5 things to know about 'Anger Management'
So we're assuming you've heard plenty about Charlie Sheen and his return to TV over the past few weeks. But you still may not know much about his comeback vehicle, FX's new comedy "Anger Management." That's where we come in: Here are five things to know about Sheen's new project before it debuts Thursday night.
(1) It's a family affair
"Anger Management" is starting to look like a Sheen family reunion. Charlie's dad Martin Sheen is slated to play his on-screen father in an upcoming episode, and ex-wife Denise Richards will also pop up in a future installment as a love interest for Charlie who doesn't believe in therapy. Plus, Charlie's little-seen brother Ramon Estevez is onboard as an executive producer (he's actually worked behind the scenes in Hollywood for more than a decade). And Charlie's even hoping to bring in brother Emilio Estevez, either to guest star as one of his patients or to direct a few episodes. Maybe they can all carpool!
[Video: Charlie Sheen Tells Us How He Got Denise Richards to Co-Star on His New Show]
(2) Charlie plays a former ballplayer
Like his "Major League" character Ricky Vaughn, Sheen's new alter-ego Charlie Goodson spent some time in the majors as a pro baseball player. But a Steve Bartman-esque incident on the field led to Goodson trying to break a bat over his knee in a rage -- and suffering a career-ending injury in the process. With his playing days over, Goodson went back to school to become an anger-management therapist to help other deal with the same issues he faced... and still faces.
(3) He's surrounded by women
Sheen played a surrogate dad to his nephew Jake on "Two and a Half Men," but here, he plays the real thing: Goodson has a 15-year-old daughter, Sam (Daniela Bobadilla), who has a quick wit along with some OCD tendencies. (Sam also happens to be the name of one of Sheen's real-life daughters with Richards; he suggested the name to showrunner Bruce Helford.) Shawnee Smith ("Becker") plays Charlie's ex-wife Jennifer, who's still trying to figure out her professional and romantic lives. And Selma Blair (who just turned 40, if you can believe it) co-stars as Kate, a fellow therapist who's both Charlie's best friend and his go-to sex buddy.
See Charlie Sheen and Selma Blair in action in this "Anger Management" clip:
(4) The cast is filled with familiar faces
"Anger's" supporting cast is dotted with TV veterans. "90210" alum Brian Austin Green guest stars in the pilot as Jennifer's most recent boyfriend, who tangles with Charlie. Sheen's "Spin City" co-star Michael Boatman pops in as Charlie's neighbor and pal Michael. "Grace Under Fire" star Brett Butler plays Charlie's favorite bartender Brett. And Darius McCrary, aka Eddie Winslow from "Family Matters," makes a surprise appearance as a prison inmate who participates in Charlie's prison group-therapy sessions.
[Photos: Red Carpet Pics From the 'Anger Management' Premiere Party]
(5) There might be a lot more "Anger" coming your way
"Anger Management" is following an unusual production schedule pioneered by Tyler Perry's TBS sitcoms: They've already shot all ten Season 1 episodes, and if it meets certain ratings thresholds (a virtual lock), the cast and crew will get the green light to shoot a staggering 90 additional episodes. That huge renewal order will get the series ready for syndication in one fell swoop. So if you like "Anger Management" (or even if you don't), get ready to see a lot more of it in the years to come.
"Anger Management" premieres Thursday, 6/28 at 9 PM on FX.
More Charlie Sheen Coverage on Yahoo! TV:
