Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
SPOTLIGHT
in the past.”
When the news broke about Hayes’ departure two months ago, various reports assured everyone that the recasting was nothing personal, and the show was “heading in a new creative direction.” “Kevin Can Wait” averaged about 9.1 million viewers per week, making it the most-watched new comedy of the 2016-17 TV season.
The two-part season finale featured a reunion between James and Remini, who guest-starred as James’ former partner and rival on the police force. Kahl noted that Remini wasn’t originally brought in to see if she might replace Hayes; but after seeing the dynamic between her and James, the network and studio “wanted to keep that magic and chemistry going forward.”
“When everybody collectively saw how Leah and Kevin were together in those last couple episodes, there was an undeniable spark there,” Kahl said. Variety confirmed that when Remini returns, she will play the same character that she did in the finale.
The whole premise of “Kevin Can Wait” is that James is a retired cop who’s trying to relax but still has to deal with his wacky family. It looks like things are about to take a much darker turn in the second season.
“True, I’ve been let go from the show,” Hayes tweeted back in June. “Very sad; I had a great experience season 1. Thank you for all the support from our wonderful fans.”