“The King of Queens” Television Review: To Binge or Not to Binge

    I was very pleasantly surprised last month to receive an e-mail from one of my favorite home media distributors Mill Creek Entertainment asking if I was interested in receiving a review copy of their “The King of Queens” complete series blu-ray release.  I remembered enjoying that show quite a bit when I was younger so I jumped at the chance to revisit it.

    The show followed the everyday life of everyman delivery man Doug Heffernan and his wife Carrie Heffernan.  The show was relatable with a strong supporting cast of characters who added a great deal to the humor.  While the show was far from ground breaking, it was one of the funnier shows of it’s era and was great escapism for around twenty minutes.

    Let me start this review by saying I am not the biggest Kevin James fan out there mainly due to stories I have heard of the performer and how he has allegedly treated members of the service industry.  As someone who reviews films and shows on the side but makes their primary income as a cashier at a grocery store, I don’t like hearing about celebrities who are rude to people making far less money than them but make an honest living.  Some of us current unknowns are even quite funny and talented, so getting lucky and discovered is no excuse to treat people poorly.  The reason I write this is because I really do enjoy Kevin James as a comedian and some of the stories you hear can really sour your opinions on someone you might have otherwise looked up to.  It’s hard for me to watch this show now even though I find it quite funny.

    Aside from Kevin James, the show boosted a slew of other extremely talented actors and actresses.  I adored Jerry Stiller as Doug’s father-in-law Arthur Spooner.  Doug and Arthur’s relationship was often the backbone of the episodes.  Kevin James and Jerry Stiller also played off each other fantastically.  It’s easy to see why Stiller remains Hollywood royalty after watching this show.  Leah Remini was often hilarious and also less shrill than most sitcom wives and it was fairly refreshing to see a sitcom wife played with more realism (at least in my opinion).

    The character of Doug appeared in several other television shows including “Cosby”, “The Nanny”, “Becker”, and most prominently “Everybody Loves Raymond” (Ray Romano’s character of Ray Barone also appeared on episodes of “The King of Queens”).  In addition to Ray Romano, the show also featured fantastic guest appearances from comedic masterminds like Patton Oswalt and stars of yesteryear like “The Incredible Hulk” himself, Lou Ferrigno.  These guest stars are among the highlights of this show for me.

    So, “The King of Queens” is definitely one of the standout sitcoms of the late 90s and 2000s and is now available as a complete set on both DVD and Blu-ray thanks to Mill Creek Entertainment.  Mill Creek Entertainment was kind enough to send a review copy of the show on Blu-ray and it looks amazing.  I had some of the DVD seasons released by Sony years ago and the Blu-ray set is a giant step up as far as picture quality is concerned in my opinion.  It is definitely worth a buying the set if you need a laugh!

Overall Grade: B+

To Binge or Not to Binge Verdict: BINGE

Buy “The King of Queens” The Complete Series on Blu-ray Here!!!

“The Secret Life of Pets 2” Movie Review

    The secret is out and now we can all share a second secret among us.  That’s right, “The Secret Life of Pets 2” is out and features all your favorite characters from the first film as well as some new adorable additions to the lineup as well.  I was really surprised by how much I enjoyed the first movie so really wanted to check out the sequel when I got a chance.  Well, I finally found time to see it and I can finally share my thoughts now!

    The sequel focuses on Max and Duke as their owner Katie marries and has a child named Liam.  Max isn’t a big fan of kids but he grows to love the kid especially since Liam loves Max and Duke so much that he even acts like a dog.  As Liam gets older and the thought of Liam going into the world without Max by his side approaches, Max starts to stress and gets a great deal of anxiety.  Katie takes Max to the vet to help him and he is forced to wear a cone to prevent him from stress itching.  Soon after, Max and the rest of the family go on a trip to a farm just as the action heats up back in the apartment complex when Snowball the bunny is recruited to help save a tiger from a cruel circus owner.

    So, let me just start by saying that I liked the movie and thought it was really cute.  It was a fun movie for kids that adults could enjoy as well.  That being said, I wish the storyline was a little more cohesive.  I don’t think splitting the characters up and doing A and B storylines is a good idea in a movie meant for children.  It was just too busy at times and needed more focus or connecting tissues.  I also think the movie lost some of it’s steam during the farm scenes.

    The film does more than make up for it’s slight messiness with how cute the characters and humor is.  For the most part, it is a movie you just feel good while watching it.  I also loved the addition of the adorable yet unintentionally destructive tiger.

    The voice cast was all very good with most of the talent from the first movie returning.  The only notable substitution was that of Patton Oswalt for original Max voice actor Louis C.K.  Louis C.K. was of course replaced due to his actions with women in the past that he admitted to.  Regardless if you can forgive him or not, it was probably best for the studio to replace the comedian for this family friendly film.  The more you can avoid controversy, the better.

    “The Secret Life of Pets 2” is a harmless and safe family film that won’t leave a lasting impression but will still entertain you regardless.  It’s fun for the whole family!

Grade: B