Summary - Really Great 4.5

When I first joined this site in 2007 (before it was ViewGuide), it was known as “WikPik”, and the motto was “Perfect Movie Recommendations.” In fact, I still have my t-shirt brandishing this slogan. Today, when the ViewGuide home page loads in my browser, the words “Movies & some TV” catch my eye. So, I figure I’ll switch it up, do something different, and review a television series.

When it comes to half-hour sitcoms, these things are either hit or miss. They’re either funny, or they’re terrible… and with so many different ones to choose from on any given weeknight, viewers are not going to bother themselves with the bad ones… they’ll move right on to the next station. The key part in the term sitcom (derived from “situational comedy”) is the “com”… the comedy. It’s gotta be funny! At the end of the day, after a long day of work, adults want to sit down with a cold glass of iced tea, relax, and have a few laughs at someone else’s expense. All sitcoms can be judged on the same criteria: IS IT FUNNY?

For the longest time, Two and a Half Men was the funniest sitcom on television… and it held that title for over eight years. I have watched every episode from every season since it came on the air in 2003, and the show consistently made me laugh… HARD. The humor is very adult-oriented… it is very inappropriate and obscene… but it is also laugh out loud funny. There was not one episode which did not make me laugh hysterically.

The show revolves around the lives of Alan and Charlie Harper, two polar-opposite brothers living together with their son/nephew Jake. The original cast consisted of Charlie Sheen (Charlie), Jon Cryer (Alan), and Angus Jones (Jake). The show was on for many seasons and never declined in quality, until 2011.

Due to disputes with the CBS network, Charlie Sheen was fired from the show, and his character was killed off and replaced with a role played by Ashton Kutcher. Since the transition took place, I no longer watch this show. It isn’t funny anymore, and I am very disappointed with the writers of what was once such an excellent sitcom. Charlie Sheen’s character was essential to the success of the show… his wild and crazy antics accounted for a majority of the basis of comedy in the show, and without his presence or that story-line, the show is dead.

My advice: Go back and watch the first eight seasons of this show, with Charlie Sheen. The show is knock-out funny, and sure to make you laugh again and again. Beware – this show is suited for older, more mature audiences. As mentioned before, the themes and humor are very inappropriate.

Pre-Ashton Kutcher? This is my favorite sitcom of all-time. I was saddened to see the show end the way it did.

Acting - Really Great 4.5

Charlie Sheen (Charlie) was excellent, and essential to the success of the show.
Jon Cryer (Alan) is great as well.
Angus Jones (Jake) has played the role of Jake since he was a child. It is fun to see Jones age within the show, and the way in which his behaviors change accordingly is appropriate, realistic, and entertaining.

Film - Really Great 4.5

Edge - Horrid 3.6

Very inappropriate… but very funny!

Charlie's character is always moving around from woman-to-woman. Intimate scenes, and LOTS of sexual humor and innuendo. Keep in mind, folks... this show does air on prime-time television. So while there is a great deal of sexual references, most of it is suggested or implied, rather than visual, and all for the sake of comedy. There is not a great deal of violence in this show... I'm having trouble remembering any. Alcohol abuse... lots of foul language, and inappropriate jokes/comments. Charlie holds nothing back. However, this show is incredibly funny, and not off-putting.

Reality - Glib 1.1

Charlie Sheen messed up his life bad, when he became addicted to alcohol and pills. He began to take on, in his own life, the behaviors of his character in the show. This led to his eventual firing from the series.

This series portrays the lives of a slightly dysfunctional family. For these reasons, I can’t rate this any higher.

3 Comments

• Randy Dec 31, 2011 11:28AM

  Regarding Randy’s Review
  The Big Bang Theory is also a very funny one. I would also recommend “How I Met Your Mother” and “Mike and Molly.” But still, none are as funny as the original Two and a Half Men!

• BrianSez Dec 31, 2011 8:47AM

  Regarding Randy’s Review
  Randy, you are dead-on about the original Two and a Half Men. I’ve stopped watching since Kutcher took over. My picks for sitcoms are the edgy ones on AMC: Louie, The League, Archer, and Sunny in Philadelphia.

• Wick Dec 31, 2011 1:41AM

  Regarding Randy’s Review
  I’m not much of a sitcom guy, but a current one that never fails to make me laugh is The Big Bang Theory.

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