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If ‘Two and a Half Men’ Doesn’t Shoot Another Episode There’s Likely More Upside to the TV Stations That Air It In Syndication Than Downside. Here’s Why

Feb 25, 2011  •  Post A Comment

If "Two and a Half Men" does not tape one more episode, there’s more upside than downside for TV stations that air the show in syndication, Paige Albiniak at  B&C reports.

Here’s Paige’s analysis:

First, "Right now, there are 177 episodes of ‘Two and a Half Men’ in the can, which is more than enough to sustain a hit sitcom for years. The similarly troubled ‘Roseanne’ ended up with 220 episodes, while the far less problematic ‘Seinfeld,’ one of TV’s biggest shows ever, wrapped with 180 episodes and is still going strong on broadcast and cable platforms."

Albiniak notes that the contracts for the show’s first syndie cycle–which it’s in now– are capped with the show going nine seasons. Next season would be the show’s ninth season. Thus, Albiniak explains, if there is no season nine, " ‘Two and a Half Men’s’ first cycle will end in December 2013, shortening the original deal by 39 weeks and causing the second cycle to kick in early."

Thus, says the article, "[I]f ‘Two and a Half Men’s’ first cycle ends early, its second cycle starts sooner, which means that stations start paying less for the show.

An unnamed station executive who airs the syndicated "Two and a Half Men" multiple markets told B&C, "We love and appreciate ‘Two and a Half Men’ in syndication. We value it immensely. But if for some reason we get to the second cycle sooner, great. The sooner we get to the second cycle price the more money we save." 

One Comment

  1. Perhaps CBS and Warner Brothers should retool the show without Charlie Sheen – storyline can be written as Charlie is in rehab and the father and son and mother charactors as well the housekeeper have enough strength to carry the show – at least try it for a season. I really hate to see actors on a hit show lose their income because one actor goes on a beer binge. Rename the show “Two Men & A Mother”, it could work.

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