I Am A TV Junkie

Hollywood Reporter Exclusive -- Chuck Lorre's Two and a Half Men Reboot

As the Reporter notes in their story at this link, upfronts are just around the corner and I'm sure CBS would like to know if they have a show or not.

Apparently Chuck Lorre has a plan. THR says:

Sources tell The Hollywood Reporter that series co-creator Chuck Lorre has hatched an idea to reboot the Warner Bros-produced sitcom with a new creative direction that does not involve Sheen, who was fired from the series in March. Lorre is said to have presented close associates and Men co-star Jon Cryer with the plan, and the studio and network are aware of his intentions. According to an insider, Lorre has told Cryer this reboot would involve a significant role for him and the introduction of a new, yet-to-be-cast character.

And there's lots more, click over to the Reporter now for their exclusive.

I hope there's also a significant role for Angus T. Jones, he gets the show's best lines and is a solid young comic actor.

More as it unfolds.

#CharlieSheen: I'm Done. Me: Who Else Will Hire You?

I'm not sure this is the best time for Charlie Sheen to be feigning disinterest in his big hit show. And it is a big hit show, even I watch it (though I will admit only with my dad, who's a huge fan of it -- we catch a couple episodes nightly on the local Fox affiliate after we have dinner together).

I mean, at this point, who wants the trouble of having Charlie Sheen on the call sheet? I certainly wouldn't. 

The show is funny enough, albeit in a kinda smarmy way, and I will always have Jon Cryer's back because, well, he was Ducky (link to that clip from that movie). But I can't imagine being a TV network that wants to be in the Charlie Sheen business right now.

(Maybe a movie, not as much committment time ... and you might just get Charlie during a period of relative calm, maybe during the time he starts to date his soon to be next wife -- not that I know anything about the future of his marriage to this Brooke woman.)

Plus, all these rehab starts and stops and pre-hab visits gotta be costing some coin.

It's kind of ... uh ... smarmy (again) to be using your family unrest as a ploy to get the network to cough up more coin so soon after the same family unrest caused a break in filming your show.

I'm just sayin'. It's icky. As is the whole sordid business.

LA Times Company Town blog seems to agree:

Already the highest paid sitcom star with a deal that pays him over $800,000 per episode, it may come down to how big a raise CBS and Warner Bros. are willing to fork over. That said, with all the legal issues Sheen is facing, one would think a steady paycheck is pretty important right now.

Our pal Joe Adalian at The Wrap says:

But not long after the People.com report, TMZ.com countered with a report claiming "sources directly connected" to "Men" -- i.e., sources at Warner Bros. TV -- were "laughing" at the notion that Sheen would walk away from the show. The report also claims Warners has agreed to up Sheen's salary to $1 million per episode, up from what the site says is his current payday of $825,000 per half-hour.

What makes the show as enjoyable as it is for me? The writing ('cause I like a cheeky, sexy show) and Angus T. Jones, who will be a huge comedy star, mark my words.

Seriously, he's gonna be huge. Like Will Ferrell before Land of the Lost huge.

Oh, and Conchata Ferrell and Melanie Lynskey, I very much enjoy each of them too. Of course. And their casting of various scifi women as guests of Charlie's bed, like Tricia Helfer from BSG.

Does The TV.com Staff Hate Conan O'Brien?

No, I don't really think so. But, they have some interesting ideas for Coco now that he has free time. They are suggesting today some shows that could use a little Conie-Onie to raise their profiles, their laugh quotients and maybe get a pickup for a new season.

But seriously, people, would you really subject him to working at Two And A Half Men? Really?

At that site today, "Dear Conan, please prove that 14 bazillion people can be wrong by bringing true wit to Two and a Half Men."

Now why would you wanna do that to someone you like? I feel bad enough for Jon Cryer and Conchata Ferrell.

And Charlie? He has enough problems right now, let's not even bring him into this.

You know who should have a great career after the show ends, though? Angus T. Jones, who has some of the best comedy timing on TV and doesn't seem like the type of child star that ends up robbing banks to support his Peruvian marching powder habit.

The show is one of those that I end up watching when spending time with my parents. You know, just like NCIS.

But I enjoy NCIS.