King of Queens, King of Us All

King of Queens, King of Us All by Roxanne McDonald

Everyman concerns are intensified for everyman (and –woman) laughs.

Situation comedies like “King of Queens” have running themes, certain popular devices, and specific character developments that elicit the laughs. In particular, just as it is an element in “Seinfeld” and other character-driven sit-coms and shows, so is selfishness a key laugh-getter in “King of Queens.”

Carrie and Doug Heffernan (Leah Remini and Kevin James) decide it is important to give, so they donate $500.00 to Kirby’s school. But the loopy head teacher puts their names on the wall plaque in the wrong category—twice.

First they are listed as friends and not as patrons, and this drives them to the point of distraction and to saying

something. (Well, having Kirby say something, as if an eight-year-old would notice or care….) Then the teacher overdoes it and names the library after them. This is equally consuming of their attention, as they now struggle with having to be honest and at the same time sacrifice their new status.

Carrie and Doug discover that prayer works…so they start praying for clothing, favorite team wins, and even a piece of fish in the market where their minister is about to get that last piece they want….

And Carrie and Doug are infamous for avoiding friends they don’t want anymore, avoiding weddings too far away and that interrupt their TV watching or naps, avoiding knocking the hell out of/pissing off obnoxious, overbearing, or officious people—like the insurance man who eats Doug’s chocolate or the new friend who has a discount at a high-end store but who is an irritating ex date of Doug’s who says “literally” way too much (played, by the way, by the super Janeane Garafalo).

Carrie, Doug, and Dad (Arthur Spooner, played by the brilliant Jerry Stiller) all openly show and express their disappointment over Christmas gifts they don’t want, will never use, or have too many of already.

Dad is always on some self-indulgent trip or other, writing to a deodorant company for a refund, coming up with money-making schemes, or enlisting attention/support from Doug and Carrie’s friends to give him a boost in one area or other.

Carrie obsesses over accent- reduction, tanning cream, and cosmetics and looks, insisting in one month that Doug reduce not so he will be healthy but so he will look like the younger version of him she sees in the photo on the fridge. She then gets jealous when Doug starts to lose weight and tone up and the attention is shifted from her as the hottie to him as the success story.
Doug, of course as the central character whose daily foibles and funnies are based on the hilarious stand-up work of Kevin James, is the equally cocksure jock and insecure buffoon who goes to any lengths to feed his face, get his TV time, and have his sexual appetite sated. He will do favors (for the singular reason of getting what he needs in return), will get Carrie drunk on a daily basis, and convince Arthur to order select food items for the dinner menu each night.

Together, the three discover one is not happy when the other two are, so after trying to get Dad on drugs and get Doug to fix little habits (after visits to therapists played by Dave Foley and William Hurt, for example), they decide to balance the misery so everyone is, at some time, happy.

Together with the clever writing and most competent and convincing acting, the characters and conundrums of “King of Queens” make it a mainstay on the schedule for TV comedy fans, because, well, I hate to admit it, but we can identify.

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