Ashton Kutcher on 2.5 Men

[alphamommy]

Anyone have any guesses on how they'll explain Charlie's absence and work Ashton Kutcher into the plot? I don't watch the show, but DH does, so we were speculating last night at dinner.

DH's idea is that Charlie should disappear somewhere (Honduras) for a month or so, but never return.

My personal idea is that they have Charlie's character become addicted to "CharlieSheen" and OD. I say, make an example out of the madness. DH added to my idea that Ashton could be Alan's boyfriend, which I think is a little out there. I suggested that Ashton could be Charlie's boyfriend, and that Charlie leaves the house to him.

Any thoughts?

[Janmac]

I like the disappearing to Honduras. The question might be - how permanent do the writers write off the character? Is there a funeral (Warwick on CSI) or is he out of the country for awhile (Franks or Gibbs on NCIS).

Ashton's character could be anything. He could be an unknown half brother (like Alan's dad's son). Or some cousin or other sort of relative. Maybe even a son of Charlie's character. I don't really like the idea that he's Charlie or Alan's boyfriend. That limits the story lines. I suppose Ashton's character can even be a relative of the housekeeper (forgotten her name). Ashton's character could even be the previously unknown son of Jake's step dad (forgot his name too). (Can you tell it's been awhile since we've tuned in?!?! Looking forward to some different/better/new story lines).

I think if Charlie is to have a funeral his death needs to be something completely off the wall - something really preposterous. (Like what Tom Selleck's character on "Her Alibi" would write - like the wife getting nuked somehow?)

We need to see more story lines around the housekeeper and the mom (forgot her name too) and more with Jake. I would like to see Alan grow and be more confident and successful.

What I've been wondering is how successful do you think the addition of Ashton Kutcher to the show is going to be? I'm willing to start watching again, at least to give it a chance. I like most of the characters. The plots just got so repetitive and somewhat unbelievable. Charlie was getting a bit long in the tooth to be believable.

Jan

[alphamommy]

I think you've got some good ideas. I'm especially fond of the lost half brother concept.

I've never watched it first run, but I'll definitely watch the first few new episodes in the fall to see what they're doing with it!

[BellesRose]

I stopped watching it a couple years ago, but will definitely start watching again, at least the first few episodes.

Not digging the boyfriend storyline. They could kill Charlie off, then Ashton appears as a long lost son. Alan would get the house because of Charlie's will, but he would feel guilty and let Ashton live with him. Ashton would, of course, be totally crazy! But not quite the womanizing drunk that Charlie was...
Or, Charlie could be alive and gone off to wherever, and Ashton could be their long lost brother. Who knows!
The possibilities are endless...

[Stevadore]

I kinda thought this show was gone. Nobody has talked about the elephant in the room:
THE KID IS NO LONGER A HALF MAN!
I hope this doesn't put an end to the mother's new gig. A live one woman show playing Ann Richards, exuding her wry Texas witticisms in the vein of Holbrook's Mark Twain. It looks like it was taylor made for her style of acting.

[Hammer]

So, did anyone watch tonight? Any thoughts? I loved the open house the mother had, with John Stamos and Jenna Elfman and Thomas Gibson (Dharma and Greg). Couldn't stop laughing!

After that, I was like, eh. Don't think I'll be watching, though I wasn't a fan with Sheen either.

[MNNHFLTX]

I wasn't really a big fan of this show before, but watched it frequently because my husband liked it. IMO, when Charlie Sheen was in it it had become a one-trick pony type of show--the same type of jokes over and over. I think shaking things up and putting Ashton Kutcher in breathes new life into the show. It gives Allen and even Jake the chance to be the mature characters on the show (at least here and there). And I think the first one was very well-done. The funeral itself, in bringing back old characters (aka Charlie's girlfriends) and filling it with innuendo subtly connecting Charlie's demise with Charlie Sheen's behavior in getting kicked of the show--very clever. As was the open house.

Time will tell if they can continue to come up with fun story-lines that play off the new dynamics. But I like it so far (not too shabby for someone who was a big fan of the show before, huh?)

[hoop de do]

They made a "ash" out of Sheen.

[2Epcot]

I've watched the show almost since the beginning. It is one of my favorite shows. Watching last night, I didn't laugh once, the show wasn't funny. The new show, Two Broke Girls that came on afterwards wasn't a great show either, but at least I laughed a couple of times, which is more than I can say for Two and Half Men.

[Tink1]

I laughed when Dharma and Greg showed up! I always give new shows/new casts a few episodes to get their groove on. I love Mike and Molly, but the first few episodes were a little lacking. They improved, boy did they improve!

I enjoy Jon Cryer, and frankly was getting sick of the Charlie story lines. This opens up a lot more storylines for them to explore.

Sometimes I wonder if the whole CBS/Charlie Sheen stuff was nothing but a huge publicity stunt. That he wanted out and they went this way with it.

Nanc

[Niecyboo]

I DVRd this last night, just to check out the cast. I didn't expect to watch it right away, but then when I heard that Dharma and Greg were going to be on, I had to watch it before I went to bed last night.

I wasn't a big fan of the show before, because I wasn't crazy about Charlie Sheen, but I actually enjoyed it last night. I'll keep watching it, but it will have to be DVR because my whole family watches DWTS.

[Diznee4Me]

This is the ninth season for the show so it was on it's last leg anyway. With or without Charlie, it would have limped through this year - maybe another.

Having said that, and seeing the first episode, AND what seems to be Charlie's apologetic attitude - I could see the Alan character flourishing with his new roommate. Then, BAM!! bring Charlie back as if was all a dream or have dead Charlie only being seen by Alan to still really screw with him. Now that would be funny!!!!

[SBETigg]

I watched. I felt the funeral scene was more of a "stick it to Charlie" moment and could have been done a lot better. I would have preferred for Rose to have her happily ever after and just had Charlie and Rose move away, but stick it to Alan by giving the house to a total stranger on the stipulation that Alan get to stay.

Of course, I can see why producers just wanted to kill off the character and be done with him, too. So this works. Not a fan of Charlie or Ashton Kutcher, or Jon Cryer for that matter. I do like the kid and the rest of the cast. Won't be going out of my way to watch it, but I do watch it in syndication so I will catch up with it all eventually.