Two and a Half Men is a sitcom that aired on CBS from 2003 to 2015 starring Charlie Sheen, Jon Cryer, and Angus T. Jones. The show consisted of twelve seasons and more than two hundred episodes in total. It became incredibly popular and garnered several Primetime Emmy Award nominations during its run. The series was so famous it even shared an unlikely crossover with the crime series, CSI.
However, it wasn't without its drama. Two of the show's main characters, Sheen and Jones, both exited the sitcom in a tremendous cloud of controversy. Despite all this, it is still considered one of the most successful sitcoms of all time. We're taking a look at the ten lowest-rated episodes out of its twelve-season run, according to IMDB.
Season 12, Episode 3 - Glamping in a Yurt
In one of the least-liked storylines of the series, Alan and Walden get married to help Walden adopt a child. In this episode, Alan and Walden have to "sell" their marriage to a social worker so they can get approved as foster parents. Cue plenty of cringe-worthy gay jokes and awkward moments.
Two and a Half Men never excelled at the sensitivity, and it's very evident in episodes such as this one. Alan and Walden do their best to convince the social worker, but then Lyndsay shows up and almost ruins the entire charade for them. Luckily, Jenny comes to the rescue and pretends Lyndsay is her drunken best friend. Alan and Walden are approved to adopt.
Season 9, Episode 6 - The Squat and the Hover
Newly divorced, Walden is depressed about losing Bridget. To cheer him up, Alan suggests they go to a bar. There, they meet a lesbian couple who believe Walden and Alan are gay. The group of four retires to the girls' Malibu Beach House and they attempt to convert Alan and Walden.
It's a pretty awkward episode and one rife with many gay jokes. By the end, Alan gets punched in the face and admits to Walden he was only trying to help him because he doesn't want to move out of the beach house. Walden assures Alan he won't leave his best friend behind.
Season 9, Episode 4 - Nine Magic Fingers
The woman who once almost married Charlie and is a renowned con artist returns. Jenny McCarthy guest stars in this episode as Charlie's ex-girlfriend, Courtney. Walden, trying to get over Bridget, falls fast and hard for Courtney. He even asks her to move in with him. Hearing this, Bridget does some digging into Courtney's background and learns her real name is Sylvia Fishman.
She's wanted in multiple states for money laundering and fraud. Upon hearing this, Walden is devastated. Courtney leaves him the instant Bridget offers to pay her $50,000 to get out of town. Thankful for Alan's friendship, Walden invites him to stay in the beach house for as long as he wants to.
Season 12, Episode 6 - Alan Shot a Little Girl
As stated before, many people who watched Two and a Half Men didn't like the storyline involving Walden and Alan getting married and then adopting a child. This episode continues that plot. Louis begins to exhibit behavioral issues. Ms. McMartin warned Alan and Walden this could happen once she approved their trial foster period.
Louis manipulates Alan into letting him do whatever he wants by appealing to his ego. Alan, wanting to be the "cool" dad, starts to break Walden's rules, causing conflict between the two men. Eventually, they realize they need to work together to create real rules for Louis. Alan uses techniques he learned from parenting Jake.
Season 12, Episode 5 - Oontz. Oontz. Oontz.
Walden's mission to adopt a child continues. He takes in a 6-year-old foster boy named Louise for a six-month trial period. Initially hopeful that he and Louis will bond exceptionally well, Walden quickly finds himself in over his head. Louis has trust issues due to being discarded by previous foster parents.
His fear of being abandoned makes him act out. Walden promises him that won't happen and he'll be welcome to stay with Walden for as long as he likes. Louis begins to catch on to the fact Walden and Alan might not be married. He questions why Alan doesn't sleep in Walden's bed with him.
Season 12, Episode 2 - A Chic Bar in Ibiza
For the fans who hoped Walden's proposal wouldn't pan out, it was hard to watch this episode follow through on it. It would be one thing if this show wanted to have two gay leads, but the entire plotline plays out as a joke, which is pretty offensive.
By episode's end, Walden and Alan marry at the courthouse. But it doesn't go off without a hitch. Walden upsets Alan by asking him to sign a pre-nuptial agreement. Walden clarifies their wedding is a business arrangement. They wind up making up and move forward with their marriage.
Season 12, Episode 1 - The Ol' Mexican Spinach
The season twelve opener is a strange episode, to put it mildly. For starters, the episode begins with the gang trying to celebrate Halloween. But then Walden has a sudden health scare when he suffers from a mild heart attack. While at the hospital, the doctor informs everyone that Walden should be fine and make a full recovery.
However, Walden somewhat overreacts and decides, suddenly, that he wants to have a child. It's hard for a single male to adopt and Walden has no one to propose to, on impulse, he proposes to Alan. Fans weren't happy about this new development or Walden's sudden desire to have a child.
Season 9, Episode 3 - Big Girls Don't Throw Food
Following up on the rocky premiere of the ninth season, Ashton Kutcher begins to settle into his new role on the series as Walden and taking over the spot left behind by Charlie Sheen's departure. This episode features some of the first Walden and Jake interactions, but it doesn't go very well.
Walden tries to give Jake some advice about the fact he dropped out of school, which makes Jake try to convince Alan that he should be able to drop out as well. The bulk of this episode is about Alan moving into Walden's beach house. Except, awkwardly, Alan and Jake wind up having to room together.
Season 9, Episode 2 - People Who Love Peepholes
This episode served as the second part of the two-part season nine premiere. It came on the heels of the Charlie Sheen controversy. Given people were still bitter about Sheen's departure and the publically known behind-the-scenes drama that occurred during the summer before the air date.
It's no surprise it ranked so low. People were beginning to acclimate to Kutcher being the Sheen replacement, and the episode is still awkward and clunky, though not quite as bad as the first part of the premiere. It would take some time before the hole left by Charlie began to feel less noticeable.
Season 12, Episode 15 - Of Course He's Dead
You might be surprised to see that the series finale of Two and a Half Men takes the place of the number one lowest-rated episode in the show's history. Then again, depending on how you felt about the finale, maybe it makes perfect sense to you. After all the controversy during the run of Two and a Half Men, Charlie Sheen doesn't reprise his role in the final hour.
But that didn't stop Chuck Lorre from bringing on a body double and killing off the once title character by having a grand piano fall on him. It's a weird way to end the show. Depending on who you ask, it was either a stroke of genius or total idiocy.