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Yup. Chuck Lorre kills off ‘Charlie Harper’

Two and a Half Men opened the new season with Charlie Harper's coffin, laying in front of a trademark bowling shirt. Cue laughter.

He did it. Living up to the rumours, Chuck Lorre yesterday killed off Charlie Sheen’s long-running character on Two and a Half Men.

It’s not often in sitcoms that a character is sent off with such finality, but you got the feeling Lorre was exacting revenge on his out-of-control star after months of anguish and production problems.

He even opened the show with Charlie Harper’s coffin, laying in front of a trademark bowling shirt. The sight alone was enough to elicit the first laugh-track of the season (weird….).

But there wasn’t much time for sentiment as female mourners dropped repeated put-downs about the sexual exploits of the faded character.

Ashton Kutcher’s frequently ‘naked’ appearances, mimicking the series’ poster shot, seemed to go pretty smoothly. Jon Cryer’s ‘Alan Harper’ remained a sad-sack character to the more virile billionaire Walden Schmidt (Kutcher). Whether Kutcher was funnier than Sheen, I have no idea. I don’t think I’ve laughed at either Sheen or Kutcher in this show. I just don’t get Lorre’s comic tone.

Points for the cameos by John Stamos and Dharma and Greg though…

Charlie Sheen tweeted “Surrounded by friends and watching the premier of Two and a Half Men. Odd… But cool..! So far a lot of laughs!! Nice…”

The show pulled in a whopping 27.7 million viewers for CBS. Winning. The Charlie Sheen Roast followed later on Comedy Central.

Meanwhile Deadline reports Warner Bros. are close to a deal in Sheen’s $100M case against the studio and Chuck Lorre, which had been in private arbitration. The value of the settlement is in the millions of dollars and primarily involves a payment towards Sheen’s back-end participation on the show.

The LA Times has even floated a $25M figure.

Sheen’s next project is a new sitcom Anger Management to be produced by Lionsgate Television, but no showrunner or network is yet attached.

25 Responses

  1. I think it went great. I’ve always liked Two and a Half Men and I think this is one of those rare moments where the lead character can be killed off with no effect on the success of the show. Let’s see how the rest of the season pans out.

  2. I for one have always found 2.5 men funny and still do. I thought the funeral was a bit too bitter on Chuck Lorre’s part. But the surprises were all great – Rose’s appearance and explanation of how Charlie died, the cameos already mentioned and Kutchers first appearance was so well done. Loved last nights ep, and looking forward to the rest.

  3. 2.5 was ok, JoS felt rushed, but the roast – omg! It was wicked (in both senses of the word). I laughed so much I felt like I’d been exercising. I liked that they had a go at each other rather than just all dumping on Sheen.

    Jeffrey Ross was great. I got the impression that he wrote most of his material rather than relying on the writers. He probably could’ve done the whole roast on his own. I could go on but I already wrote a bit in Ratings. There should be one of these every month – to give my stomach muscles time to recover.

  4. I thought it was pretty good, ive never been a big fan, but always found it better than most other shows on. My biggest laugh was dharma and greg appearance, the second i saw the 2 i was in hysterics.

    Since this also seems to be about JOS, loved it too, great energy around it, reminds me of the good ole days, Tony Martin is one of the best TV/Radio personalities I’ve seen/heard, also his books were awesome, couldn’t put them down.

    And the Charlie roast, i though some bits were funny, but the roasters were mostly no-names and they spent more time roasting each other instead of charlie, i think we turned off after Steve-o who was shocking (and worse than Tyson and thats saying something), ill have to go back to the tape (yes i still record on VCR) to watch Shatner and Charlies segments.

  5. I didnt watch the new episode of the post charlie sheen era of 2.5 men. I did however watch the The Roast of Charlie Sheen, that was really funny. I thought that Charlie was a good sport for putting up with some of the amazingly degrading jokes, which i must admit were funny. I couldn’t belive how they the “roasters” could actually get away with some of the stuff they said, although its probably all the writers anyway. I enjoyed that show. It would be good if a free to air network maybe Ten could pick up the rights to The Roast of ……. series, if that was on every week or once every year i would not mis it. I was disappointed how they always kept bleaping out the word f**k all the time, considering the show was rated MA+ and contained course language you would thing a show in this day and age would not have the word f**k bleaped out. I mean movies get away with it. WTF!

  6. Having never watched 2.5 men but I did watch the beginning until Rafters started how did they kill off Charlie. I saw the start when the women were saying what they caught off him and a guy saying Charlie owes me 38k but I switched off.

    I just want to know how they killed him off.

  7. I have never had any interest in 2.5men (like David I don’t “get” the joke) but I did watch the Charlie Sheen Roast. Maybe I’m more base than I like to admit, but I laughed so hard and long that I’ve done myself an injury.
    I’ve never seen such mean, evil, over-the-top and utterly hilarious TV.

  8. This episode was forced and lacked the sarcasim and punny nature of a Chuck lorre show.

    I think they were saying that Alan made Walton? in to a booze hound womenising something something???

    I’m not quite sure how or why a billionaire would also keep Alan and his son around either? i may have stepped out whilst this was explained though.

    I’ll give the next ep a go but I’m pretty sure this show neads to be ground down and chopped up so that Charlie sheen can snort the remains of it.

  9. Chuck Lorre’s ‘Vanity Card’ at the end of Charlie’s final show last night said it all.

    Cuck Lorre Productions, #329

    “I exercise regularly. I eat moderate amounts of healthy food. I make sure to get plenty of rest. I see my doctor once a year and my dentist twice a year. I floss every night. I’ve had chest x–rays, cardio stress tests, EKG’s and colonoscopies. I see a psychologist and have a variety of hobbies to reduce stress. I don’t drink. I don’t smoke. I don’t do drugs. I don’t have crazy, reckless sex with strangers.

    If Charlie Sheen outlives me, I’m gonna be really p*ssed.”

  10. The show wasn’t funny last night, Ashton was as dry as cardboard and I was trying to figure out why he is actually famous? Was it that 70’s show, demi or Twitter.

  11. Curiosity got the btter of me, so i watched from the start. This show is just not funny, not even with Ashton Kutcher instead of Charlie Sheen. The show starts with a coffin and shirt, and people laugh…says a lot about the show’s audience. Best thing was Dharma & Greg. Prob the only Chuck Lorre show i actually like. I really don’t find any of his shows funny. 2.5 Men, Big Bang, Mike & Molloy, they’re all crap.

  12. The funeral service service to start to show with the “men men men” in the background really did set the whole show up that it was gonna be crazy! ..and it was!

  13. The killing of Charlie went overboard, I find it ironic that Schmidt will inevitably create the same trail of girl history but that was highlighted to Charlie’s character and made out to be unacceptable? The show should have opened with Alan and Jake looking for him, they could of had a real funny episode.I do agree the second half was interesting post the funeral, although I just don’t know how the mother will now react with the new 21/2 men and how Alan will settle along Schmidt. At least it wasn’t as cringe worthy as The Joy of Sets – those stupid re-enactments, Gruin doesn’t do them and the show is great, TV Burp did and it lasted one season, see the pattern Ed and Tony.

  14. Seeing Dharma and Greg was a trip down memory lane.
    Solid first episode, and should be able to expand Kutcher’s character into something that will work.

  15. never before has a program received so much attention that it didn’t deserve. the show doesn’t get ratings cos it is funny (becuase it isn’t!) but because of the exploits of its star. in 10 years no one will ever want to watch this show again. seminal it isn’t.

  16. I have to say, it was better than I thought it would be. I imagined Kutcher as being a little bland when he began, but to my surprise he seemed likeable and funny after a while. The first scene with Kutcher and Alan spilling Charlies ashes was great and a little symbolic- I thought it represented Charlie becoming somewhat forgotten after Kutchers arrival- an afterthought. Might watch again next week.
    Furthermore, the Joy of Sets was hilarious last night- the monkey children clip, the ACA one-liner and the Heil Honey, I’m Home reference was absolutely genius.

  17. Loved that ‘Dharma and Greg’ showed up l=playing them selves, nice touch, I was half expecing the boys from TBBT to turn up although I have no idea how they would pay for such a place.

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