Can Two and A Half Men continue without Charlie Sheen ?

[jacdnwarrior]

I'm a huge fan of the show Two and a Half Men. For those who haven't heard of it or seen it, it starred Charlie Sheen, Jon Cryer and Angus T. Jones. The show is about an older brother who lives the life of an active bachelor playboy played perfectly by Charlie Sheen, who takes in his straight laced divorced brother Alan played by Jon Cryer and helps him with raising Alan's son Jake played by Angus T. Jones. I discovered it very late into its run, but I have to admit I absolutely loved it. Recently Charlie Sheen got into a huge war of words against the shows producer Chuck Lorre and was even called out as being Anti-Semitic in his tirade. Charlie Sheen has now been fired from the show. After 8 seasons of him being on the show, I ask these questions:

Are you a fan of the show ?
Do you think it was right to fire Charlie Sheen ?

and more importantly...

Do you think the show can continue without Charlie Sheen ?

 

[Matth3w]

To be honest, if you've seen one episode of the show, you've seen them all. I'm surprised it lasted 8 seasons. It's still watchable if nothings on though.

Charlie Sheen was the reason behind it's success, getting another loose cannon actor to replace him (rumours are Rob Lowe) won't be the same. It'd be like when John Ritter died and the producers added more characters to 8 Simple Rules, and we know what happened to that show now dont we....

Chuck Lorre should dump it, and concentrate more energy into The Big Bang Theory and Mike and Molly.

 

[Cena's Little Helper]

Who gives a shit? Don't worry about Two and a Half Men being canceled. If it gets canned, I can guarantee you that there will be another show just like it come this September. It's quite an easy show to replicate. All you need is an idiot teenager, an alcoholic, womanizing uncle, and a cheap-ass dad who takes the uncle's sloppy seconds. Voila! Two and a Half Men lives on!

 

[Davi323]

There is absolutely no way it can survive without Charlie Sheen. Charlie Sheen is Ted Danson. NBC had a HUGE hit TV show in 80s called Cheers. It had been on multiple seasons, got massive ratings, and by all accounts was just as popular then as Two and a Half Men is today, if not more so.

But then Ted Danson didn't want to do the show anymore. NBC correctly realized that without the star of the show, you have no show. Charlie Sheen is undoubtedly the star of Two and a Half Men. Without him, you have nothing. Don't replace his character? Does anyone really watch for Jon Cryer? Replace him with a different actor, and you not only jump the shark big time, but the new actor will forever be referred to as the Dick Sargent of this generation. It simply wouldn't be the same show. Its time for CBS to pull the plug entirely Whatever magic the show had is gone now.

Please don't take that as me being a Sheen apologist, I am enjoying the meltdown just as much as everyone else is, he is certifiably bat shit crazy, and deserved to be fired for his comments.

 

[The Mark of Zur-En-Arrh]

You mean in a 'Let's keep doing 8 Simple Rules even though the Dad's dead because the chicks are still hot and surely that's why people watch' kinda way, or a 'Michael J Fox is royally fucked in just about every sense and can't do Spin City anymore, so let's replace him with...... Oh, Charlie Sheen......' kinda way?

I've never seen what the big attraction is for Two and a Half Men personally, but no i don't think it's doable to continue the show without Charlie Sheen. That's like doing Only Fools and Horses without David Jason half way through a season.

 

[Aeon Mathix]

I love this show and own a lot of the seasons. It's really the only thing I watch on TV besides wrestling and sports. No other show makes me laugh as much as Two And A Half Men.

As far as continuing without Charlie Sheen, it's hard to say. I mean how on earth can they fit into the show what happened to him? Obviously everyone is going to notice a different looking guy playing Charlie Harper. Will they make an episode where he died or moved away? Even then it's completely pointless as Sheen wouldn't make an appearance for a send off or anything. So I can't say, all I know is the show isn't continuing at this point. Sheen has a littany of problems as everyone knows and wanted 3 million dollars PER EPISODE (so i've read) and talked shit about the producer. Only makes sense for them to let him go, they didn't really have a choice. The future doesn't look promising for one of my favorite shows though

 

[Alastor]

No it cannot, not because Sheen adds much to the show but because he has been on the show for too long and is associated with the show. A philandering rich man living life as a pampered little boy is not the hardest role to pull off. I am sure there are many actors that could pull it off just as well. The show is horrible, the jokes are pretty lame, and the only reason people watch is because of the hot women being so easy on the show. Time to end the show anyway since the boy is all grown up.

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

No, the whole show is based around Sheen and his relationship with his brother. Take away Charlie and the whole thing will suck incredibly badly.

Noone watches the show for Alan and Jake, its all about Charlie. They could try and do a spin-off without Sheen and focus on the other characters, but you cannot replace him. Getting someone else to play the Charlie Harper character would also be stupid, it would be like the Fake Diesel or Fake Razor in wrestling. Embarassing.

It's over. Accept it.

 

[ugotpwned999]

Hell no. No-one can play the bad-boy like charlie sheen for one simple reason. He was legitametly like his character in real life. Theres no way anyone could replace sheen and still keep the show entertaining.

 

[Dave]

I really don't think that it can go on, to be honest.

I know that it is really early on from his demise on the show but there is already a lot of rumours going around with regards to his contract and the show in itself. One such rumour I have heard, albeit in a bar, was that Charlie Sheen has a clause in his contract that states if he is ever removed from the show, he still gets paid for every episode that the creators then go on to make in his absence. In fact, I think I read that on TMZ and they funnily called it the Michael J Fox clause, which made me smile.

Now, given that they would be finding themselves $2 million out of pocket for every episode that they air, I don't think it is very financially sound. It wouldn't be so bad if they were actually getting to use Charlie Sheen in those episodes because then they are getting their money's worth but paying him for staying at home winning is just ludicrous. When you add that to the fact that he is currently suing CBS for $100 million, you have to think that CBS would not like to continue paying him if they lose the case... Which they absolutely might.

However, we all know that Two and a Half Men is one of CBS' highest rated shows. I guess the real question comes down to how much the show is going to miss Charlie Sheen. I would assume they would deal with the financial side of things if the show was still economically viable. Right now, you have to think that it is isn't and that CBS will cut the cord. What I think is more likely is a spin off show with Alan and Jake. Maybe call it One and a Half Men... But seriously, a spin off might not be such a bad idea.

As for it continuing, I am not holding my breath.

 

[Richard]

There is no way it can or it should. I love Two and a Half Men but I don't think I'd be able to watch it if Charlie Harper was played by someone else.

The show revolves around Charlie, Alan and Jake merely are supporting roles that Charlie has to fit in to his life. We have all come to associate Charlie Sheen with Two and Half Men and it would just seem very awkward to have someone else play Charlie and see everyone on the show address them as Charlie. I read somewhere that Steve Carell was talked about to replace Sheen and as much as I love Steve Carell, I think it should not happen and Two and a Half Men should just be stopped and have no more episodes be produced.

 

[Wolf Pac]

The show will continue, if it couldn't then there would be no point to firing Charlie since the show lives off him. As far as who can replace him, I think maybe someone like Jon Lovitz. He's just hilarious on any show he goes on. Sure he doesn't have the looks but on TV land, not everything has to make sense, people will buy into anything. Of course though, he should be a new character not a new Charlie. Maybe he could be Alan & Charlie's cousin and they claim he bought Charlie's house from him, Alan would still be there to sponge off him. Or hell maybe they can get Matt LeBlanc to replace Charlie since Joey Tribbiani was basically like Charlie on Friends.

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

Or hell maybe they can get Matt LeBlanc to replace Charlie since Joey Tribbiani was basically like Charlie on Friends.

How exactly? I get he was a womaniser, but certainly not a booze hound like Charlie Harper.

Plus, I think he will forever be associated with Joey, which would make it difficult for people to accept Le Blanc as Charlie.

I think if they want some of those characters to live on, perhaps a spin-off is the best idea. For example, they could make a storyline where Charlie either dies or has to move away and give up the beach house. This would mean Alan would need to move away, and as he seems to not be able to to afford his own place he could either get a lodger to help him stay in the beach house, or get a place with a lodger elsewhere.

Obviously this would keep the Alan character, Jake would still be able to be on the show. Perhaps he could hire Bertha as the cleaner and then we would still get a new character as the room mate, who could be anybody. There are a lot of possibilities, but Two and A Half Men as we know it should not continue with someone else playing Charlie. No one could do it like Sheen

Winning!

 

[Uncle Sam]

Let me just preface this by saying that Two and a Half Men is a piece of shit. It's a show that's relied on repeating about ten jokes over and over since its inception. That said, I think it can be rescued. How, you ask? Reckless stunt casting. Recast Charlie. Who with?

Idris Elba AKA Stringer Bell. Write material for Elba exactly as you would for Sheen. Do not reference the fact that Charlie is now a tall, bearded black man. It's funnier if you don't. In fact, have the change mid-season. Finish up what was supposed to be the end of whatever season they were supposed to be filming now with Elba in the role.

You're welcome.

 

[jacdnwarrior]

Forget about continuing it, just do a spin off show starring the women who played Rose, Chelsea, Mia and Kandi. Have them all living in a house together on the beach, wearing nothing but skimpy bathing suits all day.

 

[Wolf Pac]

How exactly? I get he was a womaniser, but certainly not a booze hound like Charlie Harper.

Plus, I think he will forever be associated with Joey, which would make it difficult for people to accept Le Blanc as Charlie.

I think if they want some of those characters to live on, perhaps a spin-off is the best idea. For example, they could make a storyline where Charlie either dies or has to move away and give up the beach house. This would mean Alan would need to move away, and as he seems to not be able to to afford his own place he could either get a lodger to help him stay in the beach house, or get a place with a lodger elsewhere.

Obviously this would keep the Alan character, Jake would still be able to be on the show. Perhaps he could hire Bertha as the cleaner and then we would still get a new character as the room mate, who could be anybody. There are a lot of possibilities, but Two and A Half Men as we know it should not continue with someone else playing Charlie. No one could do it like Sheen

Winning!

No I did not mean that Matt LeBlanc should play Charlie, I meant he should come in as the new main character of the show where he is like Charlie. A womaniser which he already knows how to play very well and as far as playing a booze hound, well I'm sure he can learn how to play one. As I mentioned already, he could be play a cousin of Alan & Charlie where he buys the house off Charlie and Alan is still there to sponge off LeBlanc's character.

 

[Lee]

Idris Elba AKA Stringer Bell. Write material for Elba exactly as you would for Sheen. Do not reference the fact that Charlie is now a tall, bearded black man. It's funnier if you don't. In fact, have the change mid-season. Finish up what was supposed to be the end of whatever season they were supposed to be filming now with Elba in the role.

I like this idea, but on that vein you should mix it up.

Have guest actors play charlie every week, maybe with a comical "did you do something to your hair" nod to this every episode. It would get some celebrities some airtime and in turn boost the shows ratings which will obviously decline without Sheen.

 

[Buffalo Dave]

I seen somewhere that Rob Lowe was approached to replace Sheen on the show. Kinda weird because Sheen and Lowe are pretty good friends. I don't think I would like Lowe as a replacement, matter in fact nobody really for that matter. Nobody could play Charlie Harper but Sheen. Of course they can cast someone to replace him, but I don't think it would fair well with people. Better off just writing Charlie Harper just out of the show, either try it with just Cryer and the rest of the cast. Or just keep it axed and it will just become another one of those shows without a proper send off that we'll be mentioning in threads, for shows that left us hanging.

 

[Coco]

The Rob Lowe thing was just a rumor. He's thankfully locked in on Parks and Recreation for many years to come. Great news for those of us interested in seeing Lowe on a sitcom that's actually funny.

As for Sheen, he's replaceable. If the show must go own, bring in someone semi-notable to play a party boy cousin and continue the formula where Sheen left off. The only real issue is whether or not whatever Sheen is making on top of the other costs to make the show offset the profit of continuing. If there really is a boatload of money to be lost from shutting it down, don't do it. The issue here is dollars and cents. Charlie Sheen is NOT a creative necessity.

Of course I hang my hate firmly in the same camps as tdigs and Sam for the most part. What they said really cuts to the heart of my feelings on the matter.

 

[El Rev sXe]

It would be the dumbest thing ever to replace the Charlie Harper character by other actor. It isn't only about the jokes, THE ACTING has alot to do. Charlie Harper was basically a rip off from Charlies Sheen's life. That's why he could play the character so well, he was basically being himself.

The only thing I would like is to see the end of the season and this way putting a closure on TAHM. Continuing without Sheen, cotinuing replacing Sheen, dumb ideas.

 

[ROCKY VS CENA OMG]

The show is all about Charlie Sheen and is interaction with his brother Alan and his bad influence to Jake. It is basically the life story of Charlie Sheen and people watch it just for Charlie Sheen and that is why it cannot continue without him.

 

[Dagger Dias]

I'm a huge fan of Two and a Half Men. I think it's one of the funniest shows in ages, and by far the best recent sitcom. They had no choice but to fire Charlie Sheen after the way he was acting. It was unprofessional and keeping him on the show would have become a large liability. The bad news is that the show can probably not continue to have the same success without him. Other shows have replaced lead characters before and survived, but all of those shows had other characters who were popular enough to keep the show going. Jake and Alan are nowhere near as popular with fans as Charlie was. Having the show without him will not work. I predict the show would barely last one full season without Sheen because the Charlie character WAS the show. It sucks that he got himself fired, but there is not much else that can be done for the show until those issues get worked out.

 

[Pole Smoker]

no.

Without Charlie it will suck. He plays the character perfectly and I'm just used to seeing him there. Someone else would be a waste of time.

 

[HellBoundPower]

I don't think the show can continue without Charlie Sheen. Lets be honest, he's the star of the show, and the reason that most people watch it. He's the most entertaining character, and the show just wouldn't be good without him. It would be just like That 70's Show after Topher Grace and Ashton Kutcher left. It would get uninteresting pretty quick, and become a train wreck. If they don't end the show where they left it, it's gonna end up getting canceled anyway. I don't think they should waste the time and money hiring someone else to fill the roll for the rest of the season. They should just end the show and count their blessings.