Charlie Sheen may never work in Burbank again, but we think Warner Bros., CBS and Chuck Lorre will finally decide to continue producing "Two and a Half Men" anyway - in a new format or with a new star.
Reports are already surfacing to suggest that CBS and Warner are considering this.
Also read: 'From Franco to Locklear, 6 Sheen Replacements (Slideshow)'
On Monday, E! Online reported that CBS chief Les Moonves talked over the weekend with actor John Stamos about replacing Sheen. A CBS rep declined comment, but an individual close to the network downplayed the conversation, saying it "originated from two guys kidding around at a cocktail party."
But whether it's Stamos, Heather Locklear, who had a recurring role on the sitcom in the past or someone else, we think somebody will eventually replace Sheen on "Two and a Half Men."
Sheen said on the NBC's "Today" Monday that he's tired of pretending he's "not special." Well, we don't think he's so special that this show can't go on. Here's why:
>> The show is not in decline and CBS can't replace it easily.
Averaging 14.2 million viewers through Feb. 14, "Two and a Half Men" is in its eighth season still the most widely watched comedy on television. In terms of the key 18-49 demographic, it's No. 2, averaging a 4.6 rating/11 share this season, trailing only ABC's "Modern Family" (4.9/13).
"Men" achieved its peak popularity in season two, when it averaged 16.5 millon viewers. But its numbers are actually better than they were back in season five, when that average was just 13.6 million sets of eyeballs.
CBS has other top-rated comedies that it can plug into the Monday 9 p.m. slot, notably "Big Bang Theory" and "Mike & Molly," both created and executive-produced by "Men" mastermind Lorre, the lighting rod for Sheen's rants over the last week.
Averaging over 13 million viewers an episode this season, "Big Bang's" numbers are comparable. But the network burned promotional wherewithal last fall to re-launch the show on Thursday, moving it from the Monday 9:30 slot behind "Men" from which it came.
A move back to Monday would undermine CBS' impressive gains on the ultra-competitive Thursday-night schedule this season.
>> The other Monday night shows rely on ‘2 1/2 Men’ as a Lead-In
"Mike & Molly" has averaged 11.5 million viewers in its first season, leading out of "Men" at 9:30 p.m. on Monday.
CBS believes in the series enough to renew it and order several more episodes, as it attempts to fill the hole left by not having "Men" originals for the rest of the season.
But how will "Mike & Molly" do without a strong "Two and a Half Men" lead-in? Will it yield a ratings performance anywhere close to those of "Men" at 9 o'clock? Will it be able to yield the close to $200,000 per-30-second-commercial that the network currently gets for "Men"? Will CBS be able to build an entire night of comedy around it?
The odds are long.
