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Cancelled ‘King of Queens’ Takes No. 1 Sitcom Slot

Strangely enough, a show that was on hiatus for two months and is being cancelled after this season is in the No. 1 slot for sitcoms.

CBS’s King of Queens has returned to Monday nights, and in its last two outings has been the No. 1 sitcom on TV, writes Media Life. With all four of its most recent shows it tied or bettered the 18-49 rating of its lead-in, Two and a Half Men. Last week the nine-year-old show bettered Men by 5 percent, averaging a 4.2, despite the fact that it aired opposite the NBC hit Heroes.

This week, the show tied its season high with a 4.6 rating and bettering the most recent episode of No. 3 sitcom The Office.

Sitcoms have been in decline in recent years. Three years ago, nine sitcoms averaged a 4.5 or better. This year, only two have an average that high: Two and a Half Men and Rules of Engagement, the first-year show that King of Queens replaced in early April.

Next year on Monday nights, CBS may have a problem. While the strong shows, Two and a Half Men and Rules of Engagement, should remain in the 9 p.m. hour, How I Met Your Mother and The New Adventures of Old Christine have struggled this year at 8 p.m.

NBC’s My Name Is Earl and ABC’s George Lopez and According to Jim have all declined this season, as well. A number of other first-year sitcoms have already been yanked.