Jones is more than just 'Half'

HOLLYWOOD -- In a lot of ways, "Two and a Half Men" is just the latest in a long line of similar sitcoms -- mismatched relatives trying to live together.

Charlie (Charlie Sheen) is a playboy who doesn't want to grow up. His uptight brother, Alan (Jon Cryer), moves in when his wife announces she wants a divorce.

But unlike most sitcoms, this one incorporates a child -- and Angus T. Jones, 11, is one of the best child actors to hit TV in years and often steals the scenes as Jake, Alan's son and Charlie's nephew.

"There's a young boy in here who's a wonderful actor that we can write for," said creator/executive producer Chuck Lorre. "I think if you watch most half-hour comedies, the scene starts with, 'Honey, why don't you go do your homework.' And we don't do that because Angus Jones is remarkable."

And the relationship between Charlie and Jake is something that hasn't been done much on TV sitcoms.

"What primarily separated it from things like it in the past was how this little boy impacts his uncle," said Lorre, whose credits include "Dharma & Greg," "Cybill" and "Roseanne."

"What was new and different for (creator/executive producer) Lee (Aronsohn) and me was exploring the relationship between this little boy and a jaded, self-obsessed guy whose world pretty much revolves around himself. And also what he brings back to this kid."

"Two and Half Men" hit the ground running and has kept its engine running steadily. There's a definite chemistry among Sheen; Cryer; Jones; Holland Taylor, who plays Charlie and Alan's mother; and Marin Hinkle, who plays Alan's estranged wife.

When did they know that chemistry was there?

"That would be during the pilot," Sheen said.

"Yeah, it felt good," Cryer added. "I feel like we're just scratching the surface of what everybody can do. Holland Taylor is just so amazing. And you've hardly seen what Marin could do.

"Angus I don't like so much," he joked.

Actually, the adults are Jones' biggest fans.

"He's great," Sheen said. "He reminds us daily not to take the whole thing so damn seriously. If you saw him before our run- through, before show night, before preshoot, there's no stress, there's no pressure, there's nothing.

"He's only got six lines, but still. . . . "

Cryer recalled one time when Lorre instructed Angus to completely change the way he did a scene. "He just said, 'OK,' and he did it. And that's the thing. He can take these very long-winded explanations, and he's like the Terminator and he just nails it. He's an impressive kid."

E-mail: pierce@desnews.com

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