In February 2011, CBS halted production for the rest of the eighth season after Sheen entereddrug rehabilitation and made disparaging comments about Lorre.[1] Sheen's contract was terminated the following month.[2]Ashton Kutcher was then hired for the ninth season onward to star as Walden Schmidt, a billionaire who buys Charlie's house after Charlie's death.[3]
Angus T. Jones reduced his role starting in the 10th season, citing a religious awakening and dissatisfaction with the show's content.[4] He later left the show, appearing only briefly in the series finale.[5] During the later seasons, the cast expanded to includeAmber Tamblyn as Jenny, Charlie's long-lost daughter, in the 11th season;Jennifer Taylor as Chelsea, Charlie’s longtime girlfriend, in the sixth and seventh seasons; andApril Bowlby as Kandi, Alan’s second wife, in the third season, with recurring appearances in later seasons. Edan Alexander joined the cast as Louis, a foster child, introduced in the 12th and final season.
In 2012, the show became the third-highest revenue-generating program, earning $3.24 million per episode.[6] Ratings peaked during Sheen's tenure, saw a boost during Kutcher's first season, but gradually declined afterward, leading to the series' cancellation after the 12th season.
The series revolved initially around the lives of the Harper brothers, Charlie (Charlie Sheen) and Alan (Jon Cryer), and Alan's son Jake (Angus T. Jones). Charlie is abachelor who writes commercialjingles for a living, while leading ahedonistic lifestyle. When Alan's wife, Judith (Marin Hinkle), decides to divorce him, he moves into Charlie'sMalibu beach house, with Jake coming to stay over the weekends. Charlie's housekeeper isBerta (Conchata Ferrell), asardonic woman who initially resents the change to the household, but eventually accepts it. Charlie's one-night standRose (Melanie Lynskey) was first introduced as hisstalker in thepilot episode.
The first five seasons find Charlie in casual sexual misadventures with numerous women until thesixth season, when he becomes engaged to Chelsea (Jennifer Taylor), but the relationship does not last, as Chelsea breaks off their engagement. Afterwards, Charlie flies to Paris with his stalker Rose in the show'sde facto eighth-season finale. However, in theninth-season premiere, Charlie is said to have died after he was struck by aParis subway train. Rose hints that she threw Charlie into the train's path after learning that he had cheated on her.
Alan's attitude and experiences are contrasted with Charlie's. Throughout the series, Alan deals with his son Jake's growing up and the aftermath of his bitter divorce, while having little success with women. His marriage toKandi (April Bowlby) at the end of thethird season was short-lived. In thefourth season, Alan is back at the beach house payingalimony to two women out of his low earnings as a chiropractor. In theseventh season, he begins a relationship withLyndsey McElroy (Courtney Thorne-Smith), the mother of one of Jake's friends. Their relationship is temporarily suspended when Alan cheats on her and accidentally burns down her house, but the relationship is eventually resumed.
In the ninth-season premiere (afterCharlie's death), the beach house is sold to Walden Schmidt (Ashton Kutcher), an Internet billionaire going through a divorce fromBridget (Judy Greer). Alan leaves to live with his motherEvelyn (Holland Taylor) when the house is sold, but later Walden invites both Alan and Jake back to live in the beach house.
At the end of the ninth season, Jake joins theUS Army; he appears occasionally during the 10th season, briefly dating Tammy (Jaime Pressly), who is 17 years his senior and has three kids, as well as Tammy's daughter Ashley (Emily Osment). In the season, Walden proposes to his English girlfriendZoey (Sophie Winkleman), only to be turned down and discover she has another man. He becomes depressed. Meanwhile, Alan gets engaged to his girlfriend Lyndsey, while Judith leaves her second husbandHerb Melnick (Ryan Stiles) (to whom she had been married since the fourth season) after he cheats on her with his receptionist (they later reconcile). Alan and Lyndsey's relationship of three years ends as she wants to move on. Rose returns and briefly dates Walden, later stalking him as she did to Charlie. Walden begins to date a poor but ambitious woman namedKate (Brooke D'Orsay) and changes his name to"Sam Wilson", pretending to be poor to find someone who wants him for him, not for his money. They later break up when he reveals who he really is, though Kate realizes that Walden's money helped her become a successfulclothing designer. Jake announces he is being shipped to Japan for at least a year, so Alan and he go on a father-son bonding trip. Other than a cameo in the series finale, this is the last time Jake appears on the show, though verbal references are made to him.
In the 11th season, a young woman arrives at the beach house, announcing that she is Charlie Harper's biological daughter, Jenny (Amber Tamblyn).[7] She moves in with Walden and Alan, and later displays many of Charlie's traits, including a love of women andalcohol. Lyndsey begins dating a man named Larry (D. B. Sweeney). In an attempt to learn more about Larry, Alan takes on the pseudonym "Jeff Strongman". His double life becomes complicated when "Jeff" begins dating Larry's sister, Gretchen (Kimberly Williams-Paisley).
In the 12th season, after a health scare, Walden decides to reprioritize his life byadopting a baby. He realizes that the only way to do this is to be married, but does not know anyone who will marry him. He asks Alan to marry him and pretend that they are agay couple, thus ensuring success at adopting. Jenny moves out of the house, and moves in with Evelyn, due to Walden and Alan's preparing to adopt. They adopt a child, Louis (Edan Alexander), and subsequently divorce to pursue relationships with women. Alan proposes to Lyndsey a second time and she accepts, while Walden begins a relationship with Louis' social worker, Ms. McMartin (Maggie Lawson). Charlie is revealed to be alive, having been kept prisoner by Rose until escaping, but he dies in an accident before he can reunite with Walden and Alan.
Following a February 2010 announcement that Sheen was entering drug rehabilitation, filming of the show was put on hiatus,[8] but resumed the following month.[9] On April 1, 2010,People reported that after seven seasons, Sheen announced he was considering leaving the show.[10] According to one source, Sheen quit the show after filming the final episode of season seven, purportedly due to his rejection of CBS's offer of $1 million per episode as too low.[11] Sheen eventually stated that he would be back for two more seasons.[12] On May 18, 2010, the New Zealand websiteStuff.co.nz reported that a press release issued by Sheen's publicist confirmed that Sheen had signed a new contract for two years at $1.78 million per episode. "To put a fitting end on the two and one-half months of whirlwind speculation, I'm looking forward to returning to my CBS home on Monday nights," Sheen was quoted as saying.[13]
On January 28, 2011, Sheen voluntarily entered a rehabilitation center for the third time in 12 months. According toWarner Bros. Television and CBS, the show was put on hiatus for an indefinite period of time.[14]
The following month, after Sheen's verbal denunciations of Chuck Lorre in a radio interview withAlex Jones and an online interview withTMZ.com, CBS announced thatTwo and a Half Men would cease production for the rest of its eighth season.[15] This affected an estimated 200 employees,[16] and caused Warner Bros. Television, CBS, Lorre, Sheen and other profit participants an estimated $10 million loss from the unmade eight remaining episodes.[17] Afterward, Sheen was interviewed onABC's20/20,NBC'sToday andCNN'sPiers Morgan Tonight, where he continued to criticize Lorre and CBS.[18] On March 7, CBS and Warner Bros. Television jointly announced that they had terminated Sheen'sTwo and a Half Men contract, citing "moral turpitude" as a main cause of separation.[19] No further decisions about the show's future were released.
Cast members Marin Hinkle and Holland Taylor expressed sadness at Sheen's departure and personal problems.[20] Jon Cryer did not publicly comment on the matter. In response, Sheen called him "a turncoat, a traitor, [and] a troll" in anE! Online interview,[21] although he later issued a "half-apology" to Cryer for the remarks.[22] Sheen sued Lorre and Warner Bros. Television for $100 million, saying that he had filed the lawsuit on behalf of himself andTwo and a Half Men's cast and crew; however, only Sheen was named as a plaintiff in court documents.[23]
In April 2011, Sheen mentioned during a radio interview during his tour's stop inBoston that CBS and he were discussing a possible return to the show.[24] Lorre announced the same month that he had developed an idea for a revival ofTwo and a Half Men, excluding Sheen, with Cryer in a key role alongside a new character.[25]Hugh Grant was approached to replace Sheen but he declined.[26][27] On May 13, CBS announced Ashton Kutcher would join the cast. Kutcher stated, "I can't replace Charlie Sheen, but I'm going to work my ass off to entertain the hell out of people!"[28]
On August 2, 2011, the season-nine premiere was reported as beginning with Sheen's character killed off and his ex-girlfriends attending his funeral. Afterward, Charlie's Malibu home would be put up for sale; interested buyers would include celebrities from Lorre's other sitcoms andJohn Stamos, as well as Kutcher's character, Walden Schmidt, "an Internet billionaire with a broken heart." Reviewers compared the situation to what happened in 1987 toValerie Harper, who was fired from the sitcomValerie (later titledValerie's Family: The Hogans and thenThe Hogan Family). Her character was killed off-screen, and she was replaced the following season.[29][30][31][32]
Sheen said he would watch his "fake funeral attended by [his] fake ex-girlfriends, from [his] very, very real movie theater, with [his] very real hotties in tow."[33][34] His response to the season-nine premiere was very positive.[35] He reportedly felt Charlie Harper's funeral was "eerie but fun", and that the introduction of Kutcher's character in a cloud of his own character's ashes was particularly enjoyable.[36]
The attentionTwo and a Half Men received due to the change in characters gave the series a boost. Average total viewers during the 2011–2012 season rose 13% to 15 million and the 5.2 rating in the 18–49 demographic rose by 27%.[37] Kutcher's debut as Walden Schmidt, in the episode "Nice to Meet You, Walden Schmidt", was seen by 28.7 million people on September 19, 2011. The Nielsen company reported it the highest-rated episode since the series began. At the 2012 Emmys,Two and a Half Men was nominated for four awards and won three, the most Emmys it had won in a single year since it began. In 2012, Kutcher replaced Sheen as the highest-paid U.S. actor currently on the air, receiving $700,000 per episode. For Kutcher's second season, the show moved to the 8:30 pm Thursday time slot, replacingRules of Engagement.Two and a Half Men improved ratings for the time slot, which were up from the previous year. Jennifer Graham Kizer ofIVillage thought that the series changed tone in its Kutcher era, saying it felt "less evil".[38] Lorre, Cryer, Hinkle, Taylor, Ferrell and Lynskey had nothing but praise for Kutcher, believing he had "saved the show".[39][40][41][42]
Kutcher was the highest-paid actor on television for four years according toForbes, earning an estimated $24 million between June 2012 and June 2013, $750,000 per episode. Cryer was the second-highest-paid star on American television, earning $600,000–700,000 per episode.[43][44]
In 2021, Sheen expressed regret for his past behavior, saying, "There [were] 55 different ways for me to handle that situation and I chose number 56."[45]
In a November 2012 interview with a Christian website, Angus T. Jones (Jake) said he had recently converted to Christianity and joined aSeventh-day Adventist church. He attacked the show as "filth that contradicts his moral values" and said that he was "sick of being a part of it".[46] He also begged fans to stop watching the show.[46] Producers explained that Jones was not expected back on the set until 2013, because his character was not scheduled to appear in the final two episodes before the winter hiatus.[47] In response to the controversy, Sheen issued a public statement in which he blamed Chuck Lorre for the outburst and claimed that "Jones' outburst isn't an isolated incident but rather a symptom of the toxic environment surrounding the show."[48] The following day, Jones issued a public apology for his remarks and explained that he "cannot address everything that has been said or right every misstatement or misunderstanding."[49] Jones left the series at the end of the 2012–2013 season and did not appear in season 11 despite initial reports that he would continue in a recurring, rather than a starring, role.[50] The role of youngest family member was filled byAmber Tamblyn, who played Jenny, the long-lost illegitimate daughter of Charlie Harper, and later by Edan Alexander, who played Louis, Walden Schmidt's adopted son. On March 18, 2014, Jones officially announced his departure from the show, stating he had been "a paid hypocrite".[51] Nevertheless, he apologized to Lorre for his actions[52] and appeared in a cameo in the series finale on February 19, 2015.
Charlie Sheen asCharlie Harper (seasons 1–8), a charismatichedonisticbachelor, jingle/children's songwriter, Alan's elder brother, Jake's uncle and Jenny's father. Despite his arrogant and rambunctious demeanor, he does possess a kind heart, though he very rarely shows it. He is written out of the series at the beginning of season nine, after being pushed in front of a train and killedoffscreen, due to Charlie Sheen being fired from the show. In the episode "Why We Gave Up Women", Charlie's ghost, portrayed byKathy Bates, visits Alan and is forced to spend eternity inhell as a woman with a pair of testicles. He has a daughter named Jenny, whose existence he never disclosed to his family. In season 11, she resurfaces as an adult, but has no idea he had died. The series finaleabandons the idea that Charlie is deceased by revealing that Rose faked his death and held him prisoner in a pit for four years. Brainwashed into a violentpsychopath, he escapes and portends his imminent arrival by sending threats to Alan, Evelyn and Walden, as well as generous checks to Jake, Berta, Jenny and his ex-girlfriends, but a helicopter drops a grand piano on him and kills him just before he enters the beach house.
Jon Cryer asAlan Harper, Charlie's younger brother, a strugglingchiropractor, Jake's twice-divorced father, Walden's best friend and Jenny's uncle. Alan is intelligent, a graduate ofCal State Long Beach but continually stricken with bad luck due to poor choices and mistakes, which are due to a lifetime of suffering from Charlie's abuse and Evelyn's neglect, as well as favoring Charlie over him. Due to a lack in income (partly the result of Charlie's sabotaging Alan's divorce-settlement by jilting Alan's lawyer in the episode "No Sniffing, No Wowing"), Alan is forced to sponge off people throughout his life, but he genuinely cares about others despite this. His poverty ultimately led to the demise of his business. In the 12th and final season, Alan agrees to "marry" Walden for the latter to adopt a child and for months, the two pretend to be a gay couple. In the series' penultimate episode, Walden and Alan end the marriage as Walden had successfully adopted a six-year-old named Louis. Alan finally proposes to Lyndsey and agrees to marry her (as well as move out) in the final episodes. Cryer is the only cast member who appears in all 262 episodes of the series.
Angus T. Jones asJake Harper (seasons 1–10; guest, season 12), theslacker son of Alan and Judith and older half-brother (or brother, if Alan's paternity claim is to be believed) of Milly and cousin of Jenny. In season one, episode 17 ("Ate the Hamburgers, Wearing the Hats"), his real name is revealed to actually be Jacob. As he grows older, he changes from a rather bright (but gullible), independent child into a dimwitted buffoon (who is nevertheless good at blackmailing Charlie and Alan). He eventually enlists in the U.S. Army working as a chef. At the end of season 10, he announces that he is going to Japan for a year. Despite his absence, he is mentioned often in seasons 11 and 12 and makes an uncredited cameo via archive footage in season 12, as well as returning briefly in person in the series finale.
Ashton Kutcher asWalden Schmidt (seasons 9–12), Alan's best friend, roommate and ephemeral husband. A friendly, hopelessly romantic internet tycoon, he is a billionaire despite being somewhat immature andnaïve for most of his life. He purchases the Harper beach house after Charlie's death. During his time in the household, he grows into a responsible adult and forms close friendships with Jake, Herb, Berta, Judith, Evelyn and Jenny. He also serves as a surrogate uncle figure to Jake, in place of Charlie. In season 12, he and Alan adopt a six-year-old boy named Louis.[53]
Holland Taylor asEvelyn Harper (seasons 1–9; recurring, seasons 10–12), Charlie and Alan's vain mother and the grandmother of Jake and Jenny. A high-powered Los Angeles broker/realtor, she is bisexual.
Marin Hinkle asJudith Harper-Melnick (seasons 1–9; recurring, seasons 10–12), Alan's selfish, mean-spirited ex-wife and Jake and Milly's mother. She considers Charlie's lifestyle and attitude to be a bad example for Jake and also occasionally has issues with Alan's own parenting practices.
Conchata Ferrell asBerta (seasons 2–12; recurring, season 1), the family's outspoken housekeeper and close family friend. She shows great animosity towards Alan and Jake, while she adores Charlie and later, Walden. During the Kutcher years, her role was increased on the show, appearing in more episodes. Season 11 was the first season where she appeared in every episode. The role was originally only intended for a two-episode arc in the first season, in which she would leave as a result of Alan and his son moving in.[39]
Melanie Lynskey asRose (seasons 1–2; recurring, seasons 3–12), the Harpers' strange neighbor and Charlie'sstalker and friend. Initially, Charlie hated Rose and wanted nothing to do with her, but eventually they became friends and he later fell in love with her. In the ninth-season premiere, Rose claimed that Charlie "slipped" in front of aParis Métro train after she had caught him cheating on her. She was later seen taking Bridget Schmidt under her wing as an apprentice stalker, but this storyline was eventually aborted. After formally meeting Walden at the local tavern, Rose rushed into a relationship with him and caused her ferrets to attack Walden and Alan when Walden broke up with her. Naturally, she continues to stalk Walden, as well as the Harpers, despite Charlie's apparent death. In the finale, she is revealed to have kept Charlie imprisoned in a pit for four years.
April Bowlby asKandi (season 4; recurring, season 3; guest, seasons 10 and 12),[note 1] Charlie's dimwitted girlfriend, then later as Alan's girlfriend and second wife and also Judith's best friend (for one episode). In season 10, after Alan rejects her sexual advances, she has a one-night stand with Alan's girlfriend, Lyndsey McElroy.
Jennifer Taylor asChelsea (season 7; recurring, season 6; guest, seasons 9 and 12),[note 2] Charlie's voluptuous girlfriend for most of season six, she has moved into his house by the end of the season. She then becomes Charlie's fiancée in season seven. They later end the relationship, which deeply hurt Charlie for a while. She is absent throughout season eight, but makes a brief, speaking cameo at Charlie's funeral in season nine. (While credited on-screen among the main cast during the seventh season, CBS press releases billed her as a recurring character.)
Amber Tamblyn as Jenny (season 11; recurring, season 12), Charlie's illegitimate daughter who shares many personality traits with her father, including indulging in alcohol and women. She quickly bonds with Alan and Walden, often flaunting her female lovers in front of them. (While credited on-screen among the main cast during the 12th season, CBS press releases bill her as a recurring character.)
Edan Alexander asLouis (season 12), a six-year-old boy whom Walden adopts.
The following appeared in recurring roles or story arcs spanning multiple episodes:
Jane Lynch as the sarcastic Dr. Linda Freeman, originally Jake's child psychologist and later Charlie's regular psychiatrist who later also treats Alan and Walden (seasons 1, 3–9, 11)
Ryan Stiles as Herb Melnick, a pediatrician who becomes Judith's second ex-husband (seasons 2, 4–10, 12)
J. D. Walsh as Gordon, a pizza delivery guy who idolizes Charlie's lifestyle (seasons 1–4, 6–8)
Emmanuelle Vaugier as Mia, Charlie's ex-fiancée (seasons 3, 5–7 9, and 12)
Robert Wagner as Nathan Krunk (alias "Teddy Leopold"), Evelyn's fifth husband, thought to be Courtney's father, but later revealed to be a con artist (seasons 4–5)
Ming-Na Wen as the Hon. Linda Harris, superior court judge, adjunct law professor and Charlie's girlfriend (season 5)
Jenny McCarthy as Sylvia Fishman (alias "Courtney Leopold"), alleged daughter of Nathan Krunk (alias "Teddy Leopold") (seasons 5, 8–9)
Martin Mull as Russell, Charlie's self-medicating pharmacist (seasons 6–10)
Kelly Stables as Melissa, Alan's receptionist, who dates both Charlie and Alan (seasons 6–8)
Tinashe Kachingwe as Celeste Burnette, Jake's girlfriend whose father strongly disapproves of their relationship (seasons 6–7)
Graham Patrick Martin as Eldridge McElroy, Lyndsey's son and Jake's equally dim-witted best friend (seasons 7–9)
Courtney Thorne-Smith as Lyndsey McElroy, Alan's on/off love interest from season seven on and his fiancée in season 12. In season 10, she has a one-night stand with Kandi (Alan's ex-wife) (seasons 7–12)
Carl Reiner as Marty Pepper, Evelyn's boyfriend and later husband (seasons 7–8, 11)
Judy Greer as Bridget, Walden's ex-wife (seasons 9–12); also played Myra Melnick, Herb Melnick's sister and Charlie's one-night fling (season 4)
Mimi Rogers as Robin Schmidt, Walden's mother (season 9–12)
Sophie Winkleman as Zoey Hyde-Tottingham-Pierce, Walden's love interest following his divorce from Bridget (seasons 9–10, 12)
Talyan Wright as Ava Pierce, Zoey's seven-year-old daughter (seasons 9–10)
Patton Oswalt as Billy Stanhope, Walden's former business partner who dates Bridget (seasons 9–10)
Brooke D'Orsay as Kate, Walden's love interest (seasons 10–11); also played Robin, Charlie's sex partner (season 4, episode 16)
Missi Pyle as Miss Dolores Pasternak, Jake's teacher (seasons 2, 7, 9 and 12; played byAlicia Witt in season 6)
Macey Cruthird as Megan, Jake's math tutor and later girlfriend (seasons 8–9)
D. B. Sweeney as Larry Martin, a good friend of Alan and Walden's, who incidentally, was Lyndsey's boyfriend after Alan (seasons 11–12)
Miley Cyrus as Missi, an old family friend of Walden's, who becomes Jake's brief love interest (season 10)
Odette Annable as Nicole, brief love interest of Walden and majority owner of a garage-based tech start-up Walden joins (season 11)
Clark Duke as Barry Foster, Nicole's business partner who befriends Walden and pretends to be the new "half-man" after Jake moved to Japan (seasons 11–12)
Aly Michalka as Brooke, Jenny's girlfriend (season 11)
Charlie Sheen's real-life brotherEmilio Estevez has guest-starred as an old friend of Charlie's;[56] his fatherMartin Sheen has appeared as Rose's father. Sam Sheen, the real-life daughter ofDenise Richards and Charlie Sheen, appeared as Lisa's daughter on November 22, 2004.[57]Mila Kunis, Ashton Kutcher's fiancée and later wife, appeared on the show as his love interest in season 11.
Each episode's title is a dialogue fragment from the episode itself, usually offering no clue to the episode's actual plotline. The show's 100th episode ("City of Great Racks") aired on October 15, 2007. To celebrate this, acasino-inspired party was held atWest Hollywood'sPacific Design Center.[58]Warner Bros. Television also distributed blue Micargi Rover bicycles adorned with theTwo and a Half Men logo along with the words "100 Episodes". Each bicycle came with a note saying, "You've made us very proud. Here's to a long ride together."[58] The cast also gave the crew sterling silver key rings fromTiffany & Co. The key rings were attached to small pendants with "100" inscribed on one side andTwo and a Half Men on the other.
Seasons one through four, six and nine consist of 24 episodes. Season five was reduced to 19 episodes due to the2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike. Due to Sheen's personal life problems, season seven had 22 episodes. Season eight premiered on September 20, 2010, at 9:00 pm ET. CBS initially ordered 24 episodes for the season, but again due to Sheen's personal life, the show was put on hiatus after 16 episodes were produced, with production scheduled to resume on February 28. After a series of comments made by Sheen on February 24, 2011, CBS and Warner Bros. canceled the remainder of the season.
On May 13, 2011, actor Ashton Kutcher was widely reported to be replacing Charlie Sheen as the lead on the show.[59] The show's ninth season premiered on September 19, 2011. The first episode, "Nice to Meet You, Walden Schmidt", begins with Charlie Harper's funeral and introduces Kutcher as billionaire Walden Schmidt, who buys Harper's house. On May 12, 2012, CBS renewedTwo and a Half Men for a 10th season, moving it to Thursday nights at 8:30 pm, followingThe Big Bang Theory.[60][61] For the 2013–14 season, the show was moved to the Thursday 9:30–10:00 pm Eastern slot. As of February 27, 2014, the series' time slot was moved to a half-hour earlier at the 9:00–9:30 slot.
Two and a Half Men entered local United Statesbroadcast syndication in 2007, with the first four seasons available to local stations (largelyCW andFox Television Stations, LLC affiliates in the major U.S. television markets through major deals withTribune Broadcasting and theSinclair Broadcast Group).[62] From September 6, 2010, to November 24, 2017,FX aired the series daily nationwide (Charlie Sheen most recently starred onAnger Management on FX from 2012 to 2014). Syndicated shows are sold in multiyear cycles, with the first cycle the most expensive.Two and a Half Men's first cycle is nine years in length. If no ninth season had occurred because of Sheen's departure, due to the first cycle's premature end, Warner Bros. Television would not have received about $80 million in license fees. While local stations would prefer to have as many episodes as possible available to them, an early start to the second cycle would lower the cost of the show for them.[17] The series began airing onViacom-owned networksNick at Nite and Spike (nowParamount Network) on December 6, 2017, and onIFC on January 1, 2018. As of July 2, 2018, the series has moved from Nick at Nite toTV Land, switching places withMom.
The show is available in the United States for streaming onPeacock.[63]
In 2007,Two and a Half Men creator Chuck Lorre contactedCSI: Crime Scene Investigation executive producerCarol Mendelsohn about acrossover. At first, the idea seemed unlikely to receive approval; however, it resurfaced when Mendelsohn and Lorre were at the World Television Festival in Canada and they decided to get approval and run with it.[64] When Mendelsohn was giving a talk, she accidentally mentioned the crossover, that same dayVariety was already inquiring about the crossover episodes. Mendelsohn later stated: "We're all used to being in control and in charge of our own shows and even though this was a freelance-type situation ... there was an expectation and also a desire on all of our parts to really have a true collaboration. You have to give a little. It was sort of a life lesson, I think."[64]
"The biggest challenge for us was doing a comedy with a murder in it. Generally, our stories are a little lighter," stated Lorre in an interview. "Would our audience go with a dead body in it? There was a moment where it could have gone either way. I think the results were spectacular. It turned out to be a really funny episode."[64] TheTwo and a Half Men episode "Fish in a Drawer" was the first part of the crossover to air, on May 5, 2008, written byCSI writersSarah Goldfinger, Evan Dunsky,Carol Mendelsohn and Naren Shankar.[65] George Eads is the onlyCSI: Crime Scene Investigation cast member to make a cameo in this episode.
Three days later, the second part of the crossover aired, theCSI episode "Two and a Half Deaths".Gil Grissom (William Petersen) investigated the murder of a sitcomdiva named Annabelle (Katey Sagal), who was found murdered while she was filming her show inLas Vegas.[65] The episode was written byTwo and a Half Men creators Lorre and Aronsohn; Sheen, Cryer and Jones all make uncredited cameos in this episode, in the same clothes their characters were wearing in "Fish in a Drawer".
At the end of 2010 filmDue Date, a scene fromTwo and a Half Men is shown, in which Sheen and Cryer appear as their characters, while Ethan Chase (played byZach Galifianakis in the movie) plays Stu, Jake's tutor.[66]
Two and a Half Men received mostly mixed reviews from critics throughout its run.[67][68][69] TheNew York Daily News has described the sitcom as "solid, well-acted and occasionally funny."[70] ConverselyGraeme Blundell, writing forThe Australian, described it as a "sometimes creepy, misogynistic comedy".[71]Ashton Kutcher's debut was met with mixed reviews,[72] and reviews for season nine were also mixed.[73] One reviewer commented that the show was made for Charlie Sheen's character and the way he interacted with other characters, and the setup did not work with Kutcher's character.[74]
However, it has been labeled as "one of America's most successful comedy shows."[44] Ellen Gray ofDaily News praised the shows' legacy just before the premiere of thefinale. The show is credited as being the reasonThe Big Bang Theory,Mike & Molly andMom were all made.Men's success was what enabled these other Chuck Lorre shows to be made and be successful.[75]Following the filming of thefinal episode, Stage 26 of the Warner Brothers lot was renamed the "Two and a Half Men stage".[76]After the finale,Two and a Half Men fans launched a global petition under the name "Yes ToThe Harpers", to have Charlie Sheen reprise the role of Charlie Harper alongside his former co-star Jon Cryer. This idea surfaced after fans saw Chuck Lorre's vanity card about Charlie Sheen's idea of a spinoff show namedThe Harpers.[77]
The first season received generally positive reviews from critics. On thereview aggregator websiteRotten Tomatoes, 80% of 20 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 5.7/10. The website's consensus reads: "Two and a Half Men's inaugural season rises above its sitcom formula with a rapid-fire clip of bawdy quips as well as the sparky chemistry between stars Jon Cryer and Charlie Sheen."[78]
The ninth season of the show, its first without Sheen, received generally mixed reviews from critics. On thereview aggregator websiteRotten Tomatoes, 41% of 27 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 5.1/10. The website's consensus reads: "Ashton Kutcher proves to be a game replacement for the unceremoniously departed Charlie Sheen, butTwo and a Half Men feels exhausted and bitter as it trudges beyond its natural lifespan."[79]
The show's final season received generally negative reviews from critics. On thereview aggregator websiteRotten Tomatoes, 33% of 12 critics' reviews are positive. The website's consensus reads: "Two and a Half Men putters to an unpleasant end that continues to beat the dead Charlie horse while spinning an offensive, homophobic subplot."[80]
The show received multiple award nominations. It was nominated for 46Primetime Emmy Awards (winning nine, including two for Jon Cryer) and twoGolden Globe Awards nominations for Charlie Sheen. The show won the award for Favorite TV Comedy at the35th People's Choice Awards.
When Sheen appeared on the April 2019 broadcast ofLoose Women, he expressed interest in a potential revival, hoping to make two more seasons to tie up loose characters ends.[98] In response,Jon Cryer expressed reluctance to return to working with Sheen full time, comparing it to aroller coaster.[99]
In December 2023, after Sheen had a role inChuck Lorre's new showBookie alongsideAngus Jones, ending their rivalries, Jon Cryer said that he was not going to rule anything out towards a possible reboot of the show.[100] However, in February 2024 Cryer said that he doesn't know if he wants to work with Sheen "for any length of time".[101]
^Prior to appearing as the main character Kandi inseason 4, April Bowlby had appeared briefly as Kimber in the season-three episode "Madame and Her Special Friend".
^Prior to appearing as the main character Chelsea fromseason 6 onwards, Taylor had appeared briefly in four previousepisodes as three different minor characters: as Suzanne in the series' pilot (season one), as Tina in "Last Chance to See Those Tattoos" (season two) and as Nina in "Our Leather Gear Is in the Guest Room" (season five).
