Bachelor, womanizer and commercial jingle writer Charlie Harper (Charlie Sheen) sees his quite existence set slightly ajar when his straight-laced, now divorced brother, Alan (Jon Cryer), and 10 year old nephew, Jake (Angus T. Jones), move in. Before I begin, let me point out that my description of
the show is accurate to it's attitude. That's the first sign that we're in territory that isn't entirely clichés of the standard sitcom. In another series Charlie's world would have been "rocked" or "turned upside down" with the arrival of a child. The episodes would have written themselves as the task of parental responsibility creates wackiness on autopilot that
the show could have coasted on for at least a season. But '
Two and a Half Men' is such a laid back series that, much like it's comic lead,
the show is more inclined to slap on a wacky Hawaiian shirt & mismatched shorts, put up it's sandal-wearing feet and shrug off these conventions as the boring trite that they are.
'
Two and a Half Men' is series that centers on characters that are financially secure, generally without life's pressure and have so little to do from day-to-day that they get entangled in goofy frivolous minutia. I like this type of show. It's the epitome of simple TV escapism but without stooping to stupid 'Friends' shenanigans. 'Men' goes even beyond that. It's an unabashed superficial male fantasy where it's heroes live on the beach, drink margaritas and get to hang out with a kid and then get to shuttle him off to his real parents. The
show is more concerned with getting Sheen some on screen action than it is any plot-point that goes form A to C in 30 minutes. The episodes flow along with a loose idea in them, but have more of a day-in-the-life feel. It's the type of feel that put the tombstone on the head of this year's ABC effort '10-8: Officers On Duty', but in a sitcom where nothing is at stake, it works well.
This style can be hit-or-miss for the
show. It's more a playground for the actors than any storytelling device. When it's working, such as in the Prudence episode or an early episode where the brothers get drunk and spend the whole time planning to tell off their mother (Holland Taylor, 'The Practice') only to chicken out on her doorstep, 'Men' sings like a classic screwball comedy. When it isn't, there isn't a story to back it up and everything can fall apart.
Fortunately, Creator and sitcom writer-for-hire Lee Aronsohn ('Cybill') has put together a solid cast to sell this stuff. After an impressive performance taking the reins from Michael J. Fox on 'Spin City', it should have been a no-brainer to give Charlie Sheen his own series. Sheen again proves he's one of the better and more underrated comic actors on the tube. In true 'Odd Couple' style, Cryer is terrific as Sheen's uptight opposite although we don't get to see his gift for physical comedy as often as we should. The two of them could have held the show together without the insertion of young Jones. But, once again straying from convention, Jones doesn't play the insufferable "cute kid" role. A big grip I have about the
show is the placement of the kid. There's something creepy about a 10-year-old kid put in the middle of all the sexual escapades.
I've saved the best for last. The single best and most original comedic idea contained in '
Two and a Half Men' is the character of Rose. In an all-out performance by Melanie Lynskey, Rose is a heart stealer. That great mix of funny and creepy. I can only imagine the writer's room where somebody pitched the idea that Sheen's character would have a female stalker and that she was going to be a major character. And that she would spend entire scenes standing on the deck looking through a window.
Walt Disney DVD 121 Discs
Doctor Who DVD 1-5
Two and a Half Men DVD 1-7
Monk DVD 1-8
The Tribe DVD 1-5
True Blood DVD 1-2
The Office DVD 1-6
Entourage DVD 1-6
The Simpsons DVD 1-21
Queer as Folks DVD 1-5
Nip Tuck DVD 1-7
The Big Bang Theory DVD 1-3
Walt Disney DVD 153 Discs
MI5 DVD 1-8
Alias DVD 1-5
30 Rock DVD 1-4
Gossip Girl DVD 1-3
Law and Order DVD 1-10
Bones DVD 1-5