When I actually watch TV as opposed to DVDS my tastes usually run towards the really creative dramas like "Heroes" and "24." I hardly ever watch sit-coms anymore during their initial airings, though if I'm channel surfing I'll linger on episodes of "Friends" just because it was a genuinely funny show. Occasionally however, there'll be a show that intrigues me for one reason or another and I might consider letting the satellite thingie record it for me… just to check out. "Two and a Half Men" was one of the shows that ALMOST intrigued me enough to set the recorder, but I never did. It starred Jon Cryer and Charlie Sheen and promised to be an updated "Odd Couple", only with the hijinx of a kid tossed into the mix.

I'd always been a fan of Jon Cryer for all the geeky awkwardness of Duckie, Teddy Z and Jim 'Washout' Pfaffenbach. I even loved his lesser known movies "No Small Affair", "Hiding Out" and the horribly underappreciated "Dudes" (with Daniel Roebuck, no less.) I've also continued to be impressed by the normally dramatic Charlie Sheen's comedic turns in both "Hot Shots" movies and his cameo on "Ferris Bueller's Day Off." The though of these two working together in a situation comedy was enough to pique my interest, but for some reason I continued to pass on it.

Now that "Two and a Half Men" is actually in its fifth season I am convinced there must be a good reason. So when Warner Brothers offered up a DVD set of the first season, I was finally ready to give it a try. Cryer stars as chiropractor Alan Harper (the Felix Unger type) while Sheen stars as jingle writer Charlie Harper (think a slightly less sloppy Oscar Madison). When Alan is thrown out of his house by his (get this) lesbian wife, he rightfully takes his 10-year old son Jake (Angus T. Jones) to live with his brother Charlie. To say the sparks fly between the two is an understatement. These two brothers couldn't be further apart in personalities and the clashes often reach monumental proportions.

Watching the first season I was kind of mixed as to my feelings towards it. Cryer and Sheen were very funny and their rapport was dead on, as was the way they interacted with Jake. A lot of the comedy came from the typical situations you find in most sit-coms, a lot of the time leaning towards Charlie's womanizing and his desire to turn Alan into a ladies man. The writing is quite good and the timing impeccable… but… that's right… I said 'but'. As much as I can enjoy humor that is so rampantly full of sexual innuendos and harbors a hint of lesbian parody, I'm not sure it is appropriate to market the series as a 'family show.' When I think family show, I think "Little House on the Prairie", you know… something you can actually watch with the whole family, little kids included.

"Two and a Half Men" is not a show I would watch with the whole family at all. My wife… fine. My mom… ehhh… maybe. My teenage son… yes, but with a little restriction. My 4 year old daughter… not a chance in heck. That said, there are moments of hysterical brilliance as well as some truly moving and meaningful dialogue that make the series worth watching for those who aren't turned off by sexual innuendo. It's just too bad that the writers cannot find a happy medium for the two that might make the series appeal to a wider audience. Of course, they might have in future seasons I just can't tell from this first season DVD.

Along with the 24 episodes available in this 4-disc set, there is a behind the scenes featurette full of interviews, a tour of the set by Angus T. Jones and a smattering of deleted scenes. The best of the lot is a Gag Reel which offers quite a few extra laughs.

Episodes:
Pilot
Big Flappy Bastards
Go East On Sunset Until You Reach The Gates Of Hell
If I Can't Write My Chocolate Song I'm Going To Take A Nap
Last Thing You Want Is To Wind Up With A Hump
Did You Check With The Captain Of The Flying Monkeys?
If They Do Go Either Way, They're Usually Fake
Twenty-Five Little Pre-Puders without A Snoot-Ful
Phase One, Complete
Merry Thanksgiving
Alan Harper. Frontier Chiropractor
Camel Filters + Pheromones
Sara Like Puny Alan
I Can't Afford Hyenas
Round One To The Hot Crazy Chick
That Was Saliva, Alan
Ate The Hamburges, Wearing The Hats.
An Old Flame With A New Wick
I Remember The Coatroom, I Just Don't Remember You
Hey, I Can Pee Outside In The Dark
No Sniffing, No Wowing
My Doctor Has A Cow Puppet
Just Like Buffalo
Can You Feel My Finger?

Starring: Charlie Sheen, Jon Cryer, Angus T. Jones
Extras: "Two Adults, One Kid, No Grown-Ups", Backstage Tour with Angus T. Jones, Gag Reel - Outtakes
Specifications: Full Screen
Studio: Warner Brothers
Release Date: 9/11/2007
Region 1
MPAA Rating: NR
Website

We'll give Two and a Half Men: Season 1 a B-.