Russell (David Spade) listens as Jeff (Patrick Warburton) makes a point on Rules of Engagement.

The late Canadian-born TV scriptwriter Kim Wells worked hard on shows I'd kid her about - like Diagnosis Murder, Dr. Quinn: Medicine Woman, and the last seasons of Beverly Hills: 90210.

No one I knew was watching them, but they chugged on.

TV is like that. There are "hot" shows you read about constantly, and then there are shows that endure below the radar.

To this day, I don't think I've met anybody who faithfully watched Walker: Texas Ranger (although Chuck Norris kicking ass is undeniably entertaining). Other shows were hot once, but endure like a red star, consuming helium. Admit it, how long did you watch ER after George Clooney and Julianna Margulies left? And yet it survived from one century to the next.

Which brings us to the couples sitcom Rules Of Engagement, now in Season 7. Produced by Adam Sandler (which explains the presence of David Spade, who I believe is legally considered a Sandler dependent for tax purposes), it also has Patrick Warburton, who'll always be Seinfeld's Puddy to us.