The CSI/Two and a Half Men writers switch was a very clever promotion for CBS. Fortunately, the writers saw the opportunity to change places as more than just a publicity stunt. They really took the scripting seriously and came up with inventive episodes for each program. If this were a competition to see which team would deliver the better show, who would take on the task of writing winning TV in a genre not their own and succeed beyond expectations, the comedy scribes take the gold. Chuck Lorre and Lee Aronsohn's CSI was pure genius, and if it were up to me, CSI should submit it for an Emmy.
But first there was Two and a Half Men. In an episode called "Fish in a Drawer" (and if somebody could explain what that title means, I'd be most appreciative), the story picked up after Evelyn married Teddy. In the teleplay by CSI regular writers Evan Dunsky and Sarah Goldfinger, Charlie and Courtney check out of the reception for a little romp in his room upstairs only to find Teddy's dead bod on the bed. Talk about spoiling the mood. Teddy wasn't only a corpse, he was a corpse with his pants pulled down around his ankles and lipstick stains on his hoo-ha. The cops were called in, a detective who was a dead ringer for Marg Helgenberger -- played by redhead Jamie Rose -- had the vaguely Bondian name of Jagov, Sloane Jagov. Naturally, Charlie had to make a move on her. He couldn't keep his eyes off her cleavage.
Amidst all the hoopla about The Office, My Name Is Earl, How I Met Your Mother, and other comedies, people tend to forget that the highest-rated sitcom on TV right now is Two and a Half Men. Yes, its ratings were helped a lot by its old lead-in, Everybody Loves Raymond. But it's truly a funny show, even if it's in the dreaded multicamera "traditional" format. Again, it's a case of good writing and good acting overcoming a tired premise.
CBS knows what it has on its hands; that's why it chipped in to make show star Charlie Sheen the highest paid sitcom actor currently on the air. The Hollywood Reporterwrites that Sheen is ready to sign a contract that will pay him between $350,000 - $400,000 per episode, which is twice what he was making before. A network contribution, according to the article, has become common in such high-profile negotiations. No word, though, on if the other one and a half men on the show -- Jon Cryer and Angus T. Jones -- got raises, too. I definitely think Jones should get a big raise; he may just be telling fart jokes, but he's doing it with conviction.
It's probably a forgone conclusion that the executives at CBS will renew Two and a Half Men. The comedy, which stars Charlie Sheen, Jon Cryer and Angus T. Jones, is consistently in the Nielsen ratings' top 20 and is about to reach the magical syndication mark. In addition, it is one of the more popular comedies (How I Met Your Mother being the other) on the drama-heavy network.
And yet, there may be some apprehension amongst the CBS suits about renewal because of the recent antics of star Sheen. First the actor divorced his on-again off-again wife Denise Richards, then Richards obtained a restraining order against Sheen due to, among other things, alleged verbal and physical abuse, excessive gambling, and his frequent visits to child porn sites (maybe he needs to be a guest-star on Law & Order: SVU). To top it all off, he was sued by a woman who claimed that the character he portrays on his sitcom was based on her.
In a 17-page request for a restraining order against
Charlie Sheen, Denise Richards reveals A LOT of juicy, scary, and humiliating details about what happened to their
marriage. The Smoking Gun has posted the entire
copy of Richards' request. In it, Richards says Sheen pushed her down and threatened her, he is addicted to gambling,
seeks out prostitutes, and frequently visits child porn websites. Sheen, who currently stars in Two and a Half
Men, denies the claims and says his soon-to-be-ex-wife has launched a smear campaign against him.
The
judge ordered Sheen to stay 300 feet away from Richards and their two daughters, except during supervised visits.
Being in the Final 12 means that you
get to perform on the big stage, in front of the big crowd, with the big fancy lights. This is the AI
equivalent of getting to sit at the adult table at Thanksgiving. No more of that kids' table
crap. It's the big show with the bigger band and the souped-up sound system.
But there was
no souped-up sound system in my apartment tonight.
Just when it seemed like Charlie Sheen and Denise Richards had reconciled, they filed papers
asking for a private arbitrator to handle their divorce. Richards, who had a brief stint last year in the
quickly-cancelled UPN show, Sex, Love and Secrets, filed for divorce from Sheen in March when she was still
pregnant with the couple's second child. There were all sorts of rumors that Sheen, who still stars in CBS's Two
and a Half Men, cheated on Richards but nothing was ever confirmed. Last November, Charlie Sheen even showed off
his wedding ring on Letterman and said they were getting back together. And, over Christmas, gossip magazines said
Charlie, Denise, and their two daughters were happily vacationing in Barbados.
Representatives for both actors confirm the report that divorce proceedings are continuing.
Not to mention the return of Arrested Development, Two and a Half Men, The King of Queens, 7th Heaven, Las Vegas, Medium, and CSI: Miami. Whoa. That's quite a night of shows, so make sure you TiVo, VCR, and/or court transcriptionists are all set.
We'll have reviews of many of the above later tonight, so don't forget to check back.
The CSI/Two and a Half Men writers switch was a very clever promotion for CBS. Fortunately, the writers saw the opportunity to change places as more than just a publicity stunt. They really took the scripting seriously and came up with inventive episodes for each program. If this were a competition to see which team would deliver the better show, who would take on the task of writing winning TV in a genre not their own and succeed beyond expectations, the comedy scribes take the gold. Chuck Lorre and Lee Aronsohn's CSI was pure genius, and if it were up to me, CSI should submit it for an Emmy. 
Just last night, a fan named Kevin sent me this query...
Amidst all the hoopla about The Office, My Name Is Earl, How I Met Your Mother, and other comedies, people tend to forget that the highest-rated sitcom on TV right now is Two and a Half Men. Yes, its ratings were helped a lot by its old lead-in, Everybody Loves Raymond. But it's truly a funny show, even if it's in the dreaded multicamera "traditional" format. Again, it's a case of good writing and good acting overcoming a tired premise.
It's probably a forgone conclusion that the executives at CBS will renew Two and a Half Men. The comedy, which stars Charlie Sheen, Jon Cryer and Angus T. Jones, is consistently in the Nielsen ratings' top 20 and is about to reach the magical syndication mark. In addition, it is one of the more popular comedies (How I Met Your Mother being the other) on the drama-heavy network.
In a 17-page request for a restraining order against
Charlie Sheen, Denise Richards reveals A LOT of juicy, scary, and humiliating details about what happened to their
marriage. 
Being in the Final 12 means that you
get to perform on the big stage, in front of the big crowd, with the big fancy lights. This is the AI
equivalent of getting to sit at the adult table at Thanksgiving. No more of that kids' table
crap. It's the big show with the bigger band and the souped-up sound system.
Just when it seemed like Charlie Sheen and Denise Richards had reconciled, they filed papers
asking for a private arbitrator to handle their divorce. Richards, who had a brief stint last year in the
quickly-cancelled UPN show, Sex, Love and Secrets, filed for divorce from Sheen in March when she was still
pregnant with the couple's second child. There were all sorts of rumors that Sheen, who still stars in CBS's Two
and a Half Men, cheated on Richards but nothing was ever confirmed. Last November, Charlie Sheen even showed off
his wedding ring on Letterman and said they were getting back together. And, over Christmas, gossip magazines said
Charlie, Denise, and their two daughters were 
Not to mention the return of Arrested Development, Two and a Half Men, The King of Queens, 7th Heaven, Las Vegas, Medium, and CSI: Miami. Whoa. That's quite a night of shows, so make sure you TiVo, VCR, and/or court transcriptionists are all set.
The Upfronts: FOX
Carter Bays of How I Met Your Mother: The TV Squad Interview
The Upfronts: CBS
