Kevin Can Wait has been cancelled, so it looks like the show's character will be doing that for a long time as CBS ended the series after 2 seasons. The show's retooling in the form of a cast shakeup after Season 1 wasn't enough to save the sitcom, and the show will end its run on the network at 48 episodes. The news is a bit shocking, considering the show's ratings, although the cast's well-tempered reactions seem to indicate the news wasn't entirely unexpected on their end.
Kevin Can Wait was down in the ratings from its inaugural season, but even a 25% drop from Season 1 still netted an audience of 6.4 million Live+same day viewers weekly and a 1.2 demo rating. Those ratings landed the series fourth in terms of CBS' current comedy lineup, with The Big Bang Theory, Young Sheldon, and Mom all in front of it. Kevin Can Wait's ratings are numbers other networks would be more than happy with, although it appears as though CBS thinks it can find something better among new projects it has waiting in the wings.
TVLine confirmed Kevin Can Wait's cancellation, but the show itself was mourned by the show's creators and cast, all of whom were grateful for the series' run. Leah Remini posted a picture of her and longtime TV friend and the series' lead Kevin James, and said the show entered her life at a time she needed a good laugh:
Remini's Season 2 presence in Kevin Can Wait came at the cost of the series' original female lead Erinn Hayes, who was dropped from the cast after Season 1. The show's polarizing decision to kill Hayes' character in a somewhat flippant manner and give a larger role to Remini's guest-star character Vanessa was met with some controversy by fans, although Kevin James publicly stood by the show's decision. James said he felt removing Hayes' character and essentially replacing her with Remini was necessary, and that the show would likely not see a third season with the Season 1 dynamic of the show's cast.
Kevin Can Wait's decision ended up being for naught in regards to guaranteeing a Season 3 and, as previously mentioned, could be one of the reasons the show's viewership dropped in Season 2. James had nothing to say in regards to any of his past remarks in his farewell statement to the show's cast and crew, although he did indicate he would've liked to see the show make it to Season 3:
James and Remini's responses don't appear to indicate the show has any hopes at securing Season 3 elsewhere, although this season of renewals and cancellations have seen some surprising things happen. Be sure to stick with CinemaBlend during this wild time in television for all the latest renewals, as well as the cancellations of some of television's well-liked shows. (And some duds, too.) For a look at some new shows that are just around the corner, head on over to our summer premiere guide.
