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Brian Lowry
With the recent airing of "Two and a Half Men" marking the last original episode in the can, there's growing acrimony between Charlie Sheen's camp and
Sheen raised eyebrows recently with comments made in a rambling interview on Dan Patrick's syndicated sports talk radio show in which the actor asserted that he's "ready" to return. Sheen's reps have said they're hoping to resume production at the end of this month.
Sheen's comments were not-so-veiled references to the fact that the actor has long demonstrated his ability to perform his duties to the sitcom, no matter what may be going on in his private life. Indeed, he tends to go off the rails during times when the show isn't in production. That's part of the motivation for Sheen's team to get the show back into production quickly, as his reps privately insist that the actor is ready. Still, Sheen set off more alarm bells with his comments to Patrick that seemed to endorse recreational drug use.
"Stay away from the crack, which I think is pretty good advice, unless you can manage it socially," Sheen told Patrick. "If you can manage it socially, then go for it. But not a lot of people can."
Those and other recent statements from Sheen have continued to fuel concerns at the network and studio about the actor's health despite assertions that Sheen is undergoing rehab treatment at his home and has been clean for two weeks.
There's little doubt that "Men" will deliver fewer than the 24 episodes ordered for this season, but the exact number will hinge on when the show can resume production. Sheen's camp is arguing privately that the show could be able to knock out the eight remaining episodes on the 24-episode order if "Men" fires up sooner rather than later.
After last month's shutdown, actors who had been lined up for guest shots were released, and some "Men" writers were shifted to other shows, so numerous logistical steps must be taken before the cameras can roll again. Thus the
Members of the "Men" production crew are facing a substantial loss of income from however many episodes may be lost to the unplanned hiatus, though Sheen's camp insists the blame lies with
Reps for
WBTV and
The Eye has also ordered extra segs of laffer "Rules of Engagement," possibly to help fill the "Men" gap. And it has high hopes for the new sitcom "Mad Love," which bowed recently in the
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TV - 'Two and a Half' Headaches: Sheen Camp Wants to Return Early