Worst TV Show of the Week Brought to you by the Parents Television Council WARNING: Graphic Content!!! Do NOT push play if you don't want to see the explicit video!!!

Two and a Half Men on CBS

When offering critiques of the incessantly bawdy show Two and a Half Men, it is difficult to know where to begin.  Does one focus on the sex-drenched plots?  The inevitable penis jokes that are apparently required in every episode?  Or on the constantly demeaning portrayal of women?  The October 20^th episode featured all of these examples of  objectionable content; but the three-minute-long strip club scene put the episode over the top.  For airing an explicit, prolonged lap dance, Two and a Half Men has been named Worst TV Show of the Week.

The episode begins with Charlie running into teenager Jake’s former 5^th grade teacher, Dolores Pasternak. Dolores suffered a nervous breakdown and lost her teaching job after Charlie dumped her, and now works as an exotic dancer known as Desiree Bush.  She chews out Charlie for ruining her life.  In a rare moment of guilt, Charlie feels responsible for Ms. Paternak’s misfortunes and decides to help her.  Charlie visits the strip club where she works, bringing his brother Alan along. Once at the strip club, Charlie asks a dancer onstage, “When does Ms. Bush come out?”  The dancer replies, “Whenever Ben Franklin comes out.”  Charlie clarifies, “I mean Desiree Bush.”  He turns and recognizes Dolores’ rear waving in front of his face.  Dolores/Desiree refuses to talk to Charlie unless he pays for a private dance, whereupon Charlie offers to buy one for Alan.  Once in the private room, Dolores bumps and grinds on top of Alan, who moans in pleasure: “Whoo, doggies!”  As she straddles Alan he stops her: “Excuse me, I’ve got to readjust.  I’m playing ring toss with my car keys.”  She mounts him again, tosses her head back and sticks her chest out while Charlie offers to hire her as Jake’s tutor.  When she asks if Alan agrees with the proposal he squeaks, “Oh…yes. Yes. YES!”

This scene was not just sexually suggestive -- it actually depicted a borderline sexual act.  The graphic lap dance crosses the line into indecency. It should never have aired in the 9:00 p.m. ET timeslot (only 8:00 p.m. Central/Mountain time), and should definitely received a higher content rating than the TV-14 label it was given. 

For explicit sexual content, Two and a Half Men deserves Worst of the Week.