‘Two And A Half Men’ Premiere: What Did You Think?, ’2.5 Men’ Premiere Is A Hit In Canada Too
UPDATED: The debut of Two and a Half Men with new star Ashton Kutcher lived up to the hype ratings-wise, while NBC hit a major bump on the opening night of the season. The ninth-season premiere of Two and a Half Men last night drew 27.7 million viewers and posted a 10.3 rating in the 18-49 demographic in the fast-nationals, numbers rarely seen for show not named American Idol these days and a series record for Men by a large margin. (UPDATE: In the final ratings, which include same-night DVR viewing, Men‘s premiere climbed to 28.7 million viewers and 10.7/5 in 18-49). In 18-49, Men more than doubled its season-premiere number last fall, up 110%. This was the highest-rated season premiere on any network in six years, since Desperate Housewives‘ second-season opener in September 2005.
Two and a Half Men provided a great lead-in for CBS’ new comedy 2 Broke Girls, which drew a 7.0/13 in 18-49 and 19.5 million viewers in its premiere behind Men before it moves to the 8:30 PM slot next week. (In the finals, the numbers were adjusted to a 7.1/16, 19.4 million). The comedy starring Kat Dennings posted the largest audience for a fall comedy debut in 10 years, since NBC’s Inside Schwartz, which launched behind mega-hit Friends.
And while Men is bound to steal all ratings headlines today, another veteran CBS comedy, How I Met Your Mother, also was off to a very hot start. It opened the night at 8 PM with a 4.7/13 in 18-49. That was the comedy’s highest-rated season premiere ever, up a whopping 31% from last fall, a surge rarely seen for a series in its seventh season. A second HIMYM episode at 8:30 PM rose even further to a 5.1/13 (5.2/13 in the finals). And if it starts to seem like the Two and a Half Men tide was lifting all the CBS boats last night, that wasn’t quite the case. Somewhat surprisingly, the second-season premiere of Hawaii Five-0 at 10 PM (3.4/8) was down 13% from its series debut last year despite having a lead-in twice as big as last fall’s. Two and a Half Men and CBS easily dominated the opening night of the 2011-12 season. But, because of the big curiosity factor associated with the public firing of former Men star Charlie Sheen and his replacement Kutcher, the show was expected to open well. The question is where it will settle when the novelty wears off. As for Sheen himself, we’re awaiting to see the ratings for his roast on Comedy Central, which also aired last night. (UPDATE: Comedy Central’s Roast Of Charlie Sheen Highest-Rated In Franchise History)
On the other broadcast networks last night, NBC’s The Playboy Club got off to a disappointing start with a 1.6/4 in 18-49 and 5 million viewers at 10 PM. It was down 30% from the premiere of NBC’s short-lived drama Chase in the same slot last year and did only a little better than last fall’s big flop, Fox’s Lone Star, which opened with a 1.3/3 and 4.1 million. The Playboy Club tied another short-lived show, Crusoe, as NBC’s lowest-rated fall drama premiere ever. The Playboy Club didn’t get much help from its lead-in, a two-hour The Sing-Off, which managed a 1.9/5 in the demo and 5.2 million viewers. (Chase had a stronger lead-in last year from The Event.) Sing-Off, whose only previous run was as a limited holiday series, was down 32% from its December debut to log the show’s lowest-rated telecast. Overall, NBC’s Monday lineup was down 30% from last fall, a troublesome sign for the network, which is looking to mount a ratings turnaround.
Against CBS’ red-hot comedy block anchored by the Two and a Half Men premiere, ABC’s Dancing With the Stars (3.9/10) took a serious hit. It was down 24% from the reality juggernaut’s last fall debut and ranks as Dancing‘s lowest-rated opener ever. On the bright side for ABC, quirky dramedy Castle (3.3/8) at 10 PM, which resolved a big cliffhanger from last season’s finale, was up a whopping 22% year-to-year and almost tied Hawaii Five-0 for the top spot at 10 PM. (UPDATE: With the Dancing overrun taken into account, the reality series climbed to a 4.0/10 in the finals, while Castle slipped to a 3.2/8.)
Fox’s Hell’s Kitchen held up very well against increased competition. The 8 PM episode of the Gordon Ramsay series posted a 2.5/7 in adults 18-49, which was actually up 4% from last week. (The rating rose to a 2.6/7 in the finals.) The series’ season finale (2.6/6) at 9 PM was in line with the most recent Hell’s Kitchen finale in December.
The big key is whether the show can even sustain half of that audience in the weeks to come!
I agree – the hype was building up to last night. I don’t believe that CBS will have the same draw next week.
I agree
that 80’s show meeets 2 1/2 men – I guess smut/stupidity sells.
The road to hell is lined with bill board-sized flat screen TVs showing such TV shows like 2 1/2 Men and other such smutty innuendo programming from the past thirty years. You feed your mind that garbage for decades on end, where do you expect your eternity to start? You will listen to Jump by Van Halen performed in a country western format, too, as you wait in line before you fall into the Lake of Fire.
Thall shall not bear false witness against thy neighbor nor use false pseudonyms while posting online or thee shall be cast into the lake of fire…..
Thou not Thall
I don’t know about the consequences, but I concur that “2 1/2” is sophomoric crap. At insistance of a friend, I attempted to watch a rerun with Sheen a few months ago and made it through about ten minutes before powering down. If you’re 13 or under, it’s a riot. Ignorant masses defined.
What do such enlightened brilliant folk such as yourself consider great television?
And what do you use the internet for, oh yeah you post about watching TV or are you killing time while the porn buffers?
You don’t mean literal hell, right? just the figurative suffering that the shows themselves provide/inflict.
The greatest moments in TV Anon`s when it`s off.
It’s a show dude. Chill out.
I agree with this comment. Ever wonder why society is the way it is? It’s shows like this that glorifies living a sinful dark life, with or with out Charlie Sheen.
If that was true, no show would ever be cancelled….
I was so disappointed. As mush as I Like Kutcher, he butchered the show. Please Bring Charlie back or cancel the show . The bond that has been created is now being tainted. Charlie said he is willing to come back and you have proven to all, that say something anti- Jew and you lose your job. Like Meagan Fox but once they learn and apologize please stop punishing the rest of the viewing audience by not giving them a chance. Business is Business and as much of a train wreck Charlie was, that makes him even more believable for this part, so let it be business, makes great sense to write him back in, before Kutcher Brings it to another direction Like all down hill from here .
Cancel the show? 28 million means no cancelation and they only need to keep about 40-60% of that to stay alive.
Charlie didn’t lose his job for his anti-Jewish comments (Charlie’s mother is actually Jewish), although it certainly didn’t help me and only provided a further excuse, in addition to his behavior, for his firing. He lost his job because he held Obama’s feet to the fire on the Alex Jones show (several insallments) for failing to fully address the false-flag fraud of 911.
So true! People across the country don’t know it, but Alex Jones has several times come close to bringing down the government with his commentary. When this happens, within Hollywood, alarms bells ring in the houses of the Obama-loving movers and shakers, who instantly mobilize all their forces to counter-act Alex and his hundreds of millions of devoted listeners.
What does his mom being Jewish have to do with anything? How does that play into the reasons he was fired.
Please think before posting.
You sound as paranoid as Charlie Sheen.
Ha ha! Good one, Brit.
He lost his job for scary, bizarro, flaming wierdo, psychotic histronics that no serious insurance company in the world could rationally undertake indemnity for potential harm and uter chaos/disaster to anyone within five feet of him.
Get a life. It is just a TV show.
I thought the show was excellent until Kutcher made his appearance. After that, it was all downhill and finished as a complete dud IMO. I won’t be there next week or in subsequent weeks.
Kutscher was flat, boring and wrong for the role. the casting team should be fired for this poor choice resulting in non chemistry. the wake scene was so lame- and so was the script. the show was a major disappointment.
Oh gosssssh, don’t bring Megan and her horrible acting into this
I agree, Charlie made mistakes we all have and yes he did say he was sorry and he is also getting his act together, and of course there was alot of viewers the first night of the new Two and half Men, but from what I heard now they are losing viewers, ashton cannot act Im sorry, I watched the last couple of weeks I think I laughed once, I think also the way they treated his charater, this season sucked, like he was nothing put downs no tears, I know writers and producers are mad at him, but come on, Please bring Charlie back its not gonna make it, Charlie is a natural I hope these comments go to the right people ashton cant act so do all of us a favor, change………CHARLIE SHEEN FOR THE JOB.
I watched a few minutes of the “new” show and as a woman, let me tell you CBS needs to shave off the beard, lose the ‘I miss my ex-wife’ bit and get on with it!
This is not a show I watch regularly and is usually saved for those moments between house chores…when you don’t want to get caught up in the plot line of a show.
If the writers don’t change the storyline, they have set it up to fail.
They Hype far exceeded the show. It was mediocre at best. If it doesn’t get better quickly it will be gone after this season.
I watched 2.5 men. I understand they had to build the premis. But I was mildely disturbed with the laugh tracks at the funeral and the attempt to make something that should have been sad, funny. Should have just left the funeral out of it and picked up a month or two later.
Ashton’s character was dry. Not likable, even though I liked his 70’s show character. This character came off creepy and not believable. His personality and smarts didn’t match his personal history as a billionair.
I hope it gets better. Very few laughs, and even less interest.
I watched it last night but, will not watch it again. I was just curious. I like big bang theory but, did not like this one.
I agree. The season premier means nothing. People were tuning in out of curiosity. Can the show maintain this level of viewership?
It all depends on how much time is given to the supporting characters
like Berta and Evelyn. Anyone can play Ashton Kutcher’s part. The supporting cast has always been the foundation of Two and a half men.
This will never stop being annoying. Lots of good tv gets ignored and eventually cancelled because people are so stupid that they watch terrible stuff like Two and a Half Men.
How did your pilot pitch for THE BICYCLE THIEF turn out?
This wins funniest comment, hands down.
THIS WAS THE WORST BUTCHER JOB OF A SHOW I EVER SAW!!!
I was skeptical of the transition, but the show last night was really funny. Ashton is a great addition and the new set-up will give CBS and Warner Bros another hit show for many years. Those numbers are incredible.
You’d have to be VERY high to regard that opening last night as “funny”. There were a few funny lines, but Kutcher is crap and looks like a stew bum.
Even Sheen’s roast was mostly unfunny – I think he’s finally done.
I’m a longtime fan that’s seen every episode and own a few season’s box sets. That said, here are my feelings as someone hoping this show will continue to succeed: last night had its moments, if Ashton were any flatter he’d be a side table and those incredible numbers are only indicative of the curiousity factor — the numbers that need to be watched closely will be the % of drop-off next week and the following weeks.
To say if Ashton were any flatter he’d be a side table is almost an insult to furniture makers everywhere. Cryer looked so uncomfortable last night as they seemed to put him in Sheen’s role that the whole episode was two steps below pathetic.
As far as their ratings, people always slow down to look at car crashes so it stands to reason they got 28M viewers last night. The telling thing will be over the next few weeks.
So, do you write for the show or are you on the crew?
You’re totally wrong. The “Men” was hyped and overrated. Ashton was a flop and his typical sophomoric toilet humor failed to measure up to the magic that Sheen contributed to the series. The season premiere was a dismal failure and I regret that I wasted 30 minutes of my precious time watching it. Lights out! Everybody go home! “Men” died with the last Sheen episode!
Are you saying that SKEPTIC was wrong about how s/he felt? If s/he enjoyed the show, that’s their right.
I think Cathy’s saying Skeptic’s on the Lorre payroll.
Yeah, 30 minutes I will never get back, a HUGE waste of time and electricity.
Agreed, most everybody tuned in just to see what they would do. And I am sure that many, like myself, will not watch again. Charlie’s meltdown wasn’t appropriate, but I still like the guy. If he came ‘back from the dead’ I would watch the show again but otherwise no, he was the magic piece in the show. The writers / actors took lots of cheap shots, made some ridiculous immature cracks and I think Jon Cryer went WAY beneath himself. Kutcher is a douche and the rest of she crew seemed very petty petty. And what was with trying to throw in a bunch of washed up, has-been stars? Very lame Lorre, very lame indeed. If they had handled it with some dignity, they would have seemed like the better people, but all they did was validate Sheen with their stupidity. Their numbers are going to plummet!
Quite right. I am in total agreement.
I think the numbers will be just fine. I can’t wait to see next weeks show…..The only part I thought boring was Charlies demise…I am so over him. When Ashton and Jon Cryor got together in the bar I can see how this show will work. The laughs were from BOTH of them-not just the same ole joke of Charlie belittling Alan, I LOVED it.
Wow another CBS rating Troll. The jokes seem as if they were written by a 12 year old (maybe Lorre did them all himself). Lame the show should have ended with more dignity, like not returning at all….Best wishes Charlie, as for Chuck, don’t try to improve anything else, you obviously need all the support staff you can get.
Are you crazy, it was stupid, Ashton cant act, I watched the show for years, now Im not it was not funny at all I do agree with other comments the whole thing should be canceled
I watched Two and A Half Men for the first time last night…and I won’t be making that mistake again.
agreed, i made it abut 10min in & was saved by my cell phone. it was just awful.
ditto~
NOW!!! We know it`s all about next
week $ the week after…LOL….
I’ve got The Playboy Club in TV.com’s Series Dead Pool.
Well I didn’t see it, I watched 2 and 1/2 turds but I’ll give it a try next week, I don’t care what happens on CBS at 9 o’clock CBS is no longer WINNING…
Just watched the show on the net. It was pretty damned funny. I liked it and I think it’ll do well. Ashton isn’t Charlie and, what makes it work, is he isn’t trying to be. Loved it.
boring pedestrian waste of my time stunk like rotted garbage kelso goes to 2 and 1/2 men the series was OVER before last season let RIP
This show is on it’s last leg. Kutcher is not a very good actor, however he did play a good moron on that 70’s show. Angus Young is annoying and Jon Cryer needs Charlie Sheen back on the set. those two had a good rapport and the back and forth ribbing was classic. Bring Charlie Back –
“Angus Young is annoying”
HOLY SHIT! the lead guitarist of AC/DC is on TWO AND A HALF MEN? I’ll totally watch it now!
Angus T. Jones HAS appeared in several episodes practicing electric guitar? “Smoke on the Water” isn’t exactly “Highway to Hell”, but I can see how one could make the mistake if they were lacking enough braincells.
It wasn’t much of a stretch for ashton to play a moron on that 70s show…so what I gather is that kelso became a billionaire in the past decade. I knew it, there is a correlation between stupid and having a lot of money…
sheen has done well for himself $25 million settlement. I actually like the guy from afar, but it is obscene that you can be a drug addict, not a very good actor, get fired and end up with $25 million, not bad sign me up!! I’ll pass on the drugs though.
It was funny as hell. Thank you.
Aston should stick to what he knows best.. Old Wrinkled Geriatrics.
Old Wrinkled Geriatrics??? say what you will but Demi Moore is anything but wrinkled I don’t care how old she is she is still smoking hot.
“Demi Moore is anything but wrinkled I don’t care how old she is she is still smoking hot.”
In a synthetic, post-forty, Stepford Wives sort of way.
What is it with the old comments in regards to Ashtons wife….Men have been with younger woman forever and NOBODY comments about that. Many Hollywood leading men in their 50s or 60s or even 70s are with 30 and 40 year old woman and NOBODY thinks there is anything wrong with that? Give me a break…
Show did not flow well. Sheen character seemed out of place and actually not “honestly” funny. Seemed to be silly or not a serious character. Will watch it one more time and if it isn’t better then will probably watch the reruns of the old show. That means watching them at total of 200 times each…but still funny.
It’s true. No matter how many times I watch the older episodes I always crack up laughing. The story, the lines, the timing of the lines, of those episodes were awesome.
Now we know that Charlie Sheen will be back on the show….we never saw the body and the only one to be with him when he died was crazy Rose. Next season that can bring him back and say that she had him tied up in a room somewhere.
Agree! Totally! He’ll be back! They all like money too much!
I’ve been thinking the same thing ever since I’ve been hearing that Charlie Sheen has been doing his apology tour-Jay Leno, Emmys etc..
It is all about the money, it’s not about the audience or the quality of the writing/work or about art or creativity or creating something original but just money–Charlie will be back this season, they’ll be a mid season announcement of a surprise and they’ll get 28 million viewers again.
My thoughts exactly…they have left the door open for Charlie to return.
I thought Kutcher was rather flat, but a character needs time to build. Wish the other regulars – Evelyn and Berta – had been in this episode more, but I suppose they needed to focus on Kutcher.
Tough night for Jon Cryer – he had to carry the show.
Take a look at the pilot 9 yrs ago….Everyone was FLAT. This pilot like the other one had to set up the direction the show was going. After the setup with Charlies demise I thought Ashton and Jon were awsome together…I can see where they will play off each other.Actually more balanced then the one-sided jokes Charlie had. I thought it to be funny and it will only get better.
Not much point in bringing the Charlie character back – the whole premise has run its course. What’s left to do with the characters, actors and plotlines?
It’s just done. It was done a couple years ago.
That is a great idea. I hope that happens. Maybe the storyline can be that Rose and Charlie faked his death because of something that happened in Paris, but then he’ll return when it is safe. They kill people off and bring them back all the time. Remember Dallas in the 80’s.
If the show hopes to make it all season Lorre will have to come up with a way to bring Charlie back, a very original way would be to just man up and write off the first show and go back to what works for 2 and 1/2 Men, CHARLIE SHEEN!
Was Ashton Kutcher replaying his persona from ” The 70’s Show “, it was disappointing. The show will bleed viewers if he doesn’t breakout and create a new character to lead the show. Cryer should have had a chance to star in the show.
Ashton can’t do that, he doesn’t have the talent, the skills, he is one of the most overrated “actors” in hollywood…isn’t there anyone else???
Was cheering for Chaz, Dancing with the Stars
He is adorable, being free to be Chaz
You know “he” is a “she”, right?
And so??
You mean Chastity? She’s not looking so good these days.
The show was great with Charlie. It needs to get a whole lot funnier than it was last night.
The only reason I watched was to see how they handled killing off Charlie. The first have had me laughing my rear end off. The second half was MILDLY humorous. I’ve been saying I won’t watch a show that killed off it’s story line and I will keep my promise from here on out…..
i tuned it just to see the story…
way to crude… Ahston was fine, but i will watch something original vs more bathroom humor.
It won’t be the same show without Charlie. AK is not a good actor and is not funny. I watched just out of curiosity. I watched it all the time before. I don’t think I’ll be back after the “conclusion” of the premier next week.
The problem was that Ashton’s character was essentially a naked savant and the humor ribald without wit. The funeral scene was particularly disgusting with womens underwear as a teabag. the script was poor, timing was off. I will not tune in again. The first episode rode in on a saddle made of hype constructed by Sheen. Next week they will be riding bareback. I would say slip and fall.
That “making tea” line was indeed a big thunk; otherwise the funeral scene was ok – until Rose popped up.
Then the rest of the 22 minutes barfed on my rug, and I’m mad about that.
Kutchie is a comedic genius. Just ask his wife.
Asthon has been punked, Don’t quit your day job
Ill watch Ashton Kutcher on TV if he covers his head with a bag and never takes his clothes off. Oops. Too bad. Big mistake. Do WB really think that is necessary? Geez, theyre all such whores!
Why not just bring back Drew Carey show or rerun Seinfeld on a 3rd channel-I never get tired of Seinfeld.
The best part of the episode was the (way too brief) Dharma and Greg cameo. That will never happen again, so no reason to watch.
Maybe we should care more about saving our dying country than sitcoms. Ron Paul 2012.
What a helpful and insightful post.
Yeah, and if he really cared about saving our “dying country,” he wouldn’t be voting Republican.
It will never work…he’s goofy, too young for the part and no one can take my mothers place, so no one can take Charlie Sheens place, period.