Could Ashton Kutcher reinvigorate Two and a Half Men?

It's seemed recently that nothing could possibly puncture Charlie Sheen's ego, but the news that he's being swiftly replaced on taste-making, dollar-raking, globally beloved (and unquestionably awful) sitcom Two and a Half Men by an actor who's younger, funnier and more attractive might just do it.

Ashton Kutcher, who made his chops as lovable idiot Michael Kelso on sitcom classic That ‘70s Show, has been signed as the new lead for Men, which is (almost unbelievably) possibly the most commercially successful piece of television ever made. The rumour mill asserted that the replacement would be someone more in Sheen's age range - John Stamos, Bob Saget and Jeremy Piven were popular (but completely wrong) suggestions - but Kutcher's actual competition for the role was one Hugh Grant, apparently aiming to mimic Hugh Laurie's transatlantic TV jump with House. Grant backed out at the last minute, however, leaving Kutcher the dubious honour of becoming extremely rich on the back of one of the worst sitcoms ever to make it out of its second season.

But who knows? Kutcher may not be a superstar of Sheen's calibre - he's had his hits of course; remember The Butterfly Effect? - but he's a good-natured guy who did very well on the small screen. Men has Chuck Lorre behind it, creator of Just Shoot Me, Big Bang Theory, and Dharma & Greg, and all those shows have at times been great in ways that the overproduced, underwritten sitcom titan has simply never managed. It's common knowledge that Charlie Sheen ruined Spin City - perhaps his departure, and replacement with an actor who's more suited to TV (and something less of a diva), might still redeem Two and a Half Men.

Of course, the opposite effect is being touted as likely by many sources. People tune in for Sheen, is the argument: he's the caustic womaniser that gives the show its unique flavour. Without him, it would just be a tubby child making fart jokes whilst his Steve Buscemi-esque father twitches and stutters disapprovingly.

It's a difficult one. On the one hand, Two and a Half Men being phoned in and lazy is a proven formula for its perpetual success: on the other, one can't help but remember Michael Kelso and wonder if there might not be a good, new show lurking under the plutocratic carcass of the stumbling giant.

Sheen himself recommended friend Rob Lowe, to take the part. Happily, his recommendation seems to have had little weight with the network: it would be a shame to see Lowe lured away from his work on Parks and Recreation (the critically-acclaimed mockumentary that has not yet made it to the UK but has reportedly been bought by Sky). The ex-star went on to release a bitter missive to Kutcher on the subject. “Enjoy planet Chuck, Ashton,” he wrote. “There is no air, laughter, loyalty or love there.”

One can't help but feel like Charlie Sheen is the ghost at the feast, if (with his millions of dollars from the show sitting pretty) a particularly well-fed ghost. Kutcher is reportedly enthusiastic - “I'm going to work my ass off to entertain the hell out of people,” he said in one interview - and if the writing staff shapes up to compensate for their baby's newfound instability, it's possible Kutcher as new lead character could really rejuvenate Men. He doesn't have the dry acidity that typified Sheen's old character, but frankly that's something Sheen never did too well anyway - Kutcher's more goofy and whole-hearted mode of comedy stands a chance of being a breath of fresh air.

I'll leave you, just to give perspective on this whole hot mess, with a joke straight from multi-million dollar enterprise Two and a Half Men:

Jake: [To Evelyn after her plastic surgery] “Dad says you got your butt in your lips. So if you burp now it'll really be a fart right?”

Marvellous.

Add Comment

You must log in to submit a comment.