Two and Half Men is a sitcom that ran on air for twelve seasons from 2003 to 2015. For the purpose of this assignment, only season eleven is referenced. Walden, played by Ashton Kutcher, and Alan played by Jon Cryer are the two main characters, and Alan’s niece, Jenny, and their housekeeper Berta, are supporting characters. Although they are not a nuclear family, Jenny and Alan are extended family and Walden and Berta are their affiliated kin. Previous seasons include Charlie, played by Charlie Sheen, and Jake, Alan’s son. In season eleven, Jake is off in the military and Charlie has previously been killed by a train, despite his death, in the beginning of the season he played an important role. It is Charlie’s house the characters live
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Many episodes can be used as an example of how the men on the sitcom influence and are influenced by society and adapt to their environment. Episode one, “Nangnangnangnang,” Alan is hiring an assistant to do the work he has been assigned to do and Jenny shows up looking for her dad and learns Charlie is dead. Internships are becoming more popular and necessary for college and even to gain advancement in the workplace. When Alan says, “Intern, actually. He’s not going to cost us a penny, and he’s going to do all medial stuff I don’t want to do do,” he is referencing a social norm. Interns are notoriously stuck with the work nobody wants to do and Alan never wants to do any work. Alan adapted to his new position in Walden’s home, since Charlie is dead, and found a way to cope. This is both an example of a character’s adaptation to a microsystem and a macrosystem because society as a whole influenced the script, but Alan is also conforming to his immediate living situation. When Jenny knocks on the door, it is an example of how the exosystem affects Walden and Alan. Even though Charlie is dead and Jenny wished to meet him, she still ends up moving in. Lastly, Jenny’s moving in is also an example of Walden’s adaptation to his mesosystem because Jenny is Alan’s niece and Alan is Walden’s roommate. Unfortunately, the real-world …show more content…
Jenny, Alan, and Walden portray the feminist perspective in most episodes; however, stereotypes and gender roles come into question the most in episode ten, “Numero Uno Accidente Lawyer.” Alan dates a transgender woman and Walden does not sleep with his date who is a beautiful, promiscuous model. Walden’s date is unintelligible, beautiful, clumsy and needy, it is clear Walden is in charge and could have sex with her at any time. At one point she comes home with him, high on painkillers from her emergency room visit, and tells him, “Right now you could do anything to me and I wouldn’t remember” then attempts to wink. In spite of the Walden’s obvious power over her, he declines her invitation to sex, and even potential rape, every time. Alan on the other hand does have sex and afterwards she tells him she is a post-op transgender woman. Although Alan is concerned who will be the dominant figure in their relationship, he still goes out with her again. While out, she portrays strong, assertive, feminine female figure, further illustrating gender is a concept. For some viewers this could be an uncomfortable episode; however, Alan and Walden send important messages to the viewer on acceptance and self-control and morality. In this episode, neither Alan or Walden portray stereotypical male characters or contribute to the oppression of women. Men are also gendered beings and
Many episodes can be used as an example of how the men on the sitcom influence and are influenced by society and adapt to their environment. Episode one, “Nangnangnangnang,” Alan is hiring an assistant to do the work he has been assigned to do and Jenny shows up looking for her dad and learns Charlie is dead. Internships are becoming more popular and necessary for college and even to gain advancement in the workplace. When Alan says, “Intern, actually. He’s not going to cost us a penny, and he’s going to do all medial stuff I don’t want to do do,” he is referencing a social norm. Interns are notoriously stuck with the work nobody wants to do and Alan never wants to do any work. Alan adapted to his new position in Walden’s home, since Charlie is dead, and found a way to cope. This is both an example of a character’s adaptation to a microsystem and a macrosystem because society as a whole influenced the script, but Alan is also conforming to his immediate living situation. When Jenny knocks on the door, it is an example of how the exosystem affects Walden and Alan. Even though Charlie is dead and Jenny wished to meet him, she still ends up moving in. Lastly, Jenny’s moving in is also an example of Walden’s adaptation to his mesosystem because Jenny is Alan’s niece and Alan is Walden’s roommate. Unfortunately, the real-world …show more content…
Jenny, Alan, and Walden portray the feminist perspective in most episodes; however, stereotypes and gender roles come into question the most in episode ten, “Numero Uno Accidente Lawyer.” Alan dates a transgender woman and Walden does not sleep with his date who is a beautiful, promiscuous model. Walden’s date is unintelligible, beautiful, clumsy and needy, it is clear Walden is in charge and could have sex with her at any time. At one point she comes home with him, high on painkillers from her emergency room visit, and tells him, “Right now you could do anything to me and I wouldn’t remember” then attempts to wink. In spite of the Walden’s obvious power over her, he declines her invitation to sex, and even potential rape, every time. Alan on the other hand does have sex and afterwards she tells him she is a post-op transgender woman. Although Alan is concerned who will be the dominant figure in their relationship, he still goes out with her again. While out, she portrays strong, assertive, feminine female figure, further illustrating gender is a concept. For some viewers this could be an uncomfortable episode; however, Alan and Walden send important messages to the viewer on acceptance and self-control and morality. In this episode, neither Alan or Walden portray stereotypical male characters or contribute to the oppression of women. Men are also gendered beings and