I love this show because it pits Peter Pan-ish Charlie against his anal retentive, tight-assed brother, Alan (Jon Cryer), who is always begging for recognition and praise while Charlie obviously has never had to ask for it, but still manages to gather up all the merit badges thrown at his feet. Alan blunders through life, always contemplating and analyzing in his effort to be the "good son" while his underlying passions reveal him to be the groveling sex-maniac he so condemns Charlie for being. Supporting cast member, Berta (Conchata Ferrell), the Malibu beach house maid, watches this psychological parlay with total amusement and always captions with one of her all-knowing remarks. Jake (Angus T. Jones), Alan's son, is the third male roommate as he weekend-visits his father and uncle. Jake's passion for food and well-endowed women run a race for first place in his mind, while poop comedy and noxious-smelling farts run a close second. Independent Evelyn (Holland Taylor), the Harper mom, flows in and out of the household with perky enthusiasm, but always leaves with a feeling of abandonment while resigning back into her comfortable, self-involved playground.
Both Charlie and Alan make baby-steps toward maturity in Season 6. The series begins with Charlie seeing an old flame and discovering she has an older son that looks like Charlie, plays the piano like Charlie, and, strangely enough, is named Charlie. In an act of restitution, Charlie makes financial compensation to help in his "child's" future in "Taterhead is our Love Child." He even makes a half-assed effort toward romantic commitment with Season 6's love interest, Chelsea (Jennifer Bini Taylor), in "Pinocchio's Mouth" and relinquishes bachelorhood when Chelsea becomes his new roommate in "Sir Lancelot's Litter Box." Alan is dismayed by the fact that he now has to share a bedroom with all of Chelsea's possessions; but conditions improve as he learns that he and Chelsea are sympatico in "Good Morning, Mrs. Butterworth." Alan has his struggles as he becomes involved with his receptionist, Melissa (Kelly Stables), who seems to be genuinely sympathetic to Alan's plight, and throws him a birthday party for family and friends in "David Copperfield Slipped Me a Roofie." Their romance is on and off again, but seems to reunite in "Baseball with Better Steroids," the last episode of the season. This cliffhanger comes with the return of ex-girlfriend, Mia (Emmanuelle Vaugier), as a threat to Chelsea and Charlie's engagement.
Jake "comes of age" in Two and a Half Men: Season 6 in "Jock Strap in Hell," and later expresses his newfound independence with typical teen contentious remarks in response to his dad and uncle. He has a love interest in "The Mooch at the Boo," and battles Uncle Charlie for the big-breasted waitress in "Thank God for Scoliosis." Mom Evelyn horns in on Charlie's romance when she tries to alienate them in "Hello, I am Alan Cousteau," then her redeeming love and checkbook offers Alan financial aid for Jake's education in "He Smelled the Ham, He Got Excited." Berta is the monumental sage of this dysfunctional family and always takes center stage when she philosophically cuts through all the Harper shenanigans.
Special features include commentary on actors ranging from Charlie to Jake with everyone concerned for young Angus' reaction and development from the unsavory reckless environment of the Harper household. It also features the women of the series: Evelyn Harper, neighborly Rose (Melanie Lynskey), housekeeper Berta, and Judith, Alan's ex-wife and Jake's mother. Additionally, the features are capped with hilarious cast bloopers.
My opinion of Two and a Half Men: Season 6 is completely different from my politically-correct women friends who have no tolerance for Charlie Sheen or his alter ego, Charlie Harper. They find the jokes and behavior to be totally demeaning to women and simply huff-and-puff if they sense I'm watching the show. I, on the other hand, just enjoy the humor and take the rest with a grain of salt. However, if I were the all-observing mom of young children, I would definitely not watch the show because of sexual content and comments. Even though most of the comedy is packaged in hysterically genius copy, some -- maybe most -- of the commentary could distort and corrupt the image most parents would want their children to have of family life, parental respect, marriage and relationships.
One threat ex-wife Judith makes to Alan in "I Think You Offended Don" is "...if you say anything to Herb, I'll put a gun in your mouth and paint these walls with your brains." Sometimes, I get so caught up in my own complacency that I don't even pay attention to the crude, harsh reality of what suggestions might be entering the minds of viewers. This is slick comedy not meant for all, but admittedly comedic genius.
