‘Kevin Can Wait’ Ratings Drop Amid Kevin James’ Comment On Donna’s Death

The ratings for “Kevin Can Wait” Season 2 continue to drop following Donna Gable’s (Erinn Hayes) death.

On its first week, the show garnered a total of 10.2 million viewers and a 2.34 demo rating among audiences aged 18 to 49. But after Donna’s death wasn’t addressed, the ratings on weeks two and three dropped considerably. During its Oct. 2 episode, the CBS series only received a total of 6.6 million viewers and a 1.34 demo rating. Last week, these figures dropped to 6 million viewers and 1.20 demo rating, according to TV Series Finale.

Last week, Kevin James finally broke his silence over the network’s decision to kill off Hayes’ character and not address it in the show. While speaking with the New York Daily News, James said that he understood why fans of Hayes and “Kevin Can Wait” reacted the way they did when they found out that the character will be killed off.

However, the actor stressed that he agreed with the decision because it was the only way “Kevin Can Wait” could be renewed for a possible Season 3. “But it really felt like a thing like this was needed for this show to drive forward. Now, I have to deal with my daughter in a different way, and she’s gonna go to college, or one’s getting married, or the holidays. And it deals with things in a different, weightier way,” he said.

James also shared that the series was supposed to feature him as a single father since the beginning. However, they later on decided to give him a wife. “The plot of the show did not have enough drive. If we got through a second season, I wouldn’t see us getting through a third one. We were literally just running out of ideas,” he explained.

As of late, James is also unsure whether or not Donna’s death will ever be addressed in Season 2. But just like her co-star, Leah Remini, the actor reiterated the fact that “Kevin Can Wait” is a sitcom and is meant to have light-hearted themes.

“Kevin Can Wait” Season 2 airs Mondays at 9 p.m. EDT on CBS.