final episode of Season 13. It’s a long reunion, in which we pay homage to people gone too soon, people gone too late, people barely remembered and the final three couples. There’s actual, score- and placement-affecting dancing to do tonight. Each finalist will do his or her favorite dance.
Live, from four living rooms in the greater New York City area, it’s Speakeasy’s “Dancing with the Stars” live blog!
After 10 weeks of shimmying and bellyaching, we’re at the final episode of Season 13. It’s a long reunion, in which we pay homage to people gone too soon, people gone too late, people barely remembered and the final three couples. There’s actual, score- and placement-affecting dancing to do tonight. Each finalist will do his or her favorite dance.
- 11/23/2011
- by Barbara Chai
- Speakeasy/Wall Street Journal
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