Chuck Lorre Pleased With CBS' Plans for 'Men,' 'Big Bang'

By Josef Adalian

Chuck Lorre, creator of “Two and a Half Men” and “The Big Bang Theory,” said he’s “enthusiastic” about the prospect of multiyear renewals for his two CBS comedies.

“It’s a remarkable thing to have happen,” Mr. Lorre told TelevisionWeek Tuesday. “Everyone involved in the show gets to think long-term as opposed to year-to-year. It allows people to plan a life when you get this kind of support.”

Web site Zap2It.com broke the news Monday afternoon that CBS and Warner Bros. Television are deep into conversations on a two-year “Bang” pickup and a three-year “Men” extension. CBS and Warner Bros. aren’t commenting, and Mr. Lorre cautioned that the renewals aren’t quite in the bag.

“They’re still negotiating points. They haven’t closed the deals,” he said.

Assuming the renewals do happen, Mr. Lorre said he expects all of his key cast members to stay with their respective shows.

“Everyone’s having a good time,” he said.

So what do locked-in deals mean for the creative direction of the shows?

“It allows me to worry on a grand scale,” Mr. Lorre said.

It also means “Two and a Half Men” co-star Angus T. Jones will be 18 years old by the time “Men” reaches the end of its potential new three-year deal. Mr. Lorre, however, has no plans to change the name of the show to “Three Men.”

“As Angus gets older and grows taller, Charlie and John will naturally shrink with age,” he said. “So the cumulative number is still two and a half.”