Charlie Sheen may be erratic in his personal life, but he's still reliable at generating TV ratings gold. Sheen's new FX sitcom "Anger Management" debuted as the highest-rated premiere in FX history, attracting 5.5 million total viewers in its first half-hour episode and 5.7 million in its second, according to The Nielsen Company.
The number represents a big win for Sheen, who was fired from his last hit sitcom, "Two And Half Men," after a streak of unhinged behavior and clashes with his CBS corporate bosses.
The ratings also bode well for "Anger Management's" chances of sticking around for a long time. FX initially ordered 10 episodes of the sitcom, but the deal contains an automatic escalator clause that triggers a 100 episode order if it meets certain ratings benchmarks.
"Anger Management" received less than stellar reviews in the week leading up to its premiere. Critics called it a formulaic and lazy vehicle that Sheen was using to rehabilitate his image.
The show features Sheen playing yet another version of himself: Charlie Goodson, a former hot-headed minor league baseball player who's evolved into an anger management therapist with unconventional methods. The series is adapted from the 2003 film starring Jack Nicholson.
