10 Hilarious Shows Like Two And A Half Men You'll Probably Love
Few shows have managed to match the infectiously raunchy humor that made Chuck Lorre's award-winning sitcom "Two and a Half Men" such a hit. Composed of 12 seasons that ran from 2003 to 2015, "Two and a Half Men" stars Charlie Sheen as Charlie Harper, a suave, carefree, and wealthy musician who spends his days drinking heavily and engaging in romances with women that ultimately go nowhere. When his perpetually unlucky brother Alan (Jon Cryer) and his nephew Jake (Angus T. Jones) move into his Malibu beach house, Charlie struggles to adapt to his new living situation. Despite being family, they're all very different people, resulting in a variety of memorable comedic situations.
In its first eight seasons, "Two and a Half Men" won mostly positive reviews from critics, many of whom praised the humor and leading performances. It was also one of the most financially successful TV shows — it earned roughly $3.24 million per episode in 2012, making it the third highest-grossing series on television at the time. The popularity of the series also earned "Two and a Half Men" a total of 47 Primetime Emmy Award nominations, as well as two Golden Globe nominations for Charlie Sheen.
If you're looking for a similar kind of show to "Two and a Half Men" — either in terms of comedic style or in its plot lines — you're in the right place. Read on for our top recommendations.
1. Spin City
Charlie Sheen's most memorable stint on television undoubtedly came in "Two and a Half Men," but it wasn't the first series he starred in — Sheen took over for leading man Michael J. Fox on the ABC sitcom "Spin City" in 2000. The series is a political satire following the Mayor of New York City's staff as they navigate the murky waters of local government. They are led by Deputy Mayor Mike Flaherty (Fox).
"Spin City" won predominantly positive reviews from critics, with many praising its humor, satire, characters, and performances. In its initial four seasons, Fox's performance as the playboy deputy mayor was particularly well-received, earning the actor a Primetime Emmy Award for lead actor in a comedy series. He was nominated in this category four years in a row, and he won three out of four Golden Globe awards for best lead actor. "Spin City" also earned three Golden Globe nominations for best TV series.
At the end of Season 4, Fox stepped down from the show due to his ailing health, with the showrunners writing his character out and bringing in Charlie Sheen to lead the line. Sheen's character was a deputy mayor known for being a lothario in his personal life, a man struggling to find a balance between work and play. It may not be as well known, but "Spin City" offers a humorous look at office politics and is sure to please fans of "Two and a Half Men."
2. Anger Management
When Charlie Sheen abruptly left "Two and a Half Men" in 2011, going on a controversial rant against creator Chuck Lorre and cutting Season 8 short, the showrunners worked hard to figure out a way to explain his character's departure. Eventually, they settled on rewriting the series so that Charlie Harper seemingly died between seasons, casting Ashton Kutcher as the new lead, a wealthy, intelligent, childlike billionaire named Walden Schmidt. Sheen, meanwhile, signed on to star in the FX sitcom "Anger Management." A loose adaptation of the 2003 film of the same name, Sheen plays an unorthodox anger management therapist who is himself struggling to overcome anger issues.
Admittedly, the series was not nearly as successful as "Two and a Half Men" was during Sheen's time on the show. It earned mixed to negative reviews from the critics, although some outlets were kinder than others. "The accomplishment here is that tight writing and editing, a solid cast with good timing, and Mr. Sheen's chops as the ne plus ultra of sitcom performers make the whole thing feel, if not entirely fresh — then crisp," read a review in The Wall Street Journal. While the show might not live up to Sheen's earlier runs on "Spin City" or "Two and a Half Men," any fans of his will no doubt enjoy seeing him round out his tenure as a sitcom star in this short-lived (and therefore easily binged) FX series.
3. The Big Bang Theory
Chuck Lorre is known for producing some of the most popular sitcoms of modern television. From '90s hits like "Dharma & Greg" to more recent shows like "Two and a Half Men," Lorre has made a name for himself as one of the most gifted sitcom creators of the past few decades. Arguably his most recognizable show is "The Big Bang Theory," which ran on CBS from 2007 to 2019.
"The Big Bang Theory" follows a group of intelligent and super geeky physicists living in Pasadena, detailing their awkward interactions with women, including their outgoing neighbor Penny (Kaley Cuoco). The first season received some shaky write-ups from critics when it first dropped, but it would gradually improve in quality and humor as it progressed, and so the reviews improved. Before long, it would receive Emmy Award nominations four seasons in a row (from 2011 to 2014), with Jim Parsons winning the Emmy Award and Golden Globe Award for best lead actor. The success of the series resulted in a prequel spin-off called "Young Sheldon," which premiered in 2017 and still airs to this day.
It's difficult to say which of Lorre's shows is the best, but "The Big Bang Theory" has a strong claim to that title. TV Guide has called it one of the best shows of all time, making it perhaps the perfect viewing option for those looking for another series from the mind behind "Two and a Half Men."
4. That '70s Show
On the surface, "That '70s Show" has almost nothing in common with "Two and a Half Men," aside from the fact that Ashton Kutcher appears as a main character in both shows. However, when you look at the style of humor each show presents — with many episodes built around the romantic escapades of its main characters — you begin to realize that they are not so different. Set in the suburbs of 1970s Wisconsin, "That '70s Show" follows a group of friends who grow from immature teenagers into responsible adults. Like "Two and a Half Men," the series allows its characters to enjoy alcohol, sex, and... substances that one might associate with the '70s.
Released to continuously high ratings until right near the end when the biggest stars started to leave to pursue new ventures, "That '70s Show" was a staple for Fox in its original run from 1998 to 2006. Coupled with its large viewership numbers, the series was also nominated for a bunch of Primetime Emmy Awards. With the new sequel series "That '90s Show" scheduled to drop on Netflix, there's no better time to catch up on this beloved '00s era sitcom. If you're a "Two and a Half Men" fan, you're probably going to get a real kick out of it.
5. Mom
Another of Chuck Lorre's more notable creations, "Mom" is a dramatic sitcom that follows the lives of an estranged mother-daughter duo played by Allison Janney and Anna Faris. After years apart, the two try to reconcile their differences and mutually support one another through Alcoholics Anonymous, overcoming their past addictions while rebuilding their relationship.
Creating a sitcom that's as emotionally cathartic as it is humorous is no small feat. Thankfully, "Mom" finds the perfect blend between the two tones, able to switch from tender emotion to more lighthearted laughs in each episode. The unique combination of the two helped propel the series to prominence, earning positive reviews and high viewership numbers, though the ratings dipped when Faris exited the series. The show also received a number of awards, with Janney winning a couple of Primetime Emmys for her work as Bonnie.
"Mom" was applauded for its exploration of more mature, sobering subject matter, including sensitive topics like alcohol and drug addiction, teen pregnancies, loss, domestic violence, and homelessness. Though "Two and a Half Men" sometimes hinted at a more profound, tragic explanation behind Charlie's constant drinking and meaningless flings, "Mom" dives into these topics head on, presenting them as seriously as they are in real life.
6. 2 Broke Girls
A CBS series that aired around the same time as "Two and a Half Men," "2 Broke Girls" offers a similarly-themed look at an oddball duo whose different lifestyles and outlooks frequently clash. The series focuses on two young women living and working at a diner in Brooklyn, trying to raise money to start their own cupcake business. One of the girls (Kat Dennings) comes from a lower-income household and is used to living without much money, while her friend (Beth Behrs) grew up rich and has only just lost her vast wealth after her billionaire father was arrested. Together, they navigate New York City and try to get through their financial hardships, though — this being a sitcom — they encounter regular setbacks.
It aired for six seasons from 2011 to 2017, and the response to "2 Broke Girls" tended to fall into two separate camps in that time. Some critics praised the comedic chemistry between Dennings and Behrs, while others criticized the series for its crude and sometimes offensive humor. It had a fan in Variety critic Brian Lowry, who was full of praise for the show's "considerable raunch" when it dropped back in 2011. He wrote: "If this promising half-hour finally comes up short on Nielsen's balance sheet, it won't be due to a deficit of energy or charm." The set up might be different, but there's no denying that the show's comedic style is very similar to "Two and a Half Men."
7. Dharma & Greg
Arguably Chuck Lorre's finest series, "Dharma & Greg" feels in many ways like a precursor to "Two and a Half Men." The main difference in this series is that rather than much of the comedy being derived from the odd couple pairing of two siblings, it's instead a product of a seemingly mismatched married couple. Dharma (Jenna Elfman) is a free-spirited, down-to-earth yoga instructor and dog trainer raised by hippie parents. Greg (Thomas Gibson) is an uptight lawyer working in San Francisco who comes from a conservative family. Despite being complete opposites and having met only on their first date, Dharma and Greg abruptly decide to get married, leading to frequent arguments between their radically different families.
A sitcom that resembles the classic comedic set-ups of "I Love Lucy" and "The Odd Couple," "Dharma & Greg" was well received among critics, earning predominantly positive reviews and later earning six Emmy nominations. It also bagged eight Golden Globe nominations, with Elfman landing an award in 1999. Like "Two and a Half Men," the frequent clashes between the two main leads provide a lot of the laughs. Dharma and Greg even seem to make cameo appearances in the Season 9 premiere of "Two and a Half Men." Elfman and Gibson guest-starred as a couple interested in buying Charlie's house, with Evelyn commenting, "What a fun couple." However, most likely for legal reasons, the couple is never named in the episode or even in the credits.
8. Bojack Horseman
"Two and a Half Men" had the occasional serious moment, some of which were related to Charlie's substance abuse and his inner unhappiness at the life he's lived. However, it would never be long before the series snapped back to its usual comedic tone, presenting a more lighthearted portrayal of Charlie's antics for entertainment purposes. Imagine for a moment, though, a series that treated Charlie's drinking and emotional side with more nuance, never shying away from its serious moments and instead embracing that inner emotion. That series would look something like "Bojack Horseman," the critically acclaimed Netflix series that has been praised for its unflinching look at mental health and addiction.
Bojack Horseman (Will Arnett) is a washed-up actor struggling to make a comeback. As he tries to recapture the public's interest and jumpstart his stalled career, Bojack contends with his crippling alcoholism and depression. While there are certain comedic resemblances that exist between "Two and a Half Men" and "Bojack Horseman" — the dynamic between Bojack and his freeloading roommate Todd is similar to Charlie and Alan's relationship — the real connection between the two shows is the inclusion of addiction and mental health issues. It's been called "the best animated TV series of all time" by IndieWire, which praised the show for the way it "makes us laugh and cry in unprecedented amounts." If you ever wanted a more serious version of "Two and a Half Men," this show about an anthropomorphic horse is perfect for you.
9. Rules of Engagement
Though "Two and a Half Men" is more known for its crass comedic humor revolving around Charlie's drinking and disastrous romances, the show also does a great job exploring the vastly different world views of its three principal characters: Charlie, Alan, and Jake. Not only does the similarly-toned CBS series "Rules of Engagement" possess the same brand of humor as "Two and a Half Men," but it also does a fantastic job portraying the contrasting views of its main characters as well.
"Rules of Engagement" focuses on a group of friends living in New York, each of whom has their own distinct view on marriage and relationships. Jeff and Audrey (Patrick Warburton and Megyn Price) have been married for years, whereas their friends, Adam and Jennifer (Oliver Hudson and Bianca Kajlich), are newlyweds who are just getting introduced to married life. Their other friend Russell (David Spade) lives a carefree life as a bachelor.
A character like Russell invites obvious comparisons to a lothario like Charlie on "Two and a Half Men," but the main similarity between "Rules of Engagement" and "Two and a Half Men" is the massive differences between the principal characters. It's a hilarious, endlessly entertaining show that earned four Primetime Emmy Award nominations over the course of its seven-season run.
10. Arrested Development
"Two and a Half Men" is all about family dysfunction. Whether it's between Charlie and his brother Alan, or Alan and his son Jake, one of the biggest wells of entertainment the show constantly reverts to is the differing personalities of its main characters. However, as dysfunctional as the Harpers are, it can be argued that they have nothing on the borderline toxic familial relationship at the heart of "Arrested Development."
"Arrested Development" focuses on the lives of the Bluths, an eccentric upper class family in California. Originally produced from 2003 to 2006, the show returned to Netflix after its controversial cancellation, having gained a strong cult following. Despite the mixed reception to the newer seasons that aired on Netflix in 2013 and 2018/19, "Arrested Development" has been named one of the best TV shows ever made by Time, IGN, and Entertainment Weekly.
At the height of its popularity in the mid 2000s, "Arrested Development" won six Primetime Emmy Awards, including the coveted outstanding comedy series. For those looking for a show about selfish, flawed family members who treat each other horribly and get into absurd situations, then look no further. It's hard to find a worse matriarchal figure than Evelyn Harper, but Lucille Bluth may just take the crown.