Country of origin United States Original network CBS | No. of episodes 22 | |
Original release September 26, 2013 (2013-09-26) – May 8, 2014 (2014-05-08) | ||
The eleventh season of Two and a Half Men premiered on CBS on September 26, 2013, and concluded on May 8, 2014. Like the ninth season, this season marks another major change in the series as Amber Tamblyn joins the cast as Jenny, Charlie's illegitimate daughter. Tamblyn was promoted to series regular on October 2, 2013. This season is also the first and only season to not feature Angus T. Jones, who portrayed Jake Harper during the first ten seasons. He later returns the following season as a guest star in the show's final episode.
Contents
Production
Angus T. Jones was originally downgraded to a recurring cast member this season while he attended college; however on March 18, 2014, Jones officially confirmed that he would not return for season 11. His place on the series has been replaced by Amber Tamblyn, who portrays Jenny, the illegitimate, lesbian daughter of Charlie Harper. It was announced that a female character was to be added to the show on May 30, 2013, and that producers were looking for a girl to play the part. Tamblyn's addition to the cast was confirmed on August 7, 2013, and made her first appearance in the season premiere. Although the role was initially announced as a series regular, it later was announced to be recurring role with the option to become a series regular later. On October 2, 2013, Tamblyn was promoted to series regular. Ashton Kutcher had nothing but praise for Tamblyn, calling her "amazing." Holland Taylor, who only appeared in one episode last season, appears in more episodes this season.
Amber Tamblyn joined the cast as the new "half man", replacing Angus T. Jones. This is also the first season not to feature an opening sequence with the three leads singing along to the theme song "Manly Men". Instead, the opening titles features the shortened version of the theme with the show's title against a black background (a slide that has been frequently used throughout the series).
Lynda Carter guest starred in the episode "Justice in Star-Spangled Hot Pants", playing a closeted lesbian version of herself. The episode's plot was inspired by a meeting Carter had with Jon Cryer, who is a fan of her. Country singer Brad Paisley, whose wife Kimberly Williams-Paisley had a recurring guest role during the season, appeared in the season finale.
Critical reception
Reviews for this season, and Amber Tamblyn were generally positive, with critics praising her performance. Sam Moore of Yahoo said: "Despite the criticisms and cast breakdowns, Two and a Half Men keeps surviving, and in my opinion, the show right now is the best it has ever been. Amber Tamblyn has helped breathe life into a show that always seems on the verge of the guillotine and her impact on the show, for me, has been huge and much welcomed." Due to Tamblyn's character being gay, the show received praise from the LGBT community who said "The folks who produce Two and a Half Men should be applauded for their efforts to raise some LGBT awareness amidst the often-madcap goings-on in their shows" and that "it keeps getting better and better".
The Gazette gave a positive review, especially for Kutcher, saying "I think Ashton Kutcher is doing a great job on Two and a Half Men." They also praised the "new LGBT angles the show has added." Overall they said the show " has never been better." They later praised the "new and contemporary directions the show is taking". They felt that this season could be remembered as "its finest", they also said it was "one of few shows that makes me laugh nowadays", and they hoped that the show gets renewed for another season. They said that "Two and a Half Men is brilliant, in a silly sort of way."
The Canadian online edition of TV Guide noted after the season finale only that the series had "come a long way" and that the series was no longer the reviewer's "cup of tea."