Plot: What’s it about?
The series revolved initially around the lives of the Harper brothers, Charlie (Charlie Sheen) and Alan (Jon Cryer), and Alan’s son Jake (Angus T. Jones). Charlie is a bachelor who writes commercial jingles for a living, while leading a hedonistic lifestyle. When Alan’s wife, Judith (Marin Hinkle), decides to divorce him, he moves into Charlie’s Malibu beach house, with Jake coming to stay over the weekends. Charlie’s housekeeper is Berta (Conchata Ferrell), a sardonic woman who initially resents the change to the household, but eventually accepts it. Charlie’s one-night stand Rose (Melanie Lynskey) was first introduced as his stalker in the pilot episode.
The first five seasons find Charlie in casual sexual misadventures with numerous women until the sixth season, when he becomes engaged to Chelsea (Jennifer Taylor), but the relationship does not last, as Chelsea breaks off their engagement. Afterwards, Charlie flies to Paris with his stalker Rose in the show’s de facto eighth-season finale. However, in the ninth-season premiere, Charlie is said to have died after he was struck by a Paris subway train. Rose hints that she threw Charlie into the train’s path after learning that he had cheated on her.
Alan’s attitude and experiences are contrasted with Charlie’s. Throughout the series, Alan deals with his son Jake’s growing up and the aftermath of his bitter divorce, while having little success with women. His marriage to Kandi (April Bowlby) at the end of the third season was short-lived. In the fourth season, Alan is back at the beach house paying alimony to two women out of his low earnings as a chiropractor. In the seventh season, he begins a relationship with Lyndsey McElroy (Courtney Thorne-Smith), the mother of one of Jake’s friends. Their relationship is temporarily suspended when Alan cheats on her and accidentally burns down her house, but the relationship is eventually resumed.
In the ninth-season premiere (after Charlie’s death), the beach house is sold to Walden Schmidt (Ashton Kutcher), an Internet billionaire going through a divorce from Bridget (Judy Greer). Alan leaves to live with his mother Evelyn (Holland Taylor) when the house is sold, but later Walden invites both Alan and Jake back to live in the beach house.
At the end of the ninth season, Jake joins the US Army; he appears occasionally during the 10th season, briefly dating Tammy (Jaime Pressly), who is 17 years his senior and has three kids, as well as Tammy’s daughter Ashley (Emily Osment). In the season, Walden proposes to his English girlfriend Zoey (Sophie Winkleman), only to be turned down and discover she has another man. He becomes depressed. Meanwhile, Alan gets engaged to his girlfriend Lyndsey, while Judith leaves her second husband Herb Melnick (Ryan Stiles) (to whom she had been married since the fourth season) after he cheats on her with his receptionist (they later reconcile). Alan and Lyndsey’s relationship of three years ends as she wants to move on. Rose returns and briefly dates Walden, later stalking him as she did to Charlie. Walden begins to date a poor but ambitious woman named Kate (Brooke D’Orsay) and changes his name to “Sam Wilson”, pretending to be poor to find someone who wants him for him, not for his money. They later break up when he reveals who he really is, though Kate realizes that Walden’s money helped her become a successful clothing designer. Jake announces he is being shipped to Japan for at least a year, so Alan and he go on a father-son bonding trip. Other than a cameo in the series finale, this is the last time Jake appears on the show, though verbal references are made to him.
In the 11th season, a young woman arrives at the beach house, announcing that she is Charlie Harper’s biological daughter, Jenny (Amber Tamblyn). She moves in with Walden and Alan, and later displays many of Charlie’s traits, including a love of women and alcohol. Lyndsey begins dating a man named Larry (D. B. Sweeney). In an attempt to learn more about Larry, Alan takes on the pseudonym “Jeff Strongman”. His double life becomes complicated when “Jeff” begins dating Larry’s sister, Gretchen (Kimberly Williams-Paisley).
In the 12th season, after a health scare, Walden decides to reprioritize his life by adopting a baby. He realizes that the only way to do this is to be married, but does not know anyone who will marry him. He asks Alan to marry him and pretend that they are a gay couple, thus ensuring success at adopting. Jenny moves out of the house, and moves in with Evelyn, due to Walden and Alan’s preparing to adopt. They adopt a child, Louis (Edan Alexander), and subsequently divorce to pursue relationships with women. Alan proposes to Lyndsey a second time and she accepts, while Walden begins a relationship with Louis’ social worker, Ms. McMartin (Maggie Lawson). Charlie is revealed to be alive, having been kept prisoner by Rose until escaping, but he dies in an accident before he can reunite with Walden and Alan.
Video: How’s it look?
Each episode of the show is presented in an AVC HD 1.78:1 encode which, by and large, looks as we’d expect. Unlike recent television shows that have gotten the 4K treatment, Two and a Half Men came out in the era of widescreen TV’s and, as such, it shows. The colorful interiors of the home look pristine, while some of the interior shots have a warmth to them that I didn’t notice the first time around. Contrast is strong as are black levels. All in all it’s a good-looking set.
Audio: How’s it sound?
Given that this is a dialogue-driven comedy, all the episodes are presented in with a DTS HD Master Audio mix that sounds fairly decent. Vocals are pure and crisp, Charlie Sheen’s character belts out the one-liners and the laugh track seems to agree with whatever it is he’s saying. Surrounds come into play on occasion offering a bit of ambiance. By and large, though, this is on par with what a television show should be. No complaints here.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This collection compiles all bonus content from the original individual season releases.
- Gag Reels: These bloopers were noted by some reviewers as being especially entertaining, offering a look at the cast enjoying themselves behind the scenes, contrasting with the on-screen character tensions.
- Featurettes: The set includes several behind-the-scenes featurettes, providing insight into the production of the long-running sitcom.
- Audio Commentaries: Select episodes feature commentaries, offering perspectives from the creators and cast members.
- Bonus Episode: An additional bonus episode is included in the set.
- “A Charlie Harper Ex Reunion”: The Season 7 content includes interviews with several actresses who played Charlie’s former girlfriends on the show.
The Bottom Line
Two and a Half Men simply wasn’t for me. It had some moments and I get that it was a big ratings success/moneymaker in the early-to-mid 00’s but that aside – I found enjoyment elsewhere. But, if you are a fan, and there are many of you out there, this set is for you.
