Welcome to a new Sitcom Tuesday! This week, we’re continuing our coverage of Two And A Half Men (2003-2015, CBS), which is currently available on DVD and Peacock!

Two And A Half Men stars CHARLIE SHEEN as Charlie, JON CRYER as Alan, and ANGUS T. JONES as Jake. With MARIN HINKLE as Judith, MELANIE LYNSKEY as Rose, CONCHATA FERRELL as Berta, and HOLLAND TAYLOR as Evelyn.

Season Four is a solid collection that mainly just furthers the previous year’s major trends. For instance, the dwindling “novelty of premise” means there’s even less of the show’s conceptual situation regularly invoked in weekly story — oh, more than there’ll ever be ahead, yes, but far less than there was before. Additionally, the ongoing heightening of Alan’s character, moving him from an anti-Charlie “straight man” into an avatar for neurotic loser-hood, emboldens him to drive episodes more often as the primary comic force, alternating with the otherwise more structurally well-positioned Charlie, who still gets a decent amount of narrative exploration as well (again, compared to what’s ahead). In fact, Charlie is almost as well-featured this season as he was in Three, and although Four continues to embrace the anything-for-a-laugh crassness for which Men is broadly known, there are still essentially earnest examinations of both him and Alan that make it possible to laud the year’s character work as being at best, good, and at worst, okay, basically attached to the tonal identity that this series is cultivating. Accordingly, if Season Two offered Men’s choicest example of textbook sitcommery, and Three’s particular use of new trends made it the best ambassador for Men’s overall ethos when it’s doing what it does best, Four’s proximity to both, but especially Three, renders it peak-adjacent — with a similar quality and a consistency that, for the most part, will last through the next two years (even as the proceedings continue to separate from the premise amidst an increase in tawdriness and a diminishing concern for the characters). In that regard, Season Four — during which Men was once again the most-watched comedy, earning Emmy nods for its two stars and the series itself — acquits this sitcom as still somewhat competitive with this era’s finest. There aren’t a lot of show-transcending half hours, but nearly all of Four exists at a respectable, steady baseline.

 

01) Episode 74: “Who’s Vod Kanockers?” (Aired: 09/25/06)

Charlie deals with his feelings about his breakup.

Teleplay by Don Foster & Eddie Gorodetsky | Story by Chuck Lorre & Lee Aronsohn | Directed by Gary Halvorson

Following a premiere that renewed the premise by having Alan get divorced again so he could move back in with Charlie, who’d since been reminded of his obligation-free bachelor life, Season’s Four’s sophomore entry is less narratively labored and more introspective, granting Charlie another chance to express an emotional depth that will eventually seem contrary to the show’s mounting sense of burlesque, but here, is still tonally acceptable. So, this is a good showing for Charlie and a reminder that Men is still operating at a place where character matters, for although the aftermath of the Mia and Kandi arcs aren’t handled great, the weekly ideas aren’t yet ignorant to the guys’ depictions. (Steven Tyler notably guests.)

02) Episode 77: “A Live Woman Of Proven Fertility” (Aired: 10/16/06)

Alan is eager to have Judith remarry so he can stop paying her alimony.

Teleplay by Chuck Lorre & Lee Aronsohn | Story by Don Foster & Susan Beavers | Directed by Gary Halvorson

Ryan Stiles returns as Judith’s love interest (now called Herb) in this outing that sets up their forthcoming nuptials — a prospect that delights Alan for it means he’ll no longer have to pay alimony. But what’s most notable here is the introduction of a minor template going forward, in which Herb becomes a “guy pal” to the two brothers — someone who can commiserate with them over their troubles with women and be a linchpin in a mini-ensemble of men that earns laughs by corroborating the series’ increasingly masculine sensibilities. Accordingly, this is something of a formative effort — not the best in this subcategory, but a decent preview.

03) Episode 78: “Apologies For The Frivolity” (Aired: 10/23/06)

Charlie dates a woman who is exactly like his mother.

Teleplay by Don Foster & Mark Roberts | Story by Chuck Lorre & Lee Aronsohn | Directed by Gary Halvorson

Among the year’s most popular selections, this episode features Katherine LaNasa as Charlie’s latest girlfriend — a woman who is so strikingly similar to his mother that it catches everyone off guard. It’s a naturally funny idea (even if we’ve seen it before, like on Frasier), with a guest performance that really sells it and helps elevate this entry into being, at the very least, amusing. But there are some implied character stakes as well, as Charlie’s relationship with women has always been said to have something to do with his fraught dynamic with his mother, and although this maybe isn’t explored here as directly as it could be, the laughs alone are enough to carry its value and make it highlightable as one of the show’s most objectively comedic.

04) Episode 79: “Repeated Blows To His Unformed Head” (Aired: 11/06/06)

Charlie and Alan meet Berta’s pregnant daughter.

Teleplay by Eddie Gorodetsky & Jim Patterson | Story by Chuck Lorre & Lee Aronsohn | Directed by Gary Halvorson

In addition to the two male stars (and the entire series itself), both Holland Taylor and Conchata Ferrell were nominated for Emmys this season, and that makes some sense, particularly for Ferrell, whose Berta gets more narrative exploration in Four than anywhere else. I think she’s always a reliable comic force who could have been used in story more… the problem is most of the stories that do feature her are lacking relevance for the other characters or the premise. This one, the first of two with Sara Rue as her pregnant daughter, is no exception… but it reveals a lot about Berta and is comedically exciting because it plays with Alan’s progressively audacious depiction, which provides big laughs that help this installment stand out as worthwhile.

05) Episode 80: “Release The Dogs” (Aired: 11/13/06)

Alan discovers he’s jealous of Charlie.

Teleplay by Chuck Lorre & Lee Aronsohn | Story by Susan Beavers & Jim Patterson | Directed by Gary Halvorson

An MVE contender, this offering is a fine showcase for the two main characters, substantiating the idea that Season Four is still utilizing them fairly well, both individually, and in this case, in relation to each other. In fact, the whole A-story here is about Alan realizing that he’s jealous of Charlie — a premise-backed notion that speaks not only to the latter’s way with women, but also his cool, easygoing nature, which is a contrast to the increasingly manic Alan. This setup — which also includes Jane Lynch as their recurring therapist — then dovetails nicely with a subplot that beautifully displays Charlie’s characterization, as he breaks his promise to Jake by dating a hot mom: a perfect display of his centralizing persona and the “bachelor uncle” design. So, this is one of the best situation-supported samples on this list — a credit to the season.

06) Episode 83: “Walnuts And Demerol” (Aired: 12/11/06)

Friends and family keep Charlie from being able to hook up with his date on Christmas Eve.

Teleplay by Susan Beavers & Jim Patterson | Story by Chuck Lorre & Lee Aronsohn | Directed by Gary Halvorson

My pick for this season’s Most Valuable Episode (MVE), “Walnuts And Demerol” is among the show’s most memorable, taking a typically sentimental holiday theme and perverting it with Two And A Half Men’s trademark raunch, which is accelerating here in Four after having already become a fundamental part of its reputation and therefore identity. That raunch mainly arrives via the narrative engine of Charlie attempting to hook up with a drunk woman whom we eventually learn may be his biological sister — a threat of incest that plays with his outsized and character-defining promiscuity. But this is more than just an exhibit of the show’s character-rooted ribaldry; it’s also a fine example of the central premise, for Charlie’s bachelor lifestyle is impeded by his familial obligations. Heck, in the grand tradition of, say, something like The Bob Cummings Show, a lot of this segment’s comic tension actually comes from a wolf being temporarily halted by a blockading ensemble, which is especially well-featured in this laugh-filled, unpretentious, and almost real-time Christmas excursion. (Susan Sullivan and Jessica Collins guest, and recurring players Ryan Stiles and April Bowlby, in particular, shine.)

07) Episode 87: “My Damn Stalker” (Aired: 02/12/07)

Charlie doesn’t believe Rose when she says she’s moving away.

Teleplay by Eddie Gorodetsky & Mark Roberts | Story by Chuck Lorre & Lee Aronsohn | Directed by James Widdoes

As previously discussed, I’m not a huge fan of Rose because I think her narrative potential is intrinsically limited. So, I’m pleased that Season Four further reduces her involvement and has her move away — a development that becomes official in this entry, which tries to suggest that maybe she was Charlie’s one true love, only he never realized it until it was too late: a forced idea that will really come back into view upon Charlie’s “death.” I don’t quite buy it, but again, I appreciate that Charlie in Four still has the capacity for introspection and human emotion — it’s confirmation than Men cares about its characters to an extent. Meanwhile, I enjoy the subplot of Alan internet dating — a premise-supported notion made better by the guest casting of the funny Allison Janney, who would go on to do her best sitcom work in Chuck Lorre’s Mom.

08) Episode 91: “Smooth As A Ken Doll” (Aired: 04/09/07)

Charlie hits it off with Herb’s sister.

Teleplay by Susan Beavers & Eddie Gorodetsky & Don Foster | Story by Chuck Lorre & Lee Aronsohn | Directed by Gary Halvorson

The funny Judy Greer, a few years before getting cast in the recurring role of Walden’s wife, appears in this two-parter as Herb’s sister and Judith’s future sister-in-law. She has great chemistry with Charlie Sheen and it’s fun to see their characters bond over their mutual dislike of the domineering, unpleasant Judith. But what I most enjoy about this offering — which, to be fair, is mostly exposition for the Big Event that follows — is that the lingering threat of their inevitable hookup is totally motivated and earned by our knowledge of Charlie’s lusty characterization, which guides the plot and is a tribute to this series and its smart design.

09) Episode 92: “Aunt Myra Doesn’t Pee A Lot” (Aired: 04/16/07)

Charlie and Alan are both distractions at Judith’s wedding to Herb.

Teleplay by Chuck Lorre & Lee Aronsohn | Story by Eddie Gorodetsky & Jim Patterson | Directed by Jerry Zaks

Continuing where the previous left off, this installment features Judith and Herb’s wedding and it’s inherently memorable because of this Big Event. Fortunately, though, it plays like a basically “normal” episode of Two And A Half Men in terms of tone, with a focus on Charlie and Alan that centralizes both of their characterizations in relation to each other, as Charlie’s promiscuity once again unnerves Alan, who is now caught between his brother and his ex. And there’s some ribald fun to be had at the wedding with Herb’s ex, who hates Judith and is eager to ruin the day by throwing herself at Alan. Okay, this probably isn’t a stellar showing even by Men’s own standards, but it’s a highlight of the year that this list would miss if it was excluded.

10) Episode 95: “Anteaters. They’re Just Crazy-Lookin'” (Aired: 05/07/07)

Charlie has competition in the form of a handyman rebuilding his deck.

Teleplay by Don Foster & Mark Roberts & Jim Patterson | Story by Chuck Lorre & Lee Aronsohn | Directed by Lee Aronsohn

Enrique Iglesias guest stars in this outing as a hunky handyman whom Charlie has hired to fix his outdoor deck. It’s a bit of stunt casting that nevertheless works because it’s more about Charlie than anyone else, for all the women who come into contact with this handyman are immediately transfixed, thereby creating some rare competition for the series’ quintessential ladies’ man, whose effortlessness with the opposite sex has heretofore been his defining attribute and a premised cornerstone of Men — helping to inspire its increasingly sex-obsessed humor. Accordingly, this is a deliciously new way to explore the Charlie character and create a conflict that naturally emphasizes a key part of both his and the series’ existence.

 

Other notable episodes that merit mention include: “Corey’s Been Dead For An Hour,” a solid “buddy comedy” show that introduces the idea that Alan is a mooch (a guiding part of his characterization in the Walden years), “Kissing Abraham Lincoln,” an underrated installment that plays with Charlie’s sex-obsession and puts him in the middle of Berta vs. the girlfriend who acts like his mom, and “Castrating Sheep In Montana,” a sequel to the entry with Sara Rue — it’s not as audaciously funny but it is interesting for character. Less laudable, but worth noting, meanwhile, are: “Young People Have Phlegm Too,” a “buddy comedy” where Charlie is self-conscious about aging, “Tucked, Taped, And Gorgeous,” where the series attempts to convince us that it’s exploring the leads’ sexual orientations, but without anything either hilarious or revealing, and “Mr. McGlue’s Feedbag,” a so-so offering that nevertheless operates with the concept that Charlie is a bad “bachelor uncle” influence on Jake. Lastly, Brooke Shields and Robert Wagner make memorable guest appearances in two middling outings — “That’s Summer Sausage, Not Salami,” and “Prostitutes And Gelato,” respectively.

 

*** The MVE Award for the Best Episode from Season Four of Two And A Half Men goes to…

“Walnuts And Demerol” 

 

 

Come back next week for Season Five! And stay tuned for a new Wildcard Wednesday!