Neither particularly original, nor sidesplittingly funny, nonetheless, Two and a Half Men managed a largely successful twelve season run, providing fun, often bordering on the ridiculous situations. With Two and a Half Men, you always knew what you were getting into. From the start, this wasn’t highbrow comedy. It was rude, crude, and occasionally offensive. The Complete Twelfth and Final Season is now on DVD via Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, making all 16 episodes available on two discs.
Before the season aired, it was announced that Walden (Ashton Kutcher) and Alan (Jon Cryer) would get married so they could adopt a child. Initially, when I read this, I though the series writers and producers had officially gone over the edge, mocking the idea of two men getting married. However, in practice their ‘marriage’ served to make the point that two people love each other and can get married. And they’re not gay. And well, both the guys have a dalliance with their social worker (Maggie Lawson), so there’s that fringe benefit.
The joke in TV is, when ratings drop add an adorable kid. I don’t think that charge can be levied on Two and a half Men here. Though Eden Alexander joined the cast as the new half-man, fans already knew this was the final season of the series, and Alexander’s presence took the show back to its roots a bit as it wrapped up. Along the way, the kid was given some pretty good one-liners, so that was a big plus.
The hour long series finale is surprisingly good. As someone who didn’t watch the show every week, but watched on a fairly regular basis, it’s the best episode I’ve seen in a while. It’s revealed that Charlie is still alive, and wouldn’t you know it, he’s angry! Essentially, the show makes fun of itself, and some of its own stupidity. It was nice to see Angus T Jones—Jake Harper—return for a cameo. There are also a few celebrity guest stars who amp up the fun. Charlie Sheen had expressed serious interest in returning for the finale, but it couldn’t be worked out. It’s a shame really, because that would have been the cherry on the sundae.
Presented in 1.33:1 Widescreen, Two and a Half Men: The Complete Twelfth and Final Season looks as good as a TV show can on standard DVD. Colors are vibrant throughout, and there are no real digital anomalies to report.
The Dolby Surround 5.1 audio track serves the series well, providing clear and concise dialogue throughout.
English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles are included.
Surprisingly, the only extra is a standard gag reel.
