Two and a Half Menit was an undeniable sitcom juggernaut in terms of ratings the whole way through.
Plus, it probably jumped the shark long beforeCharlie Sheenleft.
DespiteAshton Kutcher’s charms, the reinvented version also continued to offer diminishing returns.
Image via CBS
That said,the series definitely had its momentsand served up a few good laughs over the years.
Here are the most underratedTwo and a Half Menepisodes.
Their scenes demonstrate how their dynamic is different from the one between Alan and Charlie.
He flops and vibrates on the ground with gusto.
The episode also humanizes Charlie a little, showing him in a slightly less misanthropic light.
You’re roped, saddled, and gelded."
Naturally, Charlie’s dishonesty gets out of hand and threatens to blow up the relationship.
This episode is another one that places the hedonistic jingle writer in a weaker position.
They develop ridiculous pot-bellies and become borderline addicted to Sandy’s meals.
Charlie also gets a good one when Sandy asks, “What’s Christmas without caroling?”
and he responds, “Hanukkah?”
There’s an especially funny scene where Charlie goes shopping for the cheapest groceries he can find.
The rest of the episode is fairly standard stuff, but there’s something nostalgic about Season 1.
The jokes and dynamics hadn’t yet become stale.
Greg has a boat and all kinds of fun skills and Jake enjoys spending time with him.
This makes Alan feel like a disappointing dad in comparison.
At least the show’s not pretending to be something it’s not.
The audience gets to see Charlie’s softer side once more in the Season 6 finale.
She calls him up hoping to meet, placing him in a difficult position.
Hinkle is also intense as Judith, letting out primal roars in the delivery room.
‘Lotta Delis in Little Armenia’ is one of the more absurd episodes from the Walden era.
Unbeknownst to him, Alan becomes his de facto pimp, charging the women for every visit.
This is the show at its most cartoonish, but the approach works out reasonably well here.
Kutcher carries it by playing Walden as sweet and naive, not cottoning on until the very last moment.
2"Can You Eat Human Flesh with Wooden Teeth?"
Season 2, Episode 16
“You’re evil and selfish, you know that?”
This episode sees Alan looking after Jake singlehandedly while Judith is on vacation.
He’s overwhelmed and struggles to juggle all his responsibilities.
Matters get even more complicated when Alan is audited and has to spend resolving the problem.
Charlie is unexpectedly thrust into the role of surrogate parent.
Naturally, his parenting isn’t exactly whatDr Spockwould consider ideal.
Indeed, the episode features a running gag of several characters being forgotten and left standing in the rain.
On the more touching side, there is also a sweet scene where Charlie stands up for Alan.
1"Merry Thanksgiving"
Season 1, Episode 10
“Look at you.
A grown man who can’t even commit to long pants.”
For a change, Charlie is actually in love with her and desperately wants her to like him again.
It’s the show doing what it does best.
NEXT:‘Modern Family’s 10 Most Underrated Episodes, Ranked
