Chuck Lorre, producer of Two and Half Men, was so adamant about not having Charlie Sheen ever come back, he killed his character Charlie Harper off. Presumably he didn’t want Harper’s ghost to haunt the show and give Ashton Kutcher a fair chance to replace Sheen.

But the description for the latest episode makes one wonder if he is beginning to suffer a bit of regret for the banishment that left his show in a bit of disrepair. But since he can’t get Sheen back now, he has found another way to bring Charlie Harper back to the show, by turning Alan (Jon Cryer) into Charlie, at least for one shot. Now it’s hard to imagine how that could happen. After all, he is far more straightlaced and boring than his flamboyant brother, but all it takes is a little bit of grief and a catalyst. Walden (Ashton Kutcher) wants to donate Charlie’s piano to the poor, but Alan, who hasn’t gotten over Charlie’s death, has a nervous breakdown over the loss, even though he agreed to it. The breakdown makes him assume his brother’s mannerisms and personality instead of his own. In other words, Cryer will be putting on the famed bowling shirt and khaki shorts and pretending he’s Sheen.

It’s doubtful that this will go on for more than one episode, but to me, it smells like either one of two things. Either Lorre just wants still another way to twist the knife, although they say that imitation is the best form of flattery, or Lorre feels that his show is really lacking without some Charlie magic, even if it is from the grave. I think it’s the latter. Even though Two and Half Men still commands a large audience, it is slipping as the newness wears off and people realize that Kutcher is not going to hold up to Sheen.

You can see the show this Monday, November 7th, at 8:30pm on CBS