Two and a Half Men

Charlie Sheen is very unappealing and completely asexual. That’s why when he tries (very awkwardly) to be funny, it turns out so disastrously. The paradox is that so many people love this show. Fortunately, I am not a crowd pleaser and I lean towards the minority who hate this show. My rating is dangling over a Boo! (23/05/2011)

Once upon a time, Season 1 was still remotely reminiscent of classic boring American sitcoms, but every now and then something suggested that if the basic family plot could be absorbed, it could actually start to be very funny. So for the time being it was possible to get used to Rose and Berta and enjoy the guest beauties Kristin Bauer van Straten, Denise Richards, Megan Fox, Jenna Elfman, Teri Hatcher, and Heather Locklear. Season 2 escalated into absolutely crazy humor mostly thanks to Charlie and Alan's mother. Jake became the craziest kid in TV history, and the female stars to watch were Camryn Manheim, Lucy Lawless, and Jeri Ryan. Season 3, for a change, is an increasingly wacky probe into the Oedipus complex. I find myself enjoying it more and more. With the guest appearance by Kevin Sorbo, the most perfect episode ever, or Kandi, Mandi, and Andy. Everyone's having sex with everyone. Don't talk to me about marrying Mia. That was disgusting. (07/02/2009)

I can't think of another show that could keep me continuously entertained until its 12th season. In fact, I can't remember another show that I could even watch for that long (except maybe The Simpsons). It's incredible how long the sitcom Two and a Half Men managed to successfully capitalize on virtually the same situations, based on a simple concept of two completely different characters living together under the same roof. With its cheeky humour, it often pushed itself to the limit of what could be afforded on prime-time television. With his relentless meta-humour, it’s not afraid to hit even the personal lives of its own actors, and it was able to cope with the firing of his main star with self-irony (ironically because he led a similarly wild life to the character he played). (20/02/2015)

I don't know of many shows that have been able to successfully recycle the exact same scheme for so long. Two and a Half Men certainly was one of them, at least during Charlie Sheen's tenure. What happened afterwards, I’m not including that in my rating. Unlike Kutcher, who plays an artificially contrived dimwitted role, Charlie had absolutely no need to transform himself while playing his eponymous character, with whom he had so much in common, because he was to some extent performing himself and his wild life. Jon Cryer aka Alan was also a solid backbone of the show in the earlier seasons, but they gradually started making him more and more of an idiot that it wasn't even funny anymore. In contrast, Angus T. Jones as Jake maintained his high standard throughout. Seasons: 1. 80% 2. 85% 3. 75% 4. 75% 5. 70% 6. 65% 7. 70% 8. 70% (16/09/2013)