The show was a spin off of Everybody Loves Raymond and revolves around a young married couple, Doug Heffernan (Kevin James) and his wife Carrie (Leah Remini). They live in Queens, a suburb of New York City, which is very much a blue-collar area. Doug is a delivery driver and his wife is usually the one who wears the pants in the family. He's a husky-sized guy, which we all know are the sexiest men alive, and she's a major hotty who sees through all his attempts to circumvent her will. Joining them in the show is Carrie's father, Arthur (Jerry Stiller), a man who's been a lot of places but is a bit off center, if you know what I mean. He moves in during the first episode, much to Doug's chagrin, and much of the comedy revolves around the couple trying to put up with the old man.

Fans of television comedy will equate the comedy with The Honeymooners, The Flintstones, I Love Lucy and any of a dozen or more couples although updated for a modern audience. The first season set the premise and it got better with time but quest stars like Bill Cosby, Brenda Vaccaro, Donny Osmond, and even Ben Stiller's real life wife, comedienne Anne Meara were among some of the more famous of these stars. Here's a breakdown of the scenes as presented on Sony's website, noting that there was no information about why they were placed in this order on the DVD set (I believe they were placed in the original order taped, not aired).

Episode One: Pilot (Aired 9/21/1998)
IPS deliveryman Doug is king of his domain with a converted basement paradise that houses his brand new prized possession, a 70-inch television, given to him by his loving wife Carrie. Life has suddenly become very, very good for Doug, who becomes the envy of his sports-watching buddies. But bliss is brief when Carrie persuades him to let her recently widowed father, Arthur, move into Doug's "cave" rather than go to a retirement home. To add insult to injury, Sara, Carrie's ne'er-do-well sister, sets up camp in Doug's bathroom. Plus, the big screen TV is half blocked by the bed after it's moved to the couple's tiny bedroom.

Episode Two: Head First (Aired 10/26/1998)
Doug reluctantly invites lonely Arthur to join him and his buddies for a Friday night of beer and pool at their regular hangout. Although the evening comes to a crashing halt when Arthur picks a barroom fight, it blossoms into a huge success after Carrie shows her appreciation to Doug behind closed doors. Guided by his libido and the desire to repeat the loving thank-you, Doug becomes host and social director to Arthur, who characteristically takes over guys'-night-out and unwittingly destroys Doug's male-bonding refuge.

Episode Three: Fat City (9/28/1998)
During a tour of one of Arthur's randomly chronicled photo albums, Doug sees a photo of Carrie's heavyset mother, Sophia. Arthur's off-hand observation that all of the women in Sophia's family fatten up as they age sends Doug into a complete panic. Despite the advice of coworker Deacon, Doug hints to Carrie that she could afford to lose a few pounds. Only when the brutal aftermath of the "meaningless" suggestion settles in and Carrie's sister gives him a dose of his own medicine, does Doug begin to understand what he has done.

Episode Four: Richie's Song (Aired 10/12/1998)
During a painful double date with Richie and his self-absorbed wife, Marie, Carrie reluctantly tells Doug that Marie's doting ways belie her wandering tendencies. After trying to confront his friend numerous times with the truth, Doug comes to realize that it's much easier knowing precious little about your buddies – more than knowing where they hide the remote gets just too sticky. Meanwhile, Arthur is hell-bent on collecting a refund for a deodorant that doesn't exactly keep its promise of "a meadow after a fresh morning rain."

Episode Five: Cello, Goodbye (Aired 10/5/1998)
Carrie's on the fast track at her new job in a Manhattan law firm. But the trappings of success – late nights at the office, free concert tickets and being surrounded by bright, dynamic people – make Doug wonder why she ever ended up with a guy like him. While painfully succumbing to boredom at a cello concert, he discovers that, despite his lowbrow tendencies, Carrie never has and never will feel she "settled" by marrying him.

Episode Six: Paternal Affairs (Aired 10/19/1998)
Doug's Aunt Sheila arrives at an anniversary party for Doug and Carrie, announcing her recent separation from Doug's Uncle Hank. Arthur is instantly smitten with Sheila and asks Doug's permission to "woo" her. To Doug's horror, Arthur's so successful that Aunt Sheila spends a string of romantic nights with Arthur under her nephew's roof. While completely against the tryst, Doug feels bad for Arthur when things don't pan out as he hopes. Meanwhile, Spence's obsession with Sara has come to an all-time photographic low.

Episode Seven: The Rock (Aired 11/2/1998)
When Carrie's engagement ring is appraised at a handsome sum, she and Doug give into temptation, sell the bauble and buy a hot tub and satellite dish. The unexpected guilt causes them to re-enact the day of their engagement, reminding them how special their love – not a ring – is.

Episode Eight: Road Rayge (Aired 11/16/1998)
Doug meets local celebrity Ray Barone at the DMV. Impressed with the famous sportswriter, Doug helps him with some answers on the driving test – and gets caught. After Doug temporarily loses his license, Ray tries to make it up to him. Unfortunately, every nice thing that Ray does turns into another nightmare for Doug.

Episode Nine: Educating Doug (Aired 11/9/1998)
Concerned that they're getting dumber as a couple, Carrie enrolls she and Doug in an adult education class, hoping it will spark an interest in reading. Once in the classroom, Doug reverts to sophomoric pranks – acting out in class and wrestling Spence for his homework. While Carrie finds his earnest but failed attempt at reading Jane Eyre endearing, she concedes that the word jumble, not Victorian Literature, may be a better place to start.

Episode Ten: Supermarket Story (Aired 11/23/1998)
The day before Thanksgiving, Carrie, Doug and Arthur plan a quick trip to the supermarket to pick up a few frozen dinners, but the place is an absolute madhouse. After being railroaded into making a home-cooked meal by her dad, Carrie stalks a Martha Stewart-type, hoping to learn how to shop and cook for ten. Meanwhile, Doug runs into a guy that he can't place, but who remembers Doug and a fight the two must have had in the past.

Episode Eleven: Fixer Upper (Aired 12/21/1998)
Despite Doug's protests, Carrie fixes Spence up with Jenny, a nebbish woman from her office. After Spence has an embarrassing allergic reaction, the pair manages to conquer their nervousness to begin a sweet courtship. At Doug's urging, Spence invites Jenny to the Heffernan garage, a.k.a. "The Love Zone," to end his 31-year bout of celibacy – a premature move, which threatens the natural progression of their romance.

Episode Twelve: Crappy Birthday (Aired 2/1/1999)
Depressed about turning 30, Carrie asks Doug to ignore her birthday. Doug goes along with it, as he would rather watch a huge pay-per-view ultimate fighting tournament on TV. However, guilt overcomes him and he vows to show Carrie a spectacular night. Doug's last-minute arrangements all fail, and he confesses his folly to Carrie, who doesn't care, because she's just happy to know he still thinks of her as his young, successful and sexy wife.

Episode Thirteen: Noel Cowards (Aired 12/14/1998)
Doug and Carrie decide their clunker is ready for retirement and start looking for a new car. Doug falls in love with a vehicle beyond their means, and despite his haggling skills, they leave the dealership empty handed. Meanwhile, Arthur presents Doug and Carrie with any early Christmas gift, a Douche Berger, a small European roadster better suited for the circus than Queens. Carrie and Doug hate the car but don't want to insult Arthur. Fortunately, they are able to unload the car on a friend in need and, gift-wrap the situation for Arthur as a gesture in the true spirit of Christmas.

Episode Fourteen: Best Man (Aired 1/11/1999)
Carrie has been pressuring Doug for weeks to attend the wedding of her childhood friend, Todd. Doug has zero interest in going, especially when Deacon reveals that Todd and Carrie were much more than "just friends." Shocked, he sulks through the ceremony, and Carrie realizes her secret is out. Carrie makes amends with Doug with an inevitably awkward and public explanation. Meanwhile, Arthur, who was plagued by the fact that he ordered the fish plate for his reception dinner eight weeks ago, works the crowd to trade for a nice, big, juicy steak.

Episode Fifteen: Dog Days (Aired 1/18/1999)
Doug and Carrie's new freshly starched neighbors appear to have only one flaw – a noisy nocturnal dog named Stanley. Closer inspection reveals deeper wrinkles as the Heffernans learn keeping the hound quiet is only one of their neighbor's many personal problems. Doug, who understands the dog just needs a little attention, secretly begins walking the dog. Carrie is angry with Doug for not being tougher with the neighbors, but after a final dysfunctional confrontation about the barking, the Heffernans conclude Stanley is better off with them. Meanwhile, Arthur is certain Charles Schultz is using his likeness as inspiration for Charlie Brown and the rest of the Peanuts© gang.

Episode Sixteen: Hungry Man (Aired 4/5/1999)
Doug doesn't really want to meet Carrie at an important client party does everything in his power to shave time – including skipping lunch, snacks and dinner - off his double shift to surprise Carrie at the event. Doug changes into his borrowed suit in the building's elevator, which unbeknownst to him is private, and greets guests in his underwear when the doors open directly into the reception. Doug manages to charm Carrie and the clients, but his shameless search for a morsel of food at the drinks only affair leaves a lasting impression - two raw eggs, a pickled carrot, sake, ten-odd breath mints and a cigar on the elevator carpet.

Episode Seventeen: Court Date (Aired 2/15/1999)
Carrie has just been issued her fourth traffic ticket this year. And her status as a persistent violator will double the Heffernan's insurance rates. When the officer, Jeffrey, calls and asks Carrie to dinner, Doug encourages Carrie to accept the date to get out of the ticket. Reluctantly, Carrie agrees to the fake date and the set up, but Jeffrey laughs off the idea that she is there simply to clear her record. While Carrie is on the phone playing hard to get, Arthur, who thinks she is having an affair, interrupts the conversation, blurting out that Carrie is married and ruining any chance Doug and Carrie might have had that the officer would not show in court the next day.

Episode Eighteen: S'Ain't Valentine's (Aired 2/8/1999)
Doug and Carrie have big plans for Valentine's Day – a romantic dinner and the house to themselves - but Cupid's arrow has a few diversions planned. Doug tempts Carrie with reservations at a favorite restaurant, but first he must meet the guys for a birthday drink with Spence. However, Spence's mother corrals the guys for a surprise Birthday/Valentine's party, and Doug is trapped for the night. Arthur, whom Carrie had forced to attend the Senior Citizen's Dance at the Community Center, meets his Cinderella but leaves without her when the magical spell is broken.

Episode Nineteen: White Collar (Aired 2/22/1999)
When Doug and Deacon's IPS shift supervisor takes ill, Doug is temporarily promoted to the position. Deacon stars snubbing his friend, upset that he wasn't chosen as the fill-in guy and suspicious that race was involved in making the decision. While Deacon's distance bothers Doug, what's more frightening is the possibility that he may be stuck behind a desk shuffling papers indefinitely. Carrie tries to be supportive but doesn't know whether to encourage him to be more ambitious, or stay at the level where he's happy. Meanwhile, Arthur's convinced that Doug has become just another unfeeling corporate lackey.

Episode Twenty: Rayny Day (Aired 3/1/1999)
When Ray Romano calls and asks Doug if he wants to play golf at his private club, Doug cancels on his friend Richie-- who he was going to spend the day with in order to comfort him after his divorce. But when a huge thunderstorm lets loose, Doug's day of golf turns into a fiasco, and he high-tails it back to his garage to Richie. Meanwhile, Ray's mother, Marie, arrives at the Heffernan's early to pick Ray up and gives Carrie a lesson in cleaning – which Carrie milks for all it's worth.

Episode Twenty One: Train Wreck (Aired 3/15/1999)
Doug gets a new trainee at work, and much to his surprise, she's blond and beautiful. He is reluctant to tell Carrie about his new protégé, for fear she'll be jealous. But, when Carrie shows up at the IPS office unexpectedly, she is unfazed by the discovery that Doug's trainee is an attractive woman. Carrie assures Doug that he's a nice guy and that she's not worried about his straying, which delivers a crushing blow to Doug's ego. Meanwhile, Arthur feels he's been scammed, because the headstone he bought for himself years ago is partially engraved and does not provide for him to live past 1999.

Episode Twenty-Two: Where's Poppa? (Aired 5/3/1999)
Doug and Carrie pine for the privacy they used to have before Arthur moved in. In a desperate attempt to reclaim a little spontaneity and romance, they plot to send Arthur away for a weekend. Doug contacts his cousin Danny, who is surprisingly happy to let Arthur help out at his pizza parlor for the weekend. When Danny hears from Arthur all the compliments that Doug has paid him Danny is overcome with joy. But, the joy is short-lived when Danny realizes that it was Doug who gave him an awful nickname when they were kids.

Episode Twenty Three: Time Share (Aired 4/26/1999)
Doug and Carrie have done everything they can to avoid their annoying neighbors, Tim and Dorothy Sacksky. But when the couple separates, they graciously offer their week at a Hamptons time-share to the Heffernans, so that it won't go unused. Until they get their hands on the keys to the cottage, Doug and Carrie feel obligated to console the unhappy couple. Doug goes skeet shooting with Tim, while Carrie asks Richie to sweet talk a depressed Dorothy. But after Richie goes too far, Doug and Carrie fear that their free vacation is slipping away. Meanwhile, Arthur seeks answers from an ointment company after developing a nasty rash.

Episode Twenty Four: Maybe Baby (Aired 5/17/1999)
A rollicking visit with Deacon's three-year-old reminds Doug how much he loves kids, and prompts a conversation with Carrie about starting a family. Though Carrie has never warmed to the idea, she is finally starting to consider the possibility of having a baby, but she's also concerned that motherhood will stifle her career. Doug's enthusiasm is tempered slightly when he considers the reality of being a parent. It is only during a romantic tryst that Dough and Carrie actually come down to deciding whether to get pregnant or not.

Episode Twenty Five: Art House (Aired 5/10/1999)
It's the last straw for Doug when Arthur asks, and somehow manages, to have Doug use his delivery truck to move an armoire. Doug, completely fed up with Arthur living in his house, finally loses it and the two have a huge fight. As a result, Arthur moves out and into his own apartment. Carrie believes that her father can't take care of himself. But a visit to his house-warming party proves them wrong – or so they think. As it turns out, Arthur is soon back asking for rent money, and no sooner is he moving his stuff back into the basement.

Bonus Episode One: Assaulted Nuts (Aired 10/4/1999)
Carrie, looking to build a home office, asks Doug to meet her at the bank to secure a loan. Doug, claiming he's too busy at work, agrees to meet Carrie only during his lunch hour. Meanwhile, Doug, goofing off at work, accidentally shoots a staple into his groin. Deacon takes Doug to the hospital but Doug leaves the emergency room to meet Carrie before he can be seen by a doctor. Doug, in obvious pain, tells Carrie what happened and apologizes for the way he's been acting. Carrie wants to take Doug to the hospital right way but he insists on securing the loan first. Once at the hospital Doug, in a scene reminiscent of childbirth, Doug finally has the staple removed.

Bonus Episode Two: Better Camera (Aired 12/11/2000)
Doug buys Carrie a camera for Christmas but then is shamed by the better camera that her boss gives her. Doug insists that she use the camera she likes best and so she keeps the trendy one giving to her by her boss and re-gifts Doug's to Kelly all would be fine, except that Deacon also bought Kelly a camera and it was far cheaper than Doug's. And so, when Kelly gets Carrie's gift the truth comes out about how much Deacon spent and Kelly is now the one insulted.

You get a lot of bang for the buck with this set. All those episodes, plenty of extras and reasonably decent technical values all combined to make this one worth a rating of Recommended. There was a lot of chemistry between the three leads and even the supporting cast did a great job. It's not a show about high concepts but it's fresh in many ways and the jokes are good more often than not.

Picture: The picture was presented in 1.33:1 ratio full frame color, as originally shot. I've seen a few episodes over the years (both as broadcast on network television and in syndication) and my original concerns for the set were confirmed. By compressing it to allow for so many episodes and extras to be put on just three discs (even using the dual layer format), there were some problems with the picture. While there were no print scratches noticed, there were some grain and compression artifacts. It wasn't all that noticeable except in dark scenes or where the cast moved very quickly (respectively). There were some episodes where the picture was a bit fuzzy (episode three was the first time I noticed it in any major way but about two episodes per disc it became an issue). I'd rather Sony used an extra disc or two if that would've helped improve the picture quality but for the low MSRP, it's tough to fuss at them for what amounts to only a slightly degraded picture.

Sound: The audio was presented in Dolby Digital 2.0 surround stereo English with optional closed captioning for the hearing impaired. The vocals were clear but the bass was somewhat fuzzy (it sounded like some loose humming taking place when the music was loud (generally between the scenes but also during the occasional laugh track). To be fair though, I doubt most people would notice any of these problems unless they had a high-end system and really focused on it.

Extras: Surprisingly, the extras were pretty solid on this low cost season set. The first one was an audio commentary track with star Kevin James and creator Michael Weithorn. To be frank, the guys didn't say a whole lot of interest. Maybe I was expecting Mr. James to crack me up but he seemed tame. My favorite extra was a Behind the Scenes feature. It lasted almost half an hour but was exceptionally well done. There was a laughs montage that was much shorter but cute to watch once. Lastly, there was a set of trailers and a coupon for $5 if you buy My Big Fat Greek Life (gee, thanks). The box itself was a foldout with the cast leads on the discs and folds. The discs came out easily and I didn't worry about them breaking like with some that the hubs are too tight with. The foldout pack goes into a thin cardboard case that I wished was thicker but will hold the set together just fine. To sum up the extras, very well done (although more commentaries and extra discs would be good too).

Final Thoughts: I'm a latecomer to the show and look forward to seeing future season sets. While I hope the sets have an extra disc or two to lower the compression rate, the cost was so low that you really can't fuss too loudly about the minor problems. Most men can readily identify with Doug and women should do the same for Carrie just as anyone stuck living with in-laws will recognize Arthur a mile away. With so much comedy based on situations we all can understand, it's no wonder the show has been on so long (of course, Leah Remini's looks sure don't hurt either).