The Reason A King Of Queens Revival Won't Happen, According To Kevin James

Kevin James has built an impressive comedy career for himself, appearing in everything from "Grown Ups" to "Paul Blart: Mall Cop" throughout his time as an entertainer. However, to many, he'll always be synonymous with the sitcom "The King of Queens," which he starred on for the show's entire nine-season-long run. His work as the everyman and International Parcel Service driver Doug Heffernan put him on the map and turned Kevin James into a smirking meme, but that doesn't mean James foresees a "King of Queens" comeback anytime soon. Without one of the show's main stars, it simply couldn't work.

Speaking to NBC's "Today" (via TVLine) James explained that a "King of Queens" revival is impossible without the late Jerry Stiller, who died on May 11, 2020, at the age of 92. "You cannot do it because of Jerry. How do you do that without Jerry? He was amazing," he said, highlighting Stiller's incredible impact on the series and those who made it a reality. Stiller famously played Arthur Spooner, the wacky father of Doug's wife, Carrie (Leah Remini), who regularly gets up to hijinks of his own yet always finds time to give Doug a hard time over his latest blunders.

James makes a solid point. Without Stiller and the Arthur character, "The King of Queens" simply wouldn't be the same. It's best left alone, and besides, it's not like fans haven't been able to get "The King of Queens" reunions in other ways.

With the conclusion of "The King of Queens" in 2007, the cast went off to explore other entertainment avenues. Still, the fandom surrounding the long-running show has endured, leading to much fan delight when cast members have reunited over the years. Though it's not a canonical continuation of "The King of Queens," the 2016 sitcom "Kevin Can Wait" reunited Kevin James and Leah Remini for a short time. The program stars James as Kevin Gable, a retired police officer who has some trouble adjusting to life after serving on the force. Remini joins the cast at the end of Season 1 as Vanessa Cellucci, who goes from Kevin's ex to his romantic partner after his wife, Donna (Erinn Hayes), dies off-screen.

Unfortunately, "Kevin Can Wait" didn't enjoy the longevity of "The King of Queens," coming to an end in 2018 after a mere two seasons and 48 episodes. Therefore, James and Remini were once again gone from the airwaves as an on-screen couple. Thankfully, three years after their show ended, the two reunited for something special: a virtual "The King of Queens" reunion. They joined the likes of Patton Oswalt and Victor Williams for a table read of Season 5's "Cowardly Lyin'" and to honor the life and career of Jerry Stiller.

Still, for as nice as it was to see these "King of Queens" icons reunite, there's no arguing that Stiller's presence would've made these moments all the more special.