Two And A Half Men: The Complete First Season DVD Review

With the multi-camera sitcom suffering from untimely impotency, it’s hard to find a traditional comedy that can continually deliver on a weekly basis. Luckily, there is one show in particular that is riding the remnant of the wave created by its predecessors. Two and a Half Men: The Complete First Season picks up where Everybody Loves Raymond left off and it’s no wonder that this sitcom dominated, and continues to top, its weekly time slot. It’s no Seinfeld but it delivers more laughs than the majority of sitcoms found on the airwaves these days, especially those in the multi-camera format.

Right from the beginning, we get a strong sense of the characters: Charlie (Charlie Sheen) as the rich, gambling, alcoholic, sex hungry jingle writer; Alan (Jon Cryer) as the neurotic, helpless, smothering single father, and Jake (Angus T. Jones) as the dopey, lost coping tweenager who serves as a monkey wrench in Charlie and Alan’s life. With the help of a finely knit supporting cast including Rose, the obsessive, love struck, nicely psychotic neighbor/former lover of Charlie’s, Evelyn, Charlie and Alan’s cold, eccentric, real estate swindling mother, Judith, Alan’s crazy and perpetually unhappy soon to be ex-wife, and Berta, the wisecracking maid, there’s enough variety in character to find comedy in many different ways.

The premise of the show is original and funny all its own. A clueless, boozehound man whore uncle and an overprotective dad dealing with his all but extinct marriage both try to raise a ten year-old who is goofily oblivious but unknowingly in tune as well. It is in fact Jake’s character that provides a great deal of comedy. His being forced into adult situations, like playing poker with Charlie or being exposed to half naked women running around the house, shows how truly funny a kid can be in the midst of such a dysfunctional and horribly unproductive environment. That’s not to say that this is the only humor the show has to offer.

Charlie’s antics are hilarious at first but as expected, they can grow tiresome. Not to worry, the writers find a way to get other types of laughs outside of the abundant sex jokes, display of inappropriate actions, and adult jokes that fly over the head of Jake. There are entertaining character quirks like Charlie’s phobia of birds and Jake’s inability to understand the meanings of certain words and quips. All of the characters have strong season long arcs that grow on you, making you understand their actions while having a laugh at their predictable predicaments.

Yes, the comedy is not terribly high but at the same time, it’s not all that low. That’s what makes this show fun because just about anyone can enjoy it. Although there is this bag full of broad jokes that relies on solid comic timing, there are also some smart and specific jokes that particular people, especially those familiar with Southern California, will get an extra chuckle from. Men might appreciate it more than women because of the familiar situations and stereotypes encountered by the male protagonists. Also, women might fail to identify with the deglamorized picture of females painted by the supporting cast and the constant objectification used as a tool within Charlie’s house. However, this show has that little bit of heart, like most sitcoms, that forms an emotional tie between the viewer and the characters through a series of entertaining experiences so that we can see there’s more below the surface.

As far as writing goes, this is as good as it gets with multi-camera sitcoms currently on the air. There are smart plants and playoffs within each episode, and throughout the season, unexpected jokes and turns, and a plethora of nuances that build on and better develop the already strong characters. It would seem as though a show like this could grow tiresome rather quickly but each episode delivers laugh after laugh after laugh. The trick with this show is to not look into that much and just flow with it. Two and a Half Men is a sitcom. It’s not revolutionary and it probably won’t take home any Emmys outside of the behind-the-scenes awards. No matter, give it a genuine chance and it’ll find a place on your TV screen. This series also provides a barrage celebrity guest stars such as: Jane Lynch, Denise Richards, Richard Lewis, Teri Hacther, Chris O’Donnell, Heather Locklear, and others.

The Extras are on par including talent and creative interviews that really give an in depth look at how the show was started, how it’s put together, and why it continues to work. Also as per usual, there is a gag reel, which doesn’t quite draw as many laughs as the actual show. The only other thing to be found is a backstage tour on the Warner Brothers lot that may offer a fun look at sets and whatnot if you’ve either never been on a set or seen a similar exposé. This coupled with the season makes a fun several hour journey that allows you to have some adult laughs while observing a young child enter manhood in the presence of two “men” that aren’t the best role models on their own, but together make a fun and balanced template.