2 . 5 Males

Shot in La by Chuck Lorre Prods. and also the Tannenbaum Company in colaboration with Warner Bros. Television. Executive producers, Chuck Lorre, Lee Aronsohn, Eric Tannenbaum, Kim Tannenbaum, Eddie Gorodetsky, Susan Beavers, Jim Patterson, Don Reo director, James Widdoes authors, Lorre, Aronsohn, Gorodetsky, Patterson. 30 MIN.Walden Schmidt - Ashton Kutcher Alan Harper - Jon Cryer Mike Harper - Angus T. Johnson Evelyn Harper - Holland Taylor Judith Harper - Marin Hinkle Berta - Conchata FerrellIn "Crimes and Misdemeanors," Woodsy Allen referred to comedy as "tragedy plus time." "2 . 5 Males" did not possess the luxury from the latter in changing star Charlie Sheen, and -- spoilers coming -- wasted very little time meting out using the body inside a sentiment-free pre-credit funeral, attended by many people visions of trysts past. Despite needing to do a whole lot of business inside a half-hour, the producers turn to have handled an uncomfortable situation about in addition to they possibly could. Getting won the authority to be among the filthier comedies on television -Body that rarely allows warm and fuzzy get when it comes to a sex joke -- there is not a way to become maudlin about Charlie Harper's demise and keep a dark tone from the series. So Charlie's off-screen dying is treated as you extended point -- using the a lot of women he bedded coming more to gloat than mourn. (The outlet also features some amusing celebrity cameos -- including one referencing an early on Lorre series -- adding some extra value. Among all of the hands-wringing about Sheen in media, "Men's" cast has consistently been underrated, which was nicely shown Monday. Jon Cryer, as Charlie's much-mistreated brother Alan, even were built with a remarkably sweet if brief interlude addressing a can of ashes, indicating gratitude for getting taken him and the boy Mike (Angus T. Johnson) in after Alan's divorce. The bigger challenge, clearly, ended up being to introduce a brand new landlord, with Alan not able to pay for the upkeep on Charlie's pricey Malibu home. Enter Walden Schmidt (), a higher-tech billionaire who -- despite being tall, dreamy and well-hung -- lacks any social graces, getting married our prime-school sweetheart who just left him. The tech-nerd-who-does not-know-he's-awesome lick is rather plausible, and enables Alan being his p facto help guide to the singles dating world -- the actual gag being that although Walden is "psychologically immature," indeed almost childlike, Alan still continues to be much less desirable commodity. Could it be an ideal solution? Hardly. However "Males" co-designers Chuck Lorre and Lee Aronsohn (who share script credit with Eddie Gorodetsky and Jim Patterson) most likely might have likely allow the show finish if Sheen had not dissed them so openly within their Hollywood divorce. Even though there'd appear to become pressure around the creative team and Kutcher, the simple truth is if the does not succeed they've an aura-tight alibi: We did not need to make an enormous change this late within the run blame the (figuratively) dead guy. Part two will need to explain how Alan ends up remaining on as Walden's roommate, but Monday's episode -- because of the interest produced by Sheen's broadly covered exit -- did the majority of the heavy-lifting. And when the renovated "Males" handles to hold onto around 80% from the rankings shipped through the show's former occupant, everybody involved ends up searching just like a hero. CBS could even have an extra couple of years from the series. That's, of course, the rosiest of situations. But depending on how the show has carried out previously, expect if "Males" handles to help keep on whistling. Contact John Lowry at john.lowry@variety.com