Despite topping the charts in the late 2010s as one of the highest-paid TV stars, Charlie Sheen threw it all away with his controversial radio outburst, which further escalated due to his feud with Chuck Lorre. As a result, WB abruptly fired Sheen from the show, resulting in a shortened season 8 that comprised 16 episodes in total.
Moreover, given that the whole show was built around Sheen from the get-go, there was a very real chance that the show wouldn’t have made past Sheen’s exclusion, which would’ve been devastating for Warner Bros. and CBS.
Two and a Half Men risked losing a fortune in the wake of the Charlie Sheen debacle
Following Charlie Sheen‘s dramatic exit, the future of Two and a Half Men was pretty uncertain, and many feared this was the end of the road for the show. Had this been the case, according to Broadcasting+Cable, the sitcom, whose first cycle was capped at nine seasons, would’ve reportedly lost WB around $80M, as the deal would’ve been shortened by 39 Weeks.
Although this could’ve been the case, assuming each week cost WB $2M in license fees, on the flip side, The Guardian reported that the total lost revenue would’ve climbed up to $250M. Even though the show continued without Sheen at the centre, this isn’t to say losses weren’t on the cards for WB, as given the axing of eight episodes in season 8, the loss on WB’s part is estimated to stand at $10M, significantly higher than Sheen’s $3M net worth.
Chuck Lorre refused to fold into the crisis
In order to salvage the sinking ship, Chuck Lorre was initially eying a 40-something actor to fill Charlie Harper’s shoes. However, things changed once the showrunner came across Ashton Kutcher, a pretty bold choice to replace Sheen in the sitcom. While co-creator Nick Bakay was a bit doubtful about the showrunner’s decision, in Lorre’s mind, Kutcher was the man for the job (via THR).
I was completely convinced that we needed a fourtysomething costar who would be a peer to Jon, It was obvious my assumption was wrong. Here was a guy with great comedy instincts, tons of experience and who is totally fearless. Taking the job proves that.
Not only did season 9 hit the small screens the following year, but the show itself continued for 12 seasons. For the show’s finale, Lorre even intended to bring Sheen back into the mix, which ultimately never came to fruition.
Two and a Half Men is available to stream on Max.
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