Carrie Heffernan of The King of Queens was a complicated character. She could be very sweet and loving, especially towards her father and Doug. She took care of them and loved them both deeply, but she also found fault with them if they didn't do what she wanted.
Carrie usually relied on manipulating and tricking them into doing what she wanted, and it didn't always work. She could be kind and thoughtful, but also mean and dishonest, and that wasn't the only contrast in Carrie's character.
Why Wasn't Carrie Friends With Debra Barone?
Doug and Ray often hung out in both The King of Queens and Ray and Debra came for dinner in "Dire Strayts."
Carrie was angry with Doug, and she later gets Ray into trouble with Debra when she tells Debra about her fight with Doug and reveals something Ray said about Debra. They seemed to relate given the things their husbands said about them, but that was the end of it. It would've been a fun dynamic to see them hang out, but it just never came to be.
What Happened To Carrie's Sister?
In the first season, Carrie's younger sister Sara makes a few appearances. She's shown to be irresponsible, essentially the complete opposite of her sister. However, Carrie's sister soon dropped off the radar altogether.
Whatever happened to Sara Spooner? Why didn't Carrie mention her more? Sara's disappearance was never really explained, so it would've made sense to have Carrie mention her sister more, or at least provide an explanation, such as Sara moving away.
Double Standards
Carrie is constantly giving Doug a hard time about his weight throughout the series, encouraging him to lose weight and eat better. In "Gym Neighbors," Carrie is furious with him when he tricks her into working out because he wants her to lose weight, and he ends up flaking out on his own workout sessions.
Doug himself asks her why she can criticize him about his weight each day and he can't say anything to her about her weight, and her response is simply "because that's just the way it is." Carrie should be more understanding of Doug's dislike of her constant comments about his weight, considering she doesn't like it when he does the same to her—but it is what it is, and Carrie wouldn't have it any other way.
Why Doesn't She Her Original Name?
In "Raygin' Bulls," Doug and Ray Barone hang out together while Carrie accompanies her father to her mother's grave. There, she finds out that she was originally named Simone. However, in the flashback provided which shows the night Arthur lost her name in a poker game, Carrie was clearly old enough to be able to what her original name was.
She's old enough to be in elementary school, and she was even present at the poker game in the flashback, so why didn't she her original name? Did she not that night, or did she get so used to her new name, Carrie, that she forgot about Simone? In any case, it doesn't make sense that she wouldn't have at least one memory in which people called her Simone.
Her Bossiness
Carrie's bossy—it's just who she is. However, in the episode "Dougie Ho," audiences see a flashback to when Carrie and Doug were just about to buy their house and Carrie overrules Doug's desire to live in a different home. She tells him how things are going to be, and that she's right, but she changes her tune after talking more with Doug and tells him that she's used to being bossy because of her father, but that she doesn't want to be like that with him.
Yet, contrary to that desire, Carrie is bossy throughout the whole series, so her desire to leave her bossiness behind in her relationship with Doug didn't last too long.
Carrie's Tough Exterior
Carrie is rough around the edges, and she's often been considered scary and intimidating. She has an attitude that declares that she doesn't care what people think of her, but the truth is that she really does. Carrie puts on a tough persona, but she really does want to be liked by those around her.
She goes to extreme lengths to get her co-workers to like her in the episode "Like Hell," but she pushes it too far. Unfortunately, she's just not very approachable, and that makes it harder for people to see who she is beyond her tough exterior.
She Could Be Very Sweet And Very Sour
Carrie can be really sweet; she cares for her husband, Doug, as well as her father. She can be considerate and kind, but, at the same time, Carrie can be quite manipulative, especially if she wants something. When Carrie got a new assistant in "Entertainment Weakly," she had no problem taking advantage of her and reserving the credit for her work.
Plus, when her assistant later leaves, Carrie does everything she can to manipulate her into staying. Carrie doesn't have a problem manipulating strangers, or even Doug and her father, when it comes to getting what she wants. It's unusual to come across a character that can do both, but Carrie's definitely capable.
Carrie's Way Or The Highway
Carrie detests any time Doug tries to take advantage of her or otherwise manipulate her. Take for instance the episode "Lost Vegas" when Doug takes her to a spa to try to get her to agree to let him go to Las Vegas with his friends.
Carrie won't stand for Doug manipulating her, but the funny thing is that she has no problem doing the exact same thing to her husband. Carrie's good at pushing his buttons, and she's certainly never sorry for doing it. It's pretty unfair for Carrie to do that, but she doesn't think twice about it.
She Doesn't Learn Her Lesson
Carrie is stubborn, manipulative, and very headstrong. Her stubbornness and the way she manipulates those around her doesn't always pay off, however. Plus, she can be very competitive, as she was when she and Doug went head-to-head on where they would vacation in "Whine Country." However, it doesn't work out for either of them, as neither of them got to vacation where they wanted.
Carrie hasn't learned that her manipulative nature and her stubbornness aren't always right, let alone the best approach, to get what she wants, especially in her marriage. Audiences would think that she would change her approach after many years of marriage, but Carrie still utilizes the same tactics.
The Truth About Carrie's Love For Doug
Carrie will often yell at Doug, wanting him to change. She gets frustrated or annoyed with him, and she'll berate him until he does what she wants. However, at the end of the day, Carrie really does love Doug for who he is, and she doesn't really want him to change.
In the episode "Offensive Fowl," Doug drives her crazy with his new vegetarian lifestyle and everything that comes with it. At first, she's ive of his healthier eating habits, but, when he goes overboard, Carrie only wants him to be himself again, which is why she was so happy to come home and find him with fast food by the episode's end.