Charlie Sheen left Two and a Half Men in a storm of controversy, fired from the top-ranked comedy after going on a drug and alcohol fueled spree that ended with him at odds with showrunners.
But now it appears that old wounds have healed, and Sheen is expected to be back for the show’s series finale on February 19. The issue came up this week, with showrunner and Sheen’s main adversary Chuck Lorre seemingly opening the door.
In an interview with Deadline, Lorre hinted at a return for Charlie Sheen.
“I think we’re going to have a finale that you’re going to be very pleased with. That’s all I’m going to say about it…
“It would be inappropriate to not acknowledge the extraordinary success we had with Charlie, and how grateful I am — we all are — for his contributions. There is nothing but great feelings for the eight-and-a-half years we worked together. But how to wrap the show up? It’s tricky… Because, in a way, the show morphed into something else entirely for the last four years, and its something we love.”
Here is now Newsday interpreted the comments.
“Let’s put it this way: Showrunner Chuck Lorre, who was also consumed at the time by the Sheen fireball, didn’t rule out the possibility before TV writers at the “Men” session in Pasadena on Thursday.
“Ipso facto, Charlie will be back.”
Lorre said he wants the finale to find a way to honor both phases of the show, from the record-breaking era with Charlie Sheen and the one that followed, when Ashton Kutcher stepped in and continued to top the ratings.
Working Charlie Sheen back into Two and a Half Men could be tricky, however. His character, Charlie Harper, was killed after being hit by a subway train.
Whatever happens with Charlie Sheen, Lorre is not giving away much, noting, “the other challenge is how to get people to watch it without telling them what it is.”
