Anger Management Information

Anger Management is an American comedy series that premiered on FX on June 28, 2012. The series is based on the 2003 film of the same name and stars Charlie Sheen in a role very loosely similar to the one originated by Jack Nicholson from the film. Anger Management broke a ratings record with 5.74 million viewers on its series debut night and ranks as the most-watched sitcom premiere in cable history.

Cast

Main

• Charlie Sheen as Dr. Charlie Goodson, a former minor-league baseball player who became an anger management therapist
• Selma Blair as Dr. Kate Wales, Charlie's therapist/colleague and frequent sex partner
• Shawnee Smith as Jennifer Goodson, Charlie's ex-wife
• Daniela Bobadilla as Sam Goodson, Charlie's teenage daughter
• Noureen DeWulf as Lacey, Charlie's anger management patient
• Michael Arden as Patrick, Charlie's anger management patient
• Derek Richardson as Nolan, Charlie's anger management patient
• Barry Corbin as Ed, Charlie's anger management patient

Recurring

• Brett Butler as Brett, the bartender at a tavern Charlie frequents.
• Michael Boatman as Michael, Charlie's neighbor and friend
• James Black as Cleo/Derek, a "gay" member of Charlie's prison anger therapy group. In "Charlie's Patient Gets Out of Jail", Cleo is released on parole and reveals to Charlie that his real name is Derek and that he had a wife before going to prison, claiming he's only "Prison Gay".
• Darius McCrary as Donovan, a gay member of Charlie's prison anger therapy group and Cleo/Derek's domestic partner.
• Stephen Taylor as Wayne, a member of Charlie's prison anger therapy group.
• Aldo Gonzalez as Ernesto, a member of Charlie's prison anger therapy group.
• Katlin Mastandrea as Olivia, Sam's best friend.
• Martin Sheen as Martin Goodson, Charlie's hyper-critical father

Production

On July 18, 2011, it was announced that the show based on the 2003 film of the same name was in development with Charlie Sheen starring in the role originally played by Jack Nicholson from the film. The series is Sheen's first acting role since he was officially fired from the hit CBS sitcom Two and a Half Men. On October 27, 2011, it was announced that FX had picked up the series with an initial ten episode order which, if successful, FX would then order an additional 90 episodes under a syndication model crafted by Debmar-Mercury. On August 29, 2012 it was announced that the show would be picked up for a further 90 episodes. On January 9, 2013, FX president John Landgraf said that there will essentially be "45 new episodes per year". Landgraf also announced that Martin Sheen, who guest-starred in Season 1 as Charlie's on-screen father, will become a Season 2 regular cast member. While he did continue appearing on the show, he was not promoted to regular as of Season 2.

Casting

Casting announcements began in January 2012, with Shawnee Smith and Selma Blair first cast as the two female leads. Smith was cast as Charlie's ex-wife and Blair was cast as Charlie's therapist and possible love interest. Several actresses tested for the two female lead roles, including Julie Benz, Jenica Bergere, Elaine Hendrix, Kate Reinders and Nicole Hiltz.

Next to be cast was Noureen DeWulf, in the role of Lacey, a spoiled rich girl who is sentenced to join the therapy group after shooting her boyfriend in the testicles when he cheated on her. Michael Arden and Daniela Bobadilla were cast as, respectively, Patrick, one of the members of the therapy group, and Sam, Charlie's 13-year-old daughter. Barry Corbin was cast as Ed, a cranky Vietnam veteran and member of the therapy group who is angry at everyone. Derek Richardson was the last actor cast in the series, in the role of Nolan, a member of the therapy group whose anger issue is that he has no anger.

Denise Richards, Lindsay Lohan, Kerri Kenney-Silver, and Brian Austin Green are confirmed to make guest appearances.

Charlie Sheen's father, Martin Sheen, has been added to the main cast for the second season. FX president John Landgraf said, "I thought it would be a better series if it was also a multi-generational series".

Episodes

International broadcasting

Country	Network	Premiere	Source(s)
	TBS	July 19, 2012
	Nine Network	August 14, 2012
	Star World	January 26, 2013
	CTV	August 12, 2012
	[[TV3+ Denmark|TV3+]]	July 30, 2012
	Comedy Central	February 18, 2013
	Comedy Central	September 12, 2012
	Comedy Central	October 7, 2012
	TV2	August 15, 2012
	Viasat 4	August 13, 2012
	Comedy Central	October 21, 2012
	Comedy Central	September 24, 2012
	Paramount Comedy	October 5, 2012
	TV6	August 27, 2012
	FX	June 28, 2012

Critical reception

Anger Management received mixed reviews on Metacritic with a score of 44 out of 100 based on 33 critics' reviews. Linda Stasi of the New York Post called the series "not so bad", adding "Anger Management is pretty conventional up to and including an idiot laugh track"?and a character named Charlie"?again. But maybe the familiar is what will keep crazy Charlie [Sheen] from killing himself and others in a blind, drunken, psycho haze on set. Or maybe not." The Wall Street Journals Nancy DeWolf Smith thought the series was "usually funny, often clever" and added "The accomplishment here is that tight writing and editing, a solid cast with good timing and Mr. Sheen's chops as the ne plus ultra of sitcom performers, make the whole thing feel, if not entirely fresh"?then crisp." Alan Sepinwall of HitFix stated: "Anger Management is Charlie Sheen doing what Charlie Sheen does"?on-screen. It's not artful, it's not elegant ... It will likely give his fans what they want. And if there are enough of them to trigger the order for the extra 90 episodes, then FX, Helford and everyone else will feel justified in taking another chance on the guy, despite what happened in the past." The Huffington Posts Maureen Ryan stated: "Despite the careful attention to image enhancement possibilities, the core ugliness and toxic narcissism of Anger Management are impossible to ignore ... Whoever Anger Management benefits"?and it certainly won't be viewers used to FX's usual scripted fare"?whole enterprise is really just image management. Nice work if you can get it." Anger Management was renewed for 90 more episodes, with production starting on September 24.