Will Ashton Kutcher's new role lead to an Emmy for 'Men'?

Believe it or not, the crass, lowbrow "Two and a Half Men" has actually performed fairly well at the often snooty Emmys. Former lead actor Charlie Sheen netted four Emmy nominations between 2006 and 2009, while costar Jon Cryer won for supporting actor in 2009. Three times it was nominated for best comedy series (2006-2008). Now that Ashton Kutcher has propelled the series to its highest-ever ratings (27.7 million), award pundits wonder: Could Kutcher win "Men" its first lead actor Emmy?

The last time a TV series switched out its main star and received awards attention was when James Spader replaced Dylan McDermott on "The Practice." Spader went on to win the lead drama actor race in 2004, and when his character was spun off to "Boston Legal," he won two more trophies (2005 and 2007). Ironically, when Sheen replaced Michael J. Fox on the sitcom "Spin City," Sheen went on to win a Golden Globe.

Award shows clearly take notice whenever lead actors are replaced, and no replacement has received more buzz, attention and ratings recently than Kutcher. The former "That '70s Show" star has never been nominated for a major award, though he has reaped a slew of Razzie nods including: worst actor for "Cheaper by the Dozen" (2004), worst screen couple (with Brittany Murphy) for "Just Married" (2004), worst screen couple (with Cameron Diaz) for "What Happens in Vegas" (2009) and worst actor for "Killers" (2010) and "Valentine's Day" (2010).

While the jury is still out on whether Kutcher's role as lovelorn Walden Schmidt on "Two and a Half Men" is worthy of a serious award, critics who watched his highly anticipated return to television Monday night had mixed reviews. Snippets:

Ken Tucker (Entertainment Weekly): "It’s easy to see how Kutcher is going to fit into the ensemble. He’s part-contrast-to-Charlie (he ordered ginger ale, not liquor, while out at a bar with Alan), and part-Charlie 2.0 (he beds women with ease, but in a nice, horny-puppy-dog kind of way). Welcome to Charlie Sheen’s world, Ashton Kutcher. You’re living the dream."

Lori Rackl (Chicago Sun-Times): "Filling the void left by a well-established character isn't easy, but Kutcher mostly succeeded.... After eight long seasons, the show might end up being better off with some new blood -- of the non-tiger variety."

Eric Ditzian (MTV): "Nothing's changed. Ashton Kutcher may have joined the cast, but the same collection of writers is still churning out jokes about threesomes, venereal diseases and flatulence."

Joe Flint (Los Angeles Times): "I thought Ashton Kutcher was fine on 'Two and a Half Men,' but I'd be lying if I didn't say I missed that Vatican assassin Charlie Sheen."

David Eckstein (Zap2it): "The only question no one knows the answer to yet is whether the Ashton Kutcher experiment will work. Time will tell."

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-- Tom O'Neil

Photo: Ashton Kutcher with Jon Cryer in "Two and a Half Men." Credit: CBS

Poll: Will Ashton Kutcher be a real winner on 'Two and a Half Men'?

Charlie Sheen was nominated four times for best comedy actor at the Emmys and twice at the Golden Globes and SAG Awards for "Two and a Half Men," but he didn't win for that role. Now comes news that he'll be replaced by Ashton Kutcher, who was never nominated for "That '70s Show" -- or for much else, for that matter. Kutcher isn't quite a darling of showbiz awards unless, ahem, you count that Razzie he "won" earlier this year as worst actor for "Killers" and "Valentine's Day."

But now we must wonder: Could Kutcher be nominated -- and, egads, even win a serious Hollywood award -- in place of Sheen on "Two and a Half Men"?

The idea isn't as preposterous as it may seem at first blush. Sheen won a Golden Globe when he replaced Michael J. Fox on "Spin City." So maybe Kutcher might nab a Globe nom or win, if he fails to reap Emmy or SAG love?

In our message boards, I asked our readers if they think Kutcher might score Emmy attention. Sample responses below. See more here.

seanflynn: Kutcher is a very talented comedy actor -- certainly far more than Sheen was before getting on this show. He has been burdened by inferior movies for the most part, and I'm not saying that with Cary Grant material you'd ever approach that level, but to the question, sure I think he could easily be an Emmy contender.

Brilliance inmorbid: The only reason "2.5 Men" received the Emmy recognition it has is because at one point it was by far the highest-rated sitcom on TV. Times have changed, and with the exception of Jon Cryer and Holland Taylor voters aren't looking for this show any longer. However, lead actor in a comedy has been so weak these past couple of years that Kutcher could slip in there. There are too many variables to guess right now.

-- Tom O'Neil

Photo: Ashton Kutcher in "That '70s Show." Credit: 20th Century Fox TV

The Razzie Awards: "The Last Airbender" is the best winner, er, loser

 

The night before the Academy Awards presents Oscars to the best achievement in films, the 31st annual Razzie Awards celebrated the  "Berry Worst Achievement in Film" for 2010

The big "winner" -- so to speak -- at the satirical ceremony presented by the Golden Raspberry Award Foundation on Saturday evening at Barnsdall Gallery Theatre was M. Night Shyamalan's critically skewered 3-D fantasy film, "The Last Airbender."

The film took home Razzies for worst picture, worst director, worst screenplay, worst supporting actor for Jackson Rathbone, who also won for "Twilight Saga: Eclipse," and the new Razzie category, worst eye-gouging misuse of 3-D.

The evening's other major loser was "Sex and the City 2," which took home worst actress for all four of its stars -- Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis and Cynthia Nixon -- worst sequel and worst screen ensemble honors.

Worst actor went to Ashton Kutcher for two films -- "Killers" and "Valentine's Day" -- and worst supporting actress went to Jessica Alba for four films -- "The Killer Inside Me," "Little Fockers," "Machete" and "Valentine's Day."

Though the Razzie nominees rarely attend the ceremony, Sandra Bullock did show up last year, the night before she won her Oscar for "The Blind Side," to pick up her Razzie for the comedic dud "All About Steve."

 -- Susan King

Photo: Dev Patel in the Razzie Award-winning "The Last Airbender." Credit: Industrial Light and Magic/AP