• TV Guide, Tuesday, September 20, 2011 3:45 PM

The season premiere of "Two and a Half Men" -- which killed off the Charlie Sheen character and introduced Ashton Kutcher as the billionaire who will eventually become one of the two "men" -- broke at least two ratings records, reports TV Guide's Douglas J. Rowe.

The episode earned the highest-ever ratings for the show (10.3 among 18-to-49-year-olds), and, with its "American Idol"-like number of viewers (27.76 million), was the "most-watched scripted debut since Desperate Housewives' second season start."

Of course, maximum viewer interest and curiosity was inevitable, following the buzz around the Sheen breakdown. But we doubt the show will ever reach those numbers again. The show was raunchy as ever -- but not a quarter as funny as a typical Sheen-starring episode.

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