Out of all of the drama that plagued broadcast and network television this summer, perhaps none have been more surprising than the curious case of CBS’s Kevin Can Wait. You see, the middle-of-the-road sitcom decided to terminate the contract of lead actress Erinn Hayes in order for Leah Remini to replace her — in what was described at the time as a “creative reset†— essentially giving Kevin James and Remini the platform to relive their King of Queens glory days all over again. Remini already recurred on Kevin Can Wait as an undercover cop and former partner of James’s character, so the revelation wasn’t too out of nowhere, but what is a bit odd is how the show is choosing to handle Hayes’s departure: Her character is going to get killed off in between seasons and there will be a little time-jump. That’s it.
But enough of those gloomy sentences for a moment. Remini and James want you to know that everything is a-okay in the world of Kevin Can Wait, with Remini sharing the first photo of the duo on set for season two. “It’s been an amazing first week on Kevin Can Wait, so blessed that I had my family with me,†Remini wrote on Instagram. “Thank you to all who came out tonight, cast, crew, writers, thank you for the love!†She has a great leather jacket! He has a great beard and mug! Isn’t nostalgia great?