Is Charlie Sheen's New Show 'Anger Management' Any Good?

Charlie Sheen's return to television--in a role that doesn't involve Fiats or being roasted by comedians, that is--is upon us: Sheen will soon appear in "Anger Management," a new sitcom set to air on FX this summer. But is the show any good?

Early reviews are starting to come in now that FX has sent a handful of episodes, and the verdict is... well, it's okay. In the grand scheme of multi-camera sitcoms, "Anger Management" is not a bad one: Sheen still has a degree of charm that he can bring to a role, and he and the writing are funny enough for the style and genre that includes the likes of "2 Broke Girls," "The Big Bang Theory" and yes, "Two and a Half Men."

But, as Tim Goodman of THR notes, it's not quite good enough for its home. FX has built itself into much more than just "that cable channel that plays a bunch of movies" by fostering incredible cult comedies like "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" and "Louie." Along with "Archer" and "Wilfred," those shows make up a lineup of single-camera comedies that are, all in all, probably the best comedy lineup on any network or cable channel.

"Anger Management" is, by default, out of place. It's not that multi-camera comedies can't be good, or original, or creative ("How I Met Your Mother" has managed to do some great stuff over the years), but the broad style, not to mention the laugh track, make it a little less about art and a little more about mass consumption.

Still, that might be just what FX needs. "Louie" is fabulous, but not particularly accessible. "Always Sunny" is hilarious, but not very clean or crisp. If "Anger Management" brings in viewers and gets them to give those other shows a try, then FX can more or less declare Charlie Sheen its savior. And if people start watching FX, we may be able to avoid the untimely cancellation of terrific shows like "Terriers" or "Lights Out."

There's a catch, though: the Charlie Sheen on "Anger Management" isn't the crazy, ranting Charlie Sheen that people saw in interviews in the "Two and a Half Men" fallout, riffing on tiger blood and "winning." The show lacks an edge, and is pretty tame in comparison to all the TV-MA comedies that surround it on FX. There's a reasonable chance that people flocking to see the Sheen they think they're going to see will be let down.

Those looking for a pretty decent multi-camera sitcom, though, will find exactly what they're looking for.