China Syndrome

"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 twelfth and thirteenth episodes of the ninth season, running about 45 minutes without commercials. It was filmed March 15, 2007, and originally aired on CBS on May 14, 2007. Plot Doug is furious when he learns Carrie has not given up the apartment in Manhattan as she promised, despite quitting his job as an IPS driver in favor of a new job as a salesperson at her request. Doug does not want to attend her father Arthur's wedding to Ava St. Clair (Lainie Kazan), which takes place in Poughkeepsie; instead, he stays at home watching The Price is Right, and several references to the game show are made, including contestants bidding on a prize, and Doug yelling to the TV that "the Rice-a-Roni is much cheaper than the Turtle Wax" and ranting about how "Ensign Curtis just cost himself a trip to the Showcase Showdown". However, his best friend Deacon Palmer takes him to Poughkeepsie 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, Spence's mother (Anne Meara) in the men's room. She at first declines, but 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, Ming-Mei, is waiting for them in Beijing. However, Doug does not want to go through with the adoption process because of her betrayal regarding the apartment. A very pregnant Holly (Nicole Sullivan) also shows up at the wedding, as does the Heffernans’ neighbor, Lou Ferrigno. When Lou tries to cheer everyone up by proclaiming it's "such a happy day," he is met with unhappy expressions.