This season 28.74 million people tuned in to the ninth season premiere of the comedy series Two and a half Men. The die hard fans tuned in because they love the show and to see the first appearance of Ashton Kutcher replacing Charlie Sheen as Walden Schmidt – an internet billionaire with a broken heart. Most tuned in just out of curiosity. While the show was “ok” in the humor department, it was not the hit show that we all remember. You can not take a taller, younger, good looking guy with a shabby beard and replace an actor like Charlie Sheen in a sitcom.
Charlie Sheen has a history of great movies, sitcoms and the perfect personal background to play the part of “Charlie” on Two and a Half Men. Charlie is to Two and a Half Men what Ted Danson (Sam Malone) was to the sitcom “Cheers”. He was a smooth talking charmer that partied hard and could get any woman he wanted. He didn’t see anything wrong with the way he lead his life and didn’t care what anyone thought…and still people loved him. Pretty much the definition of Charlie Sheen himself.
I still don’t understand the reasoning behind the firing of Charlie Sheen. Why would Chuck Lorre take a chance with one of the most successful, lucrative shows of all time? Obviously Chuck has a history with Charlie and had to know this could have been resolved without trying to replace him with a mediocre actor that has no where near the acting ability or the following that Charlie Sheen has. “Boys” are known for beating the crap out of each other one day and being the best of friends the next…when did these guys turn into little girls by taking offense to text messages and writing degrading things about each other to make their point? What ever happened to meeting behind closed doors and discussing this man to man? Everyone, including Charlie knows his behavior was unacceptable, however does anyone remember the saying “Going Postal”? This is what someone does when their livelihood is in jeopardy…they lash out at the people who give them their paycheck.
I am glad that they didn’t do an open casket funeral in the Season Premiere Episode as it leaves an opening for Charlie Sheen to return to Two and Half Men. He could have been passed out in a bar in Paris and a fellow drunk stole his wallet, clothes, etc and ended up accidentally falling in front of a moving train…..so the ashes they had are not even Charlie’s. The new episode opens with Jake and Alan walking in the door and Charlie Sheen sitting on the couch drinking a beer. He met a girl in Paris, had a fling and is back…..no big deal as far as he is concerned. And there you have it…..we have our “Two and a Half Men” back!
I hope Chuck Lorre rethinks his decision and Charlie and him can come to an understanding to get this show back on track because I don’t see it lasting with just adding a new person to the cast. The audience tuned in especially to see Charlie Sheen and we were let down with the replacement – Charlie is a true Hollywood star and they just let him go over a quarrel……Wrong move….this show will never be as successful as it once was without Charlie! I see it going away completely after one season……sad but true…..