Everybody Loves Raymond is arguably one of the best sitcoms of all time, and it’s still a favorite among fans, thanks to streaming. The show ran for nine seasons and over 200 episodes from 1996 to 2005. While it remains a cultural phenomenon, King of Queens star Kevin James didn’t think the show would do all that well. With that, the fan-favorite actor revealed why he didn't think it would actually become a hit.
Before James starred on The King of Queens, he appeared on Everybody Loves Raymond (not as Doug Heffernan, though). James was also a writer on the show early into its run. The actor recalled on Kate Hudson and Oliver Hudson’s podcast, Sibling Rivalry, how he would follow Ray Romano around when he landed King. James' goal was to learn everything from Romano about how to lead a sitcom. They had also been friends for a while due to their stand-up work. Given his knowledge of Romano's approach, James was puzzled as to how Everybody Loves Raymond came to be:
The fact that he got a show, I was like, first of all, I couldn't believe it, because he's such a low-energy guy. Sitcom guys were, to me, like the big, wacky [characters]. I'm like this, this is death. It's not gonna happen.
So, all in all, Kevin James didn't seem too sure how the show would work out because he knew what kind of characters and storylines were typically involved in sitcoms. Romano's comedic style didn't quite fit that mold. Despite the comic's low-energy vibe, though, Everybody Loves Raymond clearly ended up doing a lot better than James predicted. So much so that the Grown Ups star ended up going to Romano for advice after he landed his own show:
And then it did. And he was so good on his sitcom. And the way he threw things away, I was like, ‘Wow, I have to watch him and learn from him, because I’m going to be too big on camera.’ And I am, by the way, still even in The King of Queens, when I see episodes now, I’m like ‘Gee, throw it away, kid.’ I’m like ‘Gee-wiz, I wish I could go back and do it.’
The fact that Kevin James didn’t know how Everybody Loves Raymond would do and basically called it a death sentence is very funny in hindsight. Not only that, but the show arguably could have have aired longer if creator Philip Rosenthal didn’t choose to end it when he did. As for The King of Queens, the advice that James got from Romano didn't seem to hurt, since the CBS sitcom also ran for nine seasons from 1998 to 2007, finishing its run with 207 episodes, just three shy of Raymond’s total. King is also still quite beloved and is still the subject of a viral meme.
Meanwhile, Everybody Loves Raymond was so successful that the show nearly received a spinoff. Given that we're currently in the age of revivals and spinoffs, it's not surprising that Romano is asked about a reboot quite frequently. Romano admitted in 2024 that he’s protective of the series since it’s very personal to him, which makes sense. If he were to have a good idea for a revival and Rosenthal were to get on board, I'd be down for it. Of course, for now, fans will have to settle for streaming the '90s show.
At the very least, both Everybody Loves Raymond and The King of Queens proved to be successful and heavily contributed to their lead stars' careers. I don't know about you, but I'm glad Kevin James' initial thoughts on Raymond were wrong. At present, grab a Peacock subscription and stream both shows.
