Two and a Half Men enjoyed quite a huge popularity when it aired for the first time in 2003. With its unique take on the sitcom genre and big names like Charlie Sheen and Jon Cryer attached to it, success was inevitable. However, dark clouds soon started looming around it when Sheen entered rehab to tackle his addiction issues. While he was still very much part of the show, he decided to go on a full Anti-Chuck Lorre rant.
This led to his eventual firing from the show, and the major burden of carrying the sitcom fell on Jon Cryer. In the same fashion as what Kevin Costner’s departure from Yellowstone did to the cast.
Jon Cryer’s Stint in Two and a Half Men Perfectly Mirrored What Happened to the Yellowstone Cast
Just a year before the conclusion of FRIENDS, Two and a Half Men had established itself as another major sitcom to look out for. The show was brought to life by the genius of Chuck Lorre and presented Charlie Sheen and Jon Cryer as the main characters Charlie and Alan Harper. The show was at the peak of its popularity when, all thanks to Sheen, it found itself embroiled in a major controversy.
The actor’s sudden move to enter rehab led the eighth season to go on hiatus. Further, his blasting of Lorre also didn’t do him any favors, and he was killed off from the show. The consequence of this was that the ratings of the show suffered heavily, given Sheen’s character was quite popular among the masses.
Further, the entire responsibility to keep the show intact fell on the shoulders of Jon Cryer. He added the same during an interview with Entertainment Weekly:
It was one of the first internet s—storms, plus there’s the fact that all of our jobs are tied into this guy, and we’re all his friends. It was very, very strange, and [there were] aspects of it that I absolutely hated, but you know, I’m thankful for the years that were great.
Cryer’s situation was also mirrored in Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone when Kevin Costner ended his association with it. While he was part of the show’s fifth season Part One, he removed himself from Part Two. This led to the entire responsibility of carrying on the show falling on the rest of the cast.
Interestingly, even though Costner is no longer part of the Yellowstone universe, a recent trailer of Part Two of the fifth season showcased the filmmaker using several of his past images.
This has further led to fans questioning Taylor Sheridan’s deliberate attempts to anger Costner, who has in the past threatened to sue the show for loss of payments.
Jon Cryer Afraid to Work With Charlie Sheen Again
Charlie Sheen upset quite a lot of people when he hindered the filming of the popular sitcom. After his outburst, the entire burden and focus to pull the show off fell onto Jon Cryer. While he did a superb job keeping the show glued together, he has no intention of working with Sheen again.
He recalled the same almost 15 years after the sitcom’s conclusion during an interview with The View (via Entertainment Weekly). He added:
When Two and a Half Men was happening, Charlie was like, the highest-paid actor in television. (Cryer continued) Yet he blew it up, so you kind of have to think. I love him, I wish him the best, he should live in good health for the rest of his life, but I don’t know if I want to get in business with him for any length of time.
The actor was also asked about the possibility of a Two and a Half Men reboot, given that all was well between Lorre and Sheen. To this, Cryer dismissed the idea and said that while he’s happy the duo are back to being friends, but he and Sheen have been out of touch for years.
Interestingly, Sheen played a fictionalized version of himself in Chuck Lorre’s 2023 show Bookie. Thus, marking an end to their decades-long feud.
You can watch all the seasons of Two and a Half Men on Peacock.
