Who could replace Charlie Sheen on 'Two and a Half Men'? The speculation begins

Now that Charlie Sheen has said his piece in morning show interviews and a live feed on TMZ, it's becoming harder and harder to see "Charlie Harper" ever making his return to the CBS show that had its production shut down for the rest of the season.

So now begins the game of guessing how or with whom CBS and Warner Bros. will proceed Sheen-less with the cash cow of a comedy.

The likeliest option — besides just canceling the show — would be to bring in some kind of replacement. Everyone's replaceable in theory, and someone playing a shallow, womanizing bachelor who works in showbiz would seem to be especially replaceable.

Uncle Jesse ... is that you on "Two and a Half Men"? EOnline reported that John Stamos of feather-haired "Full House" fame — and a recent run on "Glee" — is in talks with CBS to replace Sheen. Stamos has denied any such thing, saying on Twitter last Friday: "Contrary to the rumors, I am not replacing Charlie Sheen on Two and a Half Men. however, Martin Sheen has asked me to be his son."

Who else might fit the bill? Matt Dillon did a hilarious turn recently as a hard-partying guy who never grew up on "Modern Family." The producers could keep it in the family and bring in Sheen's brother, actor-director Emilio Estevez. (I haven't seen him around much since the "Mighty Ducks" sequels, so he's likely available.)  Or they could scrap the whole the replacement idea and build a bigger role for Holland Taylor, who plays the tipsy, manipulative real-estate agent mother.

It wouldn't the first time Sheen was involved in a sitcom switcharoo: He took Michael J. Fox's place on "Spin City," for the show's final two seasons, after Fox left because of advancing Parkinson's disease — one of the seemingly rare occasions in which a show held on after the departure of a leading character. (It's the same conundrum faced by "The Office," which will be bidding farewell to star Steve Carrell, especially since the show's getting long in the tooth as it wraps its seventh season.)

There are plenty of instances of ancillary characters disappearing without notice or a flimsy excuse or just being replaced. Randy (Jonathan Taylor Thomas) went to Costa Rica on "Home Improvement" — and has yet to return. Judy #2 (Jaimee Foxworth, who became a porn star and "Celebrity Rehab" cast member) walked up the kitchen stairs in an episode of "Family Matters" and was never seen on the show again.  On "Roseanne," bratty eldest daughter Becky went from being played by Lecy Goranson to Sarah Chalke (later on "Scrubs"), and then back to Goranson and to Chalke. (Whew!)

But Sheen does not play a minor character, and it would certainly be jarring for a television family — albeit an unusual one — to undergo such a drastic change after seven seasons. It's like "Jon and Kate Plus Eight" minus Jon all over again.

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What do you think? Could John Stamos fit in with the rest of the cast? Who would your ideal replacement be? And how would they write Sheen out of the show? Take the poll and add your own suggestions in the comments.

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Comments

[Cheri]

Uncle Charlie goes on a trip to Mexico where he is captured by the Mexican Drug Cartel who are all women. He has finally gotten rid of Alan, his mother, and Rose. He sends a letter to Alan that he can have his house, as he loves Mexico and all the beautiful women and booze he could ever want.

[LibelFreeZone]

Oh for cryin' out loud. If you ever think you're irreplacable, stick your hand in a bucket of water. The hole that it leaves is some indication.

Kick Charlie Sheen to the curb. Nobody is irreplaceable.

[John S.]

Replace him with Justin Bateman and the show might survive.

[stang119]

Ok. Charlie and Rose got married and left for England. Alan is still in the house as Charlie has put him on an allowance to keep up the place. Evelyn comes over more often to check up on the loser and her grandson. Berta gets even more out of hand without her boss around. Judith kicks Herb out and with no place to go, moves in with Alan, who seen him as a cash cow. Problem solved. Who needs Sheen?

[KMS]

Jon Cryer is a funny guy in his own right. Surely you can build the show around him, his son, Mother and housekeeper. I think he would do really well with the show. I only watched a couple of the shows years ago. I find Sheen to be boring. There's only so many leering comments and gross inudendos before it gets really old. I haven't watched in years but I would if it was reconfigured.
Also - please STOP interviewing this idiot. By having him on the shows you give him credence. Just let him rumble off into the sunset...

[DjxS]

First off, the son is like 16 and taller than Charlie and Allen. So where's the "1/2" man?
Secondly, Charlie moves to another state and Allen finds out he has another brother his mother neglectated to tell him about. With nowhere to go, the new brother moves in with Allen OR Allen moves in with the new brother for a change of scenery/set.
It worked on "Empty Nest" when Kristy McNichol (the shows star) left. All of a sudden Richard Mulligan had a thirds daughter. And it worked on Cheers when Kirsty Alley replaced Shelly Long and made the show funnier and kept ir on the air a lot longer than anticipated. Go for it CBS!

[Sakbi]

ONE person could replace Charlie and pull it off...Robert Downey Jr. as Charlie, and they won't miss a beat. He's been down the same roads as Charlie and is alot like him in reality. Where does Russel Brand fit in here? Never heard of the guy til he married KP! And, forget John Stamos, not acceptable as Charlie. Jon Cryer is hilarous and carries the show alot, as do Berta, Jake and "Mom." I love Johnny Depp, but not for this role. Someone more like Charlie Sheen in reality is what they need. Charlie Harper is Charlie Sheen's real life....only his real life is worse...at this point.

[LORENZO]

what a loser

[michael richters]

Replace him with Michael J. Fox.

[lizzy tish]

He should go to rehab and it would be great if some kind of lesson would be taught to the nephew. Meanwhile, Emilio Estevez or John Stamos could be a cousin or a relative of the grandmother's beau, and it could be a whole spin-off on that...It would be better to change the character altogether, getting someone who is a funny man but maybe more of a stable character. They could move into a speed dating thing, and the nephew is getting older now, so that has to be taken into consideration. Two and Three-quarter men....

[terry]

They don't need a replacement, Charlies gone, Jake inherits the house, Alan is still screwed, Berta takes jakes room, alan's still on the couch. Too easy.

[C Tinsman]

There is no replacement for Charlie Sheen. Just kiss and make up and go on with life. It's Hollywood for crap's sake! As for everyone else employed by Two and a Half Men - they knew what they were in for when they signed on. And if they didn't know then they had to see it coming over the past two years.

[Brian McBride]

Wouldn't veteran Shark Jumper Ted McGinley be available? He played the part perfectly on Married...with Children.

[Nells]

He really needs to be given the boot from TV and the big screen for an extended period of time, not just one blood test. Look in his eyes. CBS hid most of this drama away from the public spotlight for as long as they could, but this time the fully exposed, ugly truth of Charlie Sheen has overshadowed the character Charlie Harper. Needs a fresh start and/or a spin-off...Rob Lowe is a funny comedy actor and seems far more grounded than that tragic wreck of a human being, Charlie Sheen. The writers are the ones creating the show & Charlie Harper is THEIR character, not Mr. Sheen's.

[Sedinno]

he did get Plastic Surgery . Why not just have John Stamos all wrapped up after having his face done and take over for Charlie. At least John Stamos has some class.

[S]

Uhm...no...I wouldnt want to watch it without Charlie...sorry...

[hollywoodhag]

Charlie moves to Florida with a girlfriend. Long lost brother Zach Galifianakis shows up and fits right into the group Charlie left behind.

[Michael]

Nobody Can Replace Charlie Sheen. When Rock Bands Devide They Usually Go Down In Smoke... He's a TV Rock Star... Better 2 cut a new deal and find some new brass... Or shut down the show...

[Chelley]

The show was funny the first time, in a shameful, high school locker room kind of funny. But with at least 4 other sit-coms on broadcast TV running the same base humor, do we really need to keep it around. 2-1/2 Men have had a successful run, let it die. Happy Days, it's not.

[jon welcome]

Replace him with David spade that would be the best choose.