The audience wanted Leah Remini and Kevin James to reprise their dynamic from The King of Queens, in which they played a married couple, and the Season 2 reboot seemed to pave the way for that to happen, but things went sideways.
When Kevin Can Wait was renewed for a second season, the show decided to kill off Kevin’s wife Donna, played by Erinn Hayes.
Instead of inching towards a romantic union between Kevin and Vanessa, the show maintained the pair’s professional relationship.
They then upgraded Leah Remini to female lead status, and the intention seemed pretty obvious.