Nellie Andreeva

Cable network FX stole the spotlight at broadcast sibling Fox’s TCA bash last night by providing the main attraction — Charlie Sheen. The former Two And A Half Men star was besieged by reporters during his first public appearance promoting his new sitcom, FX’s Anger Management. He talked about the new series as well as his old one, from which he was fired in February after a very public meltdown. Sheen gave his replacement Ashton Kutcher props for “doing a great job” but said he didn’t want Men to be his legacy. “I wanted to do something that ended better … will end better,” Sheen said as quoted by USA Today. “I just wanted to do a show and play a character that dealt with more mature themes, that dealt with stuff that actually exists in the real world. A lot of times on the other show I felt like we were servicing the comedy and not allowing it to come out of character.”

In Anger Management, loosely based on the 2003 movie, Sheen plays a divorced anger-management therapist with anger management issues and a 13-year daughter. The role didn’t require much preparation. “I spent a year in anger management, so I already did my research,” Sheen said. The series, slated to begin filming in March on its initial order of 10 episodes, is running on schedule. The first several scripts are expected to be delivered to FX in the next couple of weeks, with casting also about to begin. Sheen was at the party with Anger Management writer/executive producer/showrunner Bruce Helford. “I’ve been doing this 30 years, and its nice to finally be in a situation where the people I’m working with are excited about my input,” said Sheen, who is an executive producer/profit participant on the series. “That hasn’t been the case for a long time.” Under the Debmar-Mercury model employed by Anger Management, FX will air 10 episodes, and if the show hits a target ratings mark it will receive an order for 90 more episodes.

If all goes according to plan, Sheen will be very busy for the next few years. And he plans to cut back on the type of extracurricular activities that landed him in the tabloids during Men. “I have a mellower plan for this,” he said. Is he a different person? “Well, I’m not crazy … anymore.”

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