All Stories FeedIn defence of Two and a Half Men
It seems even in America there are those who just don’t get Two and a Half Men. Despite the fact it is the country’s #1 comedy, it is frowned upon by many critics and “TV snobs.”
In Australia it’s not much different. The show continues to pull a surprisingly big audience, despite Nine’s best attempts to run it into the ground. Yet it’s hard to find much love for it amongst reviewers (I’d certainly fall into that grouping too).
Save for Chuck Lorre’s output, the traditional 3-cam live-audience show is bit of a rarity these days, and as a result those laughs do seem very forced when compared to single-cam no-audience comedies. The era of traditional sitcom seemed to wane with the passing of the greats like Seinfeld, Frasier, Friends, Will & Grace, Mad About You, Everybody Loves Raymond et al. No doubt it will return.
How can it ever compete, artistically, to Weeds, United States of Tara and the dark Nurse Jackie? Presumably it isn’t trying to. 30 Rock consistently beats it in awards too.
Yet it’s Charlie Sheen who has the numbers, and the pay packet, to write home about.
One US journo is keen to point out that Two and a Half Men is perhaps a modern-day Odd Couple. Indeed, both shows began from the premise of one male moving in with another when their marriage broke up (in 2.5 Men they seem to have forgotten it was due to Alan Harper’s wife beginning a same-sex relationship).
At msnbc, Susan C. Young highlights 6 episodes that “TV snobs” might re-consider that are, she believes, amongst Two and a Half Men’s finest half-hours.
They include:
- Megan Fox, then just sexy and 17, as Berta’s granddaughter Prudence in the first-season gem dubbed “Camel Filters + Pheromones.”
- “Old Flame with a New Wick,” Charlie discovers that his old girlfriend Jill, who dumped him years ago, is now dating his mother.
- Fifth-season episode “The Soil is Moist” dances a careful ballet of not-so-subtle double entendre. In an extended exchange, in which Herb thinks he’s talking to Charlie about the joy of gardening, Charlie is clearly talking about plowing a different kind of field.
- In a fifth-season episode called “Media Room/Dungeon,” Charlie does everything he can to get out of escorting Evelyn to a charity event. But in a moment that jettisons every previous mommy dearest remark over the years, Charlie discovers he actually doesn’t mind it.
- In the second-season episode dubbed “Can You Eat Human Flesh with Wooden Teeth?”, Judith hands over the parenting reins to Charlie and Alan for a week. But Alan’s got an IRS audit and Charlie, well, we know what Charlie’s got on his personal agenda. Neither are quite ready to be primetime parents.
- Third-season episode “Always a Bridesmaid, Never a Burro” embodies the essence of the series, serving up banter and slapstick in equal portions. The show is packed with the kind of humor fans adore, including Charlie talking about the time he convinced Alan that it was Almond Roca in the kitty litter box.
Over to you. Are these amongst Two and a Half Men’s best?
Or is it just more penis innuendo at 7:00?
Source: msnbc
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Wow I just read Catherine Deveny, she really needs to get rid of this feminist point of view and wake up. Has she ever watched Sex and the City or Desperate Housewives. Oh no because it has women as the characters, she doesnt see fit to attack it., the chacters in both those shows are just like Charlie and Alan.
Life imitates art… This is the same dilemma Andy Millman goes through with his show in The Extras.
I always enjoy these threads… The irony is exquisite. People herding around their standard, being so pretentious and lofty, denouncing what they see as low-brow entertainment, then, in the same breath, citing reality tv or soap operas (which includes the current spate of us cop shows) as a shining example of what the proletariat should watch. It’s truly priceless, keep it up, it’s more amusing than anything on the box.
stevie, your life is edgy so you don’t want edgy TV, just pedestrian, production-line garbage?
I’d rather remember Jon Cryer as Duckie.
I read the Catherine Deveny article that was linked. Horrible reading. Totally Vile.
To me it just seems forced and easy. I have barely watched it though. A little bit too obvious in the jokes and the approach to saying punchlines and pausing for laughs bugs me. Great audience sitcoms only ever have really had a pause when it’s really funny. The spontaneous pauses. Not structured as someone says a line, setting up the next person who says a the punch line and everyone pause for laugh.
One thing that may make me re-consider, I used to lump How I Met Your Mother into the same category as this for lame us sitcoms. However after having little else to watch on a plane last year, it’s now one of my favourites. Although that’s partly because of the characters coming from an identifiable place, 2.5m doesn’t seem to have that. So I would not say I could honestly truly rule it out as being terrible, I have just seen little to make me sit down to watch whole episodes. Always something I am generally a fan of comedies that are the snob ones. Love curb, it’s always sunny ect.
FYI Funniest show on tv is, “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”
Catherine Deveny ’s article is completely miopic. Yes, the female characters are caricatures – so are the men!
The story is seemingly written from the viewpoint that while the women on Two And A Half Men are all two dimensional bimbos, somehow the men are well-rounded, if immoral, role models. That is ridiculous. All of the characters on this show are vile, that’s exactly the joke.
As usual, Catherine Deveny has it right.
It is a great show providing you have not seen the episodes a million times over to Death but having said that Nine are butchering the show to death.This was originally supposed to seen as filler for the summer while Temptation was off the air but now it is their 7pm offering.
What would Kerry Packers thought from beyond the grave be about that?
It astounds me how many people don’t think this show is funny. I think it is quite hilarious. It has well rounded and relatable characters. I laugh at almost every joke no matter how many times I’ve seen it. I particularly love the third season when Alan is going out with the girl in her early 20s. The favorite episode being where Charlie hooks up with her mother and Alan’s ex hooks up with her father.
I think it is, and will be a classic , in the way that other sitcoms that never won awards were. Like Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley, The Brady Buch, Gilligans Island. Also as far as the “artistic” shows, I’d rather watch 2.5 men than watch the edgier cable shows the critics like. My life is edgie enough. Is Tara even a comedy?
Age columnist Catherine Deveny also has an article on the show’s merits…. or lack thereof….
I love this show but enough of the repeats
One of the worst shows on TV now and absurdly it’s successful. As Mac put it, agonizingly unfunny.
I suspect this show is actual funded by the pentagon and used in the torture of suspected terrorists at Guantanamo Bay.
A show entirely reliant on a laugh track and idiots.
I think Big Bang Theory is a lot better and created by the same people.
I am sure that when the show is finished, it’ll probably be forgotten, just like other high rating, but lowbrow sitcoms such as The Nanny or Married With Children.
@Craig – I very much doubt there would be much left of Curb Your Enthusiasm if they screened it in the same timeslot. Crass and misogynistic 2.5 Men may be, but at least the characters don’t swear
)
The only reason why so many people watch it is because its on a million times a week because it’s very cost effective for channel 9. It only costs them 7 thousand an epidode to air, before when Temptation was in its spot, that cost 40 thousand dollars, understand the reason?? This show is just so pathetic not even getting hooked on marijuana would make me want to laugh at this (btw i don’t smoke weed). Last tuesday I was waiting for Curb Your Enthusiasm to come on and I decided just watch the 2.5 men episode before it. I was very relaxed this time I seriously wanted to laugh out loud at something, I didn’t but I tried, it was full of cliche dry jokes and every word that came out of charlie sheen and the fat kids mouth had absolutely no direct or indirect meaning and did not contribute anything spectacular towards the situation they were in, It bored me s**t. Then Curb came on and within 5 minutes Jerry seinfeld and larry were sitting in there office and a lady with a short top and a fat stomach came in and they made aware of that discussing how to tell her how ugly and offence the look was on her yada yada and I went balistic with laughter and the jokes were colourful and plentyful, there was progression and the scenerios added up very well towards the end which was brilliant, if anybody saw it last week it was real laugh out lout Comedy. Coming back to 2.5 Men, Curb your enthusiasm is the only hlaf hour comedy show that doesn’t use a script so you can see how naturally funny they are, unlike 2.5 men with a script with s*t jokes and s**t actors well maybe it will be on 2 million times a week instead of 1 million, thats how dumb and dry alot of people are.
@Mac, the line “Ooooh men” was not recorded by a ten year old boy, but it is the of a female voice. Cant people just ignore it, I mean honestly if you dont like the show then dont comment on it. I would rather watch this, then a show about saving money, saving people lives, finding a farmer a wife and changing ladette to lady.
it’s hilarious that it is still rating so well even though it is on every day! and some days for over an hour! we only watch every now and then, but do really enjoy the show
I used to hate it too. Then I was sick and watched a marathon. Now I kinda love it. It’s possibly the most subversive US network show since the 70s. Does it peddle smut jokes? Sure, but they’re often smarter smut jokes than you’d find in comparable sitcoms (of days gone by).
I’ve come full circle in my opinion on three camera sitcoms too, I think they certainly have their place and it might be time for a comeback.
Aside from the fact that Weeds and United States Of Tara aren’t even the same genre (I certainly have never laughed in either, even if I appreciate them as shows), they are niche premium cable shows and not designed for mass consumption.
you lost me at megan fox
I’m not a fan lol
I am a TV snob. this show is cr..p. And I hate 7 & 9 equally.
I watch the new eps but that’s it, unless there is nothing else on. Maybe Nine would be wise to rest the show come December and try out something new in the time slot, or maybe Curb Your Enthusiasm from the start?
@ Paul, this is in no way in any league remotely close to that on Seinfeld; mentioning them both in the same sentence is offensive.
If you have intelligence there is nothing remotely funny about 2.5 men. I mean even when Friends made penis jokes, they were at least funny and smart. 2.5 is just stupid and caters to a broad audience of lazy couch potatoes.
And please don’t accuse me of being a 7 fanboy, I am not. I can barely stand HIMYM. Which people think because it’s “cute, it is good. Oh please. The days of funny live audience sitcoms has come to an end.
Comedy is always deeply personable. I just didn’t get Monty Python most of the time, yet it has a huge cult following. Is it bad comedy – no just not my sort of comedy. I rarely watch 2.5 men, but each time I do I get a few smiles and laughs from it. Horses for courses.
Having said that, I do think there is a certain elitist element in a lot of these TV blogs. I am always amazed at the lengths that haters go to express their opinion about a show that they consider low brow. Ignore it and let people enjoy what they want. We are all different.
no, no, we’re not tv snobs, we’re people with brains..
I’ve never got into Two and a Half Men. I’ve tried watching it. But for me I just don’t like that kind of humour or have an interest for Charlie Sheen.
i don’t think i am a tv snob, i don’t mind the occasional low brow show, beauty and the geek is one of my fav shows at the moment.
but 2.5men is the lowest most unintelligent form of comedy. and it is not even funny if there is nothing else on our family watches it and there is not one laugh for the whole 30 mins and there are so many eye rolling moments.
the fact that it is so popular is a bad reflection on our society.
I have tried many times but I just don’t like it. I’m not a tv snob – I watch a lot of what I term “good crap” – love The Simpsons, Greys, Despos – as well as some of the more critically acclaimed – Tara, Big Love, a lot of HBO stuff. I’ve tried several times to watch and enjoy this show, but just don’t get why so many people love it. I’m a sitcom fan, and thinking of some of the greats like Friends and Will and Grace, TAAHM just can’t compare – I barely get a laugh out of a first viewing, but after watching my favourite Friends or Will and Grace episodes for the 40th times I’m still in hysterics. Thinking of some of the ‘great moments’ of Friends for example, makes me realise that I’d call about 10 eps of every season “Great” with the rest being “really good”.
It’s like people who say they don’t watch much television but seem to know everything that’s going on in a wide range of shows. People don’t admit they watch it but know enough to be offended so they must wach it. I find the show funny. The joke is on the brothers for being so out of touch in their views. If you don’t like it don’t watch it but don’t in any way think you are superior to the rest of us who just want to kick back and laugh at the ridiculous antics of the foolish brothers. It’s a sitcom not a documentary.
Agreed, that those who don’t enjoy don’t seem to get it. There is some subtle humor in this show (that reminds me a little of Arrested Development), it’s the people who just pick up the punchlines and think ‘oh, a penis joke, that’s fresh’ and write off the show. Although Nine have abused the show to no end, I still don’t mind watching a 15th time repeat episode when nothing else is on. I think if Nine moved the ‘daily’ repeats to GO! and just had the 7.30 new (or relatively new) episodes once or twice a week, it would work better for the network. But who knows what the people at Nine would pick for a 7pm replacement. (Was there talk about something codenamed ‘not the 7pm project’ with Eddy?). Probably an awful american reality show…
Hilarious show! I wish WIN aired it in WA.
Although I much prefer British sitcoms or The Big Bang Theory, I admit that Two And A Half Men isn’t really that bad. While it’s hardly ever my first choice in a timeslot, I enjoy it whenever I am free of any other television arrangements and find it quite witty. Most of the whinging does come from Seven bigots, and it’s not like Nine put it on any more than Ten do with The Simpsons or to a greater extent Seinfeld on Go!, so it’s rather unfair that Nine gets more of a bashing.
It’s kind of like movies
mainstream movies critics hate, whilst arty farty movies are praised upon. And its the mainstream movies that get the big bucks and all the love.
Shows like 2.5 men are designed to provide entertainment to a wider audience. It’s business. Shows that are in it for only meaningless awards and critical praises are long forgotten, cut short and dumped to a crappy time slot.
Your jealous rage won’t stop people watching this show. If you had to spend millions of dollars on making a TV show, would you go mainstream in a return for you money and much love, or go down the artsy road for your ego pleasure and the lost of your money?
2.5 men will go down in history as a funny successful sitcom of the 2000’s.
It can’t be just Seven fan boys if the criticism is mirrored in the US.
New media release just received:
“Ch9 is proud to announce 9-2.5,
its new 24-hour Two and a Half Men channel…”
i’d watch it…haha
i love this show.
Interesting post though David (bound to spark some debate)…
For the record, I do ‘get it’, it’s just not that funny… And I’m a comedy kinda guy.
I’ve noticed most of the criticism of the show coming from the web comes from 7 fanboys. I’m sure they’d love it if it changed networks.
Unlike most US sitcoms it doesn’t rely on people screaming to make it sound any more funny that it is.
Not on par with Seinfeld by a long way but still enjoyable. People must be judging Charlie Sheen more than the script.
I don’t mind the show but please Channel Nine Australia go back to the drawing board and find us something Fresh and New for your weeknight 7pm Timeslot.
How hard can I be to make a 21st Century Price is Right or Sale of the Century/Temptation with New Hosts or find some Comedies that are not Modern Takes On Your Odd Couple,Different Strokes or My Two Dads amongst other things Nine used to show going back to the Kerry Packer when he was alive days.
Funny, funny men, love the show.
@ Reubot
Who cares?
Loathe Two and a Half Men (even if they did have a guest appearance from Lucy Lawless), but love Big Bang Theory also from Chuck Lorre.
As long as Nine continue to show Big Bang Theory on Nine/Go, I don’t really care if they screen 2.5 Men over and over and over and over and over and over again.
I’ve tried to watch and like it – on the ‘a bezillion people watch and love it and they can’t all be wrong, can they?’ analysis – but it’s just not for me: slow, predictable, not very funny and – and this is something I hardly ever think – sexist verging on unpleasant in its attitude to women (plastic sex objects bent over various b bits of furniture in the house in ill-advised positions; taken advantage of by Charlie when they’re drunk, because they’re crazy, horny sluts, etc.)
Best will in the world, I actively, thoroughly do Not enjoy it.
The show is hit and miss funny. You can have a couple of dull epsidoes, then a really funny one. I dont watch repeats of it, it is not like Friends, Will and Grace, and Seinfeld where I can watch every episode 20 times or more.
All I was thinking reading that article was when one of the family guy characters was watching TAAHM “Filmed in front of a live Ostrich”
ha-ha!
While the show is undoubtedly crass at times, it does as pointed out have a throwback to the classic “3 cameras and a live audience” sitcom.
It’s comfort food as a sitcom and not trying to be anything more than that, ergo its appeal.
Nothing wrong with going to TV’s equivalent of the late night kebab.
It’s so popular for one single reason ..it’s bloody funny! It’s also a smartly written and witty show that is well acted by the very talented ensemble cast. Remember Cryer won an emmy. There is a history of extremely popular shows derided by the critics and 2.5 Men is just one in a long line. Another eg is Friends.
And as can be seen by the ratings the people prefer the classic multi camera/live audience sitcoms and this format will continue to outrate the single cam ones and rightly so as most of them raise as many laughs as an ep of RPA.
And lastly much of the reaction to 2.5 Men here can be put down to Seven fan boys who hate it because it’s on Nine.
Are all 2.5 Men fans, Seinfeld fans like Paul??? Cos i don’t find either of them funny. Sure it rates well, but that’s 1.3 million that love it, i hope that means there’s 20 million that hate it. And there’s a reason it doesn’t get nominated for Best Comdey Series Emmy’s. Jon Cryer won, but you can be a good comedic actor while being in a crap show. Eddie Murphy is a great comedian but his movies are woeful.
2.5 Men = crap
Oh I forgot to add that even though those episodes listed may be good (I wouldn’t be able to say as I don’t watch the show anymore) for there to be only 5 or 6 “great” episodes out of 150 odd episodes that have been produced is quite a poor effort
And also here is to hoping Nine actually start using the success of Men to launch some other sitcoms that they have in their closet rather than depending on airing Men in every slot they have.
I am not at all a fan of the show. I’m not that much of a TV snob whilst I do watch a huge collection of critically acclaimed shows i.e. Curb, Weeds, Nurse Jackie, Dexter, Flight of The Conchords, Entourage, Breaking Bad amongst my favourite programs I also like a fair bit of guilty pleasures including Greys Anatomy, Desperate Housewives, Private Practice, How I met your mother, New Adventures of Old Christine and I’ve even really gotten into Chuck Lorre’s other sitcom Big Bang after initially snobbing it for 2 seasons due to the fact it was created by the same guy as Two and a Half Men; but its actually really funny.
Something about Men that really just iritates me
I’m not a fan of sitcom “classics” like Friends and Seinfeld but unlike Two and A Half Men they are actually funny. I’ve seen all those episodes in that list and they are perhaps the best of a very ordinary series. I honestly dont understand what is funny about it. Especially on multiple viewings.
Megan Fox can’t act…
Would have to say that this is one of the best sitcoms of all time. Hilarious. Almost on the same par as Seinfeld……Almost!
Agonizingly unfunny painful television. And it’s still wrong to hear a ten year old boy sing “Oooooh, men!!!!” in the title sequence.