China Syndrome (The King of Queens)
Encyclopedia
China Syndrome is the series finale of the long-running American sitcom
The King of Queens
. The finale has the length of two regular episodes, being counted as the 12th and 13th of the ninth season, running about 44 minutes without commercials. It was taped March 15, 2007.
learns that his wife Carrie
has not given up the apartment in Manhattan as she promised, though he quit his job as an IPS driver for a job as a salesperson, in which she requested that he do, he is furious. Doug does not want to attend her father Arthur's
wedding with Ava St. Clair (Lainie Kazan
), which takes place in Poughkeepsie
. However, his best friend Deacon Palmer takes him there anyway.
Ava St. Clair reveals to Carrie that after a few failed marriages, she now only marries gay men. Ava later learns that Arthur is not gay and promptly leaves the ceremony, without informing Arthur. Carrie attempts to comfort Arthur by telling him, "She had wanted a companion." Arthur refuses to announce that the wedding is off, and proposes to Veronica Olchin (Anne Meara
) in the men's room, and who at first declines, later accepts. Carrie and Spence are both surprised, and against the decision. The ceremony is performed by Rabbi
Feldman (Josh Cooke
), because the original bride Ava was Jewish, although neither Arthur nor Veronica is Jewish. The wedding ends with Arthur smashing a glass with his foot, while everyone cheers, "Mazel tov!"
Immediately afterward, Carrie is notified that the baby she and Doug wanted to adopt is waiting for them in Beijing
. However, Doug does not want to have a baby with her anymore, and they split up. A very pregnant Holly (Nicole Sullivan
) also shows up at the wedding, as does the Heffernans’ neighbor Lou Ferrigno
. At this point, it is also revealed that Holly's husband recently left her. When Lou tries to cheer everyone up with "Such a happy day," he is greeted by very unhappy expressions.
Doug, who sits outside in the back of the building where the ceremony is performed, makes an offer to Spence to become his new roommate, since he is divorcing Carrie, but later retracts the offer when Holly tells him her story. Very drunk, he challenges each of them to a wrestling match, but falls asleep while fighting with Holly. When Arthur learns that Doug will not toast him as his best man, he pitches the role to Spence, who turns it down, and ultimately, Deacon is forced to make the toast, though Deacon pleads that he doesn't know him that well.
Spence tries to move back in with Doug's cousin Danny because Arthur will be living with his mother Veronica now. He learns, however, that Danny has a new girlfriend Sandy (Jillian Bach) who is living with him.
Holly and Spence begin talking and realize that they both don't have a place to stay, so they decide to get an apartment together. Danny returns without Sandy, and suggests that they move back in together. Spence accepts, leaving Holly alone without a place to stay.
Meanwhile, Kelly points out to Carrie that she shouldn't feel so guilty about keeping the apartment, because Doug let Carrie down many times in the past. Carrie is convinced and tells Doug off.
Both decide that they want to get the Chinese baby for themselves and board the same plane, although Carrie leaves the house first, and Doug has to find his passport, which Deacon finds in the vegetable crisper. Doug later surprises Carrie by greeting her with a gruff "Hello!" and showing her his passport in triumph. He also adds that "Deacon's BLT was delicious, as is my revenge."
They use the long flight to sort out their problems, and eventually, they get back together. After getting baby Ming-Mei from the adoption agency, Carrie finds out that she is pregnant. She is scared about the changes to come, but Doug is optimistic that they will be able to handle it together.
The episode fast-forwards one year and shows Doug and Carrie with their two small children in their living room. Arthur comes in with a suitcase, announcing that "it didn't work out".
The episode ends with a three-minute montage of scenes from the show's nine seasons to A Million Billion's song Milk & Honey. The final scene shows the words thanks for the ride…
Situation comedy
A situation comedy, often shortened to sitcom, is a genre of comedy that features characters sharing the same common environment, such as a home or workplace, accompanied with jokes as part of the dialogue...
The King of Queens
The King of Queens
The King of Queens is an American sitcom that originally ran on CBS from September 21, 1998, to May 14, 2007.This show was produced by Hanley Productions and CBS Productions , CBS Paramount Television ,and CBS Television Studios in association with Columbia TriStar Television , and Sony Pictures...
. The finale has the length of two regular episodes, being counted as the 12th and 13th of the ninth season, running about 44 minutes without commercials. It was taped March 15, 2007.
Plot
After DougDoug Heffernan
Douglas Steven "Doug" Heffernan is a fictional character in the American situation comedy The King of Queens. The character has also appeared in Everybody Loves Raymond, Becker, and Cosby....
learns that his wife Carrie
Carrie Heffernan
Carrie Spooner Heffernan is a fictional character on the American sitcom The King of Queens. She appears in all of the show's nine Seasons and is one of the show's three central characters.-Character Profile:...
has not given up the apartment in Manhattan as she promised, though he quit his job as an IPS driver for a job as a salesperson, in which she requested that he do, he is furious. Doug does not want to attend her father Arthur's
Arthur Spooner
Arthur Eugene Spooner is a fictional character played by Jerry Stiller on the sitcom The King of Queens. He lives with his daughter Carrie and her husband, Doug Heffernan.-Biography:...
wedding with Ava St. Clair (Lainie Kazan
Lainie Kazan
Lainie Kazan is an American actress and singer.-Personal life:Kazan was born Lanie Levine in Brooklyn, New York City, the daughter of a Russian Ashkenazi Jewish father who worked as a bookie and a Turkish Sephardic Jewish mother, Carole, whom Kazan has described as "neurotic, fragile and...
), which takes place in Poughkeepsie
Poughkeepsie (city), New York
Poughkeepsie is a city in the state of New York, United States, which serves as the county seat of Dutchess County. Poughkeepsie is located in the Hudson River Valley midway between New York City and Albany...
. However, his best friend Deacon Palmer takes him there anyway.
Ava St. Clair reveals to Carrie that after a few failed marriages, she now only marries gay men. Ava later learns that Arthur is not gay and promptly leaves the ceremony, without informing Arthur. Carrie attempts to comfort Arthur by telling him, "She had wanted a companion." Arthur refuses to announce that the wedding is off, and proposes to Veronica Olchin (Anne Meara
Anne Meara
Anne Meara is an American actress and comedian. She and Jerry Stiller were a prominent 1960s comedy team, appearing as Stiller and Meara, and are the parents of actor/comedian Ben and actress Amy Stiller.- Personal life :...
) in the men's room, and who at first declines, later accepts. Carrie and Spence are both surprised, and against the decision. The ceremony is performed by Rabbi
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
Feldman (Josh Cooke
Josh Cooke
-Biography:Cooke was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and attended Harriton High School, a small public high school in Rosemont, a suburb of Philadelphia. He was a member of Harriton Theater Company and directed a show his senior year. He has received acting awards including the James Pendleton...
), because the original bride Ava was Jewish, although neither Arthur nor Veronica is Jewish. The wedding ends with Arthur smashing a glass with his foot, while everyone cheers, "Mazel tov!"
Immediately afterward, Carrie is notified that the baby she and Doug wanted to adopt is waiting for them in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
. However, Doug does not want to have a baby with her anymore, and they split up. A very pregnant Holly (Nicole Sullivan
Nicole Sullivan
Nicole Julianne Sullivan is an American actress, comedian and voice artist. Sullivan is best known for her six seasons on the sketch comedy series MADtv and five seasons on the CBS sitcom The King of Queens.She has played a recurring character on Scrubs and voices the villainous Shego in...
) also shows up at the wedding, as does the Heffernans’ neighbor Lou Ferrigno
Lou Ferrigno
Louis Jude "Lou" Ferrigno is an American actor, fitness trainer/consultant, and retired professional bodybuilder. As a bodybuilder, Ferrigno won an IFBB Mr. America title and two consecutive IFBB Mr. Universe titles, and appeared in the bodybuilding documentary Pumping Iron...
. At this point, it is also revealed that Holly's husband recently left her. When Lou tries to cheer everyone up with "Such a happy day," he is greeted by very unhappy expressions.
Doug, who sits outside in the back of the building where the ceremony is performed, makes an offer to Spence to become his new roommate, since he is divorcing Carrie, but later retracts the offer when Holly tells him her story. Very drunk, he challenges each of them to a wrestling match, but falls asleep while fighting with Holly. When Arthur learns that Doug will not toast him as his best man, he pitches the role to Spence, who turns it down, and ultimately, Deacon is forced to make the toast, though Deacon pleads that he doesn't know him that well.
Spence tries to move back in with Doug's cousin Danny because Arthur will be living with his mother Veronica now. He learns, however, that Danny has a new girlfriend Sandy (Jillian Bach) who is living with him.
Holly and Spence begin talking and realize that they both don't have a place to stay, so they decide to get an apartment together. Danny returns without Sandy, and suggests that they move back in together. Spence accepts, leaving Holly alone without a place to stay.
Meanwhile, Kelly points out to Carrie that she shouldn't feel so guilty about keeping the apartment, because Doug let Carrie down many times in the past. Carrie is convinced and tells Doug off.
Both decide that they want to get the Chinese baby for themselves and board the same plane, although Carrie leaves the house first, and Doug has to find his passport, which Deacon finds in the vegetable crisper. Doug later surprises Carrie by greeting her with a gruff "Hello!" and showing her his passport in triumph. He also adds that "Deacon's BLT was delicious, as is my revenge."
They use the long flight to sort out their problems, and eventually, they get back together. After getting baby Ming-Mei from the adoption agency, Carrie finds out that she is pregnant. She is scared about the changes to come, but Doug is optimistic that they will be able to handle it together.
The episode fast-forwards one year and shows Doug and Carrie with their two small children in their living room. Arthur comes in with a suitcase, announcing that "it didn't work out".
The episode ends with a three-minute montage of scenes from the show's nine seasons to A Million Billion's song Milk & Honey. The final scene shows the words thanks for the ride…
Original airings by country
- USA - Aired on CBSCBSCBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
on May 14, 2007. It was #12 in the Nielsen ratingsNielsen RatingsNielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
with 13.61 million viewers. The season average was #33 with 11.4 million viewers, which was higher than the past two seasons. CBS would air an encore of the episode on May 24, 2007. - Germany - The dubbed double episode was aired October 15, 2007 on Kabel 1Kabel 1kabel eins is a commercial television channel in Germany. It started business on 29 February 1992, as the Kabelkanal and belongs to the ProSiebenSat.1 Media AG. The channel is largely known for showing classic American films as well as series and documentaries...
. - UK - In a regular hour long slot on Tuesdays at 21:00 on Paramount Comedy 1Paramount Comedy 1Comedy Central in the United Kingdom and Ireland is a localised version of Comedy Central which first began in the United States in the 1990s. The television channel is available through the Sky, Virgin Media, TalkTalk TV in the United Kingdom, Sky Ireland, UPC Ireland and Magnet Networks in the...
, episodes 11 & 12 were shown on March 11, 2008. Rather than showing the finale as an hour long special, episode 13 (minus the 3 minute montage) was shown the next week on March 18, followed by the first episode of season 1.
External links
- Episode information at TV.comTV.comTV.com is a website owned by CBS Interactive. The site covers television and focuses on English-language shows made or broadcast in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and Japan...
: part 1, part 2 - Finale wrap-up: "The King of Queens" by Sarah Karnasiewicz for Salon.comSalon.comSalon.com, part of Salon Media Group , often just called Salon, is an online liberal magazine, with content updated each weekday. Salon was founded by David Talbot and launched on November 20, 1995. It was the internet's first online-only commercial publication. The magazine focuses on U.S...
(May 15, 2007) - A Farewell Fit for The King of Queens by Joal Ryan for E! OnlineE!E! Entertainment Television is an American basic cable and satellite television network, owned by NBCUniversal. It features entertainment-related programming, reality television, feature films and occasionally series and specials unrelated to the entertainment industry.E! has an audience reach of...
(May 15, 2007) - 'King of Queens' finale by David Bianculli for New York Daily NewsNew York Daily NewsThe Daily News of New York City is the fourth most widely circulated daily newspaper in the United States with a daily circulation of 605,677, as of November 1, 2011....
(May 14, 2007)