In terms of its demo average, the first season of Kevin James’ Kevin Can Wait TV show was a top three performer for CBS. The comedy also ranked in 10th place in terms of total audience size, during the 2016-17 television season. That doesn’t tell the whole story, though. The numbers dwindled after it lost The Big Bang Theory as its lead-in. In the second season they’re shaking things up, by killing off Erinn Hayes’ character, Donna Gable, and bringing on James’ King of Queens co-star, Leah Remini, to reprise her season one turn as Vanessa Cellucci. Can reuniting this comic duo further build upon this successful series’ ratings? Will Kevin Can Wait be cancelled or renewed for season three on CBS? Stay tuned.
A multi-camera sitcom, Kevin Can Wait stars Kevin James, Taylor Spreitler, Ryan Cartwright, Mary-Charles Joes, James DiGiacomo, Gary Valentine, Leonard Earl Howze, and Leah Remini. The CBS TV series centers on Kevin Gable (James). In the first season, this former police officer yearned to revel in his retirement. The second installment opens a year after the events of the season one finale. Now, in the wake of Donna’s death, Kevin finds himself working for his old rival, Vanessa, at her security firm. **Status update below.
The ratings are typically the best indication of a show’s likelihood of staying on the air. The higher the ratings (particularly in the 18-49 demo), the better the chances for survival. This chart will be updated as new ratings data becomes available — typically around 11:30am EST/8:30am PST. Refresh to see the latest.
5/8 update: You can see the rest of the latest night’s ratings.
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For comparisons: The first season of Kevin Can Wait averaged a 1.61 rating in the 18-49 year old viewer demographic and a total audience of 7.63 million viewers.
Note: These are the Live + Same Day Ratings which include “live” viewing plus delayed DVR viewing, up until 3am local time that same night. Ratings marked with an “*” are the fast affiliate ratings and will be updated with the Live+SD numbers when they are made available. Typically, networks get paid for C+3 ratings which includes DVR viewing within three days of the original airing when commercials are watched. Those numbers are rarely released to the press.
What do you think? Did you enjoy the Kevin Can Wait TV series? Should it have been cancelled or renewed for a third season on CBS?
**5/12/2018 Status Update: Kevin Can Wait has been cancelled by CBS. Details here.
Kevin James is not that funny. When they announced this series I thought they’d have a hard time without Leah or someone similar, but what’s happened is Kevin has run his time on TV sitcom and now just boring to watch.
We loved the show before Lisa Remini came on. The wife was charming and well cast.
We will never watch this show again.
Let the show go the same way they dismissed Erin….good-bye Kevin!
The show went from an upbeat, funny show to a very cynical one. Leah is just way too cynical for my tastes. It’s time CBS replaced it with shows like Big Bang, Young Sheldon or even Scorpio.
Cancel the show! Firing Erin Hayes was Huge mistake! Dumb Kevin James and lame excuse he uses. I have boycotted show since he fired Erin. She was great! I used to enjoy the show with Erin on it. CBS just can it already.
I watched the first season and it had the potential to be a great show. Once I saw Leah Remini at the end of the first season and found out she was going to be a main character on the second season I decided to stop watching. She looks terrible (looks like botched plastic surgery). I can’t stand to watch her try to talk since her upper lip don’t move. Bringing her on this show was a bad move. I think even if they wanted to kill off his wife, the show would have been funnier with him as a… Read more »
Cancel, I can see King of Queens reruns anytime.
Very disappointed with Kevin Can Wait. Only Arthur could save this show now. The show lacks everything. We are all aware the show takes place in Long Island NY so please stop with the shirts reminding us of that. We also know that firemen don’t shiow up to your house in full gear just to say hello. CBS needs to cut their losses and just show Andy Griffith reruns…
I don’t know how well the new show works with Leah, and don’t care. Will not watch this or any other Kevin James show out of principle. Would love to see it cancelled so something else can fill its spot.
Terrible now ….liked Erin Hayes …..cancel
I really enjoyed season 1….the wife made Kevin James “softer” not so harsh….it was a nice funny family show. Now it’s like the first season ever existed. It’s almost like two shows in one the kids from season 1 and the king & queens harsh couple visiting & paying no attention to the kids. I will be shocked if the entire season 2 even shows on tv…..the show is ruined……so sad
Kevin can wait sucks. The last season was better. Lea was not made for this show. If you wanted to make a new kings of queens then make it and stop making a good show very bad just cause you want to bring in your friend Lea bad call. I stopped watching and a lot of my friends to sucks made a good show bad.
I liked the first season. It was a big mistake to try and recreate “King of Queens.” I chose not to watch this year storyline was handled poorly. I like Lea Remini but not on this show.
Didn’t watch, the whole concept of killing off the wife for a “better” version was distasteful. Not that much of a Kevin James fan anyway. Cancellation seems to be in the future.
I’m surprised to have read all negative comments about the show, and Leah. For me, as well as my family, did not like Kevin Can Wait mainly because of the casting; wife Donna wasn’t the right fit. Nothing personal at all, just not the right fit, I felt. I wished that they would recast and bring in Leah. And surprisingly, my wish came true. I liked Kings of Queens, and I now like Kevin Can Wait with Leah even more, and my family does too. With Kevin and Leah in the show together, I now think it’s excellent. I was… Read more »
Morals might be one factor. Or family values is another. Not everyone thinking killing off wife was best way to prosent family position family values. They could killed off Kevin it the wife? Why because Kevin lead here. Many feel the story it self is problem. Kevin isn’t good enough make this show work. If he had means to put existing problems end. The wife wouldn’t have been replaced. Kevin doesn’t acting talent to act his way out of a simple seen. If did the show wouldn’t need so much adjustments.
I think your just a fanboy of kings of queens. I bet you even sing something to bring it back but they should have not done it like this
I agree with you 100%! I couldn’t have said it better myself.
Really!? Leah is so demeaning to Kevin, it may just be acting but Donna did not treat him that way. Leah/CArrie, had the sam attitude towards Kevin on KOQ. Not a good family role model/dynamic if you ask me.
Cancel the show. Bringing on Leah Rimini was a mistake. The show is boring.