‘Kevin Can Wait’ Fans Are Divided About Leah Remini, Erinn Hayes Cast Shakeup For Season 2

Kevin James’ fans are torn about the direction of “Kevin Can Wait” Season 2. Since the reveal that Leah Remini would return as a series regular and James’ onscreen wife Donna, played by Erinn Hayes, had been let go, fans have been taking to the actor’s Twitter page to share their feelings.

Like Hayes, who was understandably upset about being let go from the CBS sitcom, some viewers share her feelings. “Really bummed to hear of the changes. We enjoyed it as it was. We’ll see if it’s worth sticking with,” one fan wrote to James, who producers the show, on Monday. “Don’t let Erinn Hayes go. She makes your show!” advised another commenter, adding the hashtag “#bigmistake.”

Not every viewer was upset about Hayes’ dismissal, however. Following Remini’s two episode cameo on the series as James’ character’s former partner Vanessa, some expressed great join at her becoming a series regular. James and Remini also costarred as husband and wife for nine seasons on the sitcom “King of Queens.”

“TOTALLY watching now!” one fan wrote. “Dreams do come true!” celebrated another.

Some even suggested possible ways for James to write Hayes off the show. “Get rid of your current costar, wake up next to Leah and say you had a bad dream that you were married to someone else,” one viewer advised. “Now is your change to reboot ‘King of Queens,’” wrote another.

In the “Kevin Can Wait” Season 1 two-part finale in May, James and Remini played former detective partners who rekindled a false romance in order to go under cover bust a drug dealer. The episodes ended with Hayes’ character Donna revealing to James that she’d quit her job as a school nurse after thinking her husband was going back on the force.

CBS announced Remini would be returning as a series regular for Season 2 last week. One day later it was reported that Hayes had been dismissed. “It is currently unknown how ‘Kevin Can Wait’ will address Hayes’ absence,” reported TVLine, adding that a source did confirm “the sitcom is heading in a new relative direction in Season 2.”

Hayes responding to her firing by telling her Twitter fans that she wasn’t in charge of the casting decision. “Not my choice,” she replied to one fan’s inquiry about why she left. “I wish them all the best,” she added.

The casting changes come after “Kevin Can Wait” received 5.6 million viewers for its Season 1 finale. The series, along with “Superior Donuts” and “The Great Indoors,” failed to push CBS above third place for Monday night comedies.

Read other fan reactions to the cast change below:

“King Of Queens” Season 2 premieres Monday, Sept. 25, at 9 p.m. EDT on CBS.