Spin City

America Still Loves Charlie Sheen

Two and a Half Men posts highest ratings in years.

Despite his domestic-abuse woes and alleged alcoholism, at least 17.5 million Americans are still fans of watching Charlie Sheen on prime-time TV. The actor's show, Two and a Half Men, was the highest-rated show Monday night and scored its highest numbers in three years. CBS outpaced Fox and ABC with the help of The Big Bang Theory's 16.3 million viewers, and the closest competitor was Fox's House at a distant 12.8 million viewers. The news of last night’s blockbuster ratings comes on the same day as reports that Sheen plans to leave rehab (which he entered voluntarily as a “preventative measure”) and resume production on his show on March 19. The news, however, is not all good. Sheen faces a March 15 court date in connection with the alleged domestic abuse of his wife, Brooke Mueller, and the district attorney has said that he will not entertain any plea deal that does not include a felony charge. CBS is monitoring the situation closely, of course, as Two and a Half Men is a moneymaker of epic proportions, and Sheen commands $900,000 per episode.