TVSquad is reporting that CBS stalwart The King of Queens will be ending after this current season. The sitcom stars Kevin James and Leah Remini as a married couple who, as do most couples in sitcoms, constantly bicker and argue. Jerry Stiller, Ben's dad in real life and George's dad on Seinfeld, plays the father role. King of Queens began as a spin off of Everybody Loves Raymond. Kevin James is a prodigy of Ray Romano and the two are buddies in real life, often performing stand-up back to back. They eve made a movie together. This is notable because it would've been nearly impossible for an overweight man like James to get his own sitcom without the help of Romano. It pays to have friends in high places.
This isn't a cancellation, really. The show has been on for several seasons and it looks like it's just time to go. The rating for King of Queens remain respectable, even with some weird scheduling by CBS this season. The Seinfeld formula (having stand-up comedians star in their own sitcoms) has been waning as of late on network television. This, in part, is a result of television producing less comedies in general, but there are other reasons. One, the world of stand-up comedy is going through a lull, not close to the form's heyday of the 80's and 90's. Also, with the expansion and increased popularity of cable, popular stand-up comics are given different forums to fit their particular skills. Look at Chappelle's Show or The Daily Show; they offer far more freedom than a formulaic sitcom. The King of Queens will hang it up in May. -Oscar Dahl, BuddyTV Senior Writer