If you’re a fan of the sitcom led by Kevin James, The King of Queens, we have some bad news for you. The star of the ’90s comedy series has said that, while most shows are revisited at some point with modern revivals, he doesn’t see The King of Queens returning in the near future. The reason is that, if it did, it wouldn’t have the presence of who he felt was the “glue” of the show. James is referring to comedy icon Jerry Stiller, who played Arthur in the series, and passed away in 2020. The Hitch actor is currently promoting his latest feature film, Guns Up, an action comedy co-starring Christina Ricci, Melissa Leo, and Maximilian Osinski. James talked to Collider about Guns Up, and given how important The King of Queens is in his career, the subject of a possible revival came up. While he didn’t dismiss the idea at first, James said that Stiller’s absence is too much of a factor. Curiously, he also mentioned the “subject we shall not speak of” (yes, AI) as a possible tool to bring him back:
“To go back and to redo it, I just don’t think, because we don’t have Jerry. Again, AI, if they do everybody, and there’s something they can do you at any age…
“Yeah. I would never say no, but it feels hard because for me, he was such a part of it, man. He was the glue in that thing. I don’t know. I just can’t even picture it. I don’t know. It’s just a weird way to do it. Why? Why would you do that if you don’t have him?”

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The King of Queens ran for nine seasons between 1998 and 2007 on CBS. It starred James as Doug Heffernan, a deliveryman living in Queens with his wife Carrie (Leah Remini). Their life as a couple takes a turn when his father-in-law, Arthur, moves in with them and disrupts their dynamic.
Few ’90s Sitcoms Are as Beloved as ‘The King of Queens’

CBS

Although it’s not nearly as famous as other sitcoms from its era, The King of Queens seems to be in every corner of the syndication universe. There is always an episode of the series playing on TV, and it is one of those shows that has aged like fine wine. Sure, some jokes didn’t, but it is generally a beloved pick from the sitcom-ridden decade. James also addressed the cult following of the show:
“I wouldn’t say that it’s perfect. It was a moment in time, I think. The King of Queens is weird because we weren’t as popular. When we came out, we did okay. We did good. But it was [Everybody Loves] Raymond and Friends and all these other office comedies and funnier shows, and they did much better than us. What blows me away is how well we’ve done when we’ve come out later in syndication. I don’t know whether it’s because they just pummeled people with it, and it got into their brains that way, but people now enjoy it, I feel like, more than ever.”
Source: Collider

The King Of Queens

Release Date

1998 – 2006

Network

CBS

Showrunner

Rob Schiller

Directors

Rob Schiller