It's too early to predict which of the new fall shows will succeed. If there's any luck, "Two and a Half Men," starring Charlie Sheen and Jon Cryer, will be one of them.
Creators Chuck Lorre and Lee Aronsohn base the show on a simple premise: "The Odd Couple" with a kid in the mix. Sheen plays Charlie, a rich playboy living on the beaches of southern California. Cryer portrays Charlie's uptight chiropractor brother, Alan. Alan moves in for a few days with Jake (Angus T. Jones), Charlie's son. Jake's wife left him because she thinks she's lesbian. The so-called "few days" turn into a very long time, because Alan and Jake have to live with each other without going crazy.
Lorre, who also created "Dharma and Greg," develops a tight, yet ingenious, plot and brings a great cast along for the ride. Sheen is perfect for the role, bringing a sly deadpan wit to each of his lines. He seems too exhausted to protest the odd-couple pairing. Cryer, of the John Hughes '80s films, brings an edgily anxious bent to Alan's character. He always seems like he wants to just explode. And Jones, as Jake, never crosses the line into being insanely precocious, steadying himself as cute - but not that cute. His best scene is when he beats some of Charlie's friends at poker.
In the other minor roles, Holland Taylor is properly dominating as Charlie's and Alan's mother. Marin Hinkle, of "Once and Again" fame, has one of the best lines in the pilot. As Alan's wife, she says, "When I think of coming home to you, I cry in my car." It sounds cold, but the delivery and the context are quite funny. Also, Charlie's stalker, Rose (Melanie Lynskey) is very creepy yet humorous.
It's too early to tell if "Two and a Half Men" will become a success, whether in ratings or the quality of the shows. But it's safe to say this is a don't-miss show.
Josh Spiegel is an entertainment reporter for the Web Devil. Reach him at joshua.spiegel@asu.edu.
