Two and a Half Tragedy

After watching the second of a two part season opener with Charlie Harper killed off and Waldon Schmidt 's entry in to the "Bu" house it is apparent that Chuck Lorre's ego has overshot his talent. Instead of letting the show go and moving on, both CBS and Chuck Lorre Productions have turned a once funny show into a crying game with Ashton Kutcher. While Charlie Sheen's ranting tirades earned him the well deserved unemployment line, he seems to have won the urinating contest that began last year between Chuck Lorre and himself.

The shows new direction raked in an estimated 28 million viewers the first week as the curious and the Ashton Twits that never watched the show before chimed in only to find a bizarrely boring reboot of a once entertaining show. Lorre made several mistakes that started with continuing the show and stumbled forward from there.

Lorre's first mistake was forgetting what made the show work. Charlie Harper's character was the central foundation of the show. The girls slept with Charlie, Rose loved Charlie, Alan stayed with Charlie, and it was Charlies house. No show about a middle aged divorced man sleeping at his mom's house with a flatulent underachieving son and a funny house cleaner would have lasted two seasons.

With the character Jake nearing manhood, it was near time for Two and a Half Men to end. Three Men may have been doable for trade school or junior college, but the other "half" of the shows charm was Jake's cuteness that quickly waned as he became a teenager and taller than the rest of the cast.

So how many ways can a seasoned and successful production company destroy a show? Well in just two episodes the only thing that perked my interest was the Fisker Automotive's Karma electric car driven by Schmidt in the second episode. Before I move forward let me establish that I have seen Ashton Kutcher deliver good acting in the proper role and that I have always enjoyed John Cryer's performances, but this train wreck has just begun.

By taking the cute, quirky, and loveable Rose and turning her into a vengeful murderess (implied) Lorre demoted her to the likes of Lorena Bobbit that will likely mean that character can have no further traction on a comedic sitcom. Trying to save this character now would mean using soap opera stupidity tactics to explain it all way. Anther reason to let the show die...with what little dignity remains.

The character Waldon Schmidt is unbelievable, out of place, and worse still a whiny wimpy mess or what can be described as an Anti Charlie. One moment we are watching Kelso as he learns about girls, the next we watch the character break down nearly sobbing or stupidly stalking his wife. Lorre's pathetic pot shots at Charlie Sheen are obvious, non-cleaver, juvenile, and detract from what potential the new cast could have delivered.

John Cryer showed poise and maturity during the ranting antics of Charlie Sheen, however you know you got a show in the crapper when the character Alan Harper becomes the straight man. Here's a character that made comedic sense in a pairing with a brother like Charlie Harper, but what broken billionaire would put up with such a leeching nut case like a guilt ridden brother would.

There is no chemistry between the new cast as the interaction seems as forced as the Phantom Menace. Lines are delivered in adjacent silos and barely deliver any sense of flow. Without chemistry, you have no show. I would be surprised for the the reboot make it the entire season, I do know I won't be one of the watchers, I'll be watching the Charlie Harper reruns.