‘Two and a Half Men’ series finale, ‘Odd Couple’ premiere dates confirmed by CBS

Want to know when one longtime hit on CBS is ending, and another potential hit is beginning? Well, we’ve got some further news now on both.

Let’s start here with “Two and a Half Men,” which is now in the middle of its 12th and final season. The series finale is going to be a one-hour event, and will air come Thursday, February 19 at 9:00 p.m. Eastern. This basically makes it official that this season is not going to run for 22 episodes, since there is simply no time for it. Still, there is ample time to close the door on Walden and Alan’s journey, their new family, and whether or not we have any returning guest stars. For the most part, we have felt pretty positive about them trying to actually tell a longer, more meaningful story this year rather than just littering the Malibu beach house with countless fart and sex jokes.

Where this leaves CBS is with an interesting new position for “The Odd Couple.” In an effort to give the Thomas Lennon – Matthew Perry show the best publicity it can, the network will premiere it come the same night as the “Two and a Half Men” finale, and right before it. This sandwiches it between that big series-ender and a new episode of “The Big Bang Theory.” Smart move.

The interesting move here is that starting the following week, “The Odd Couple” will remain at 8:30, while “Mom” will move back an hour, following a “Big Bang Theory” repeat. The show proved last night that it can still score good ratings (a 2.0 in the 18-49 demo, to be precise) without having a new episode as a lead-in, but it’s still interesting that the network values repeats of Sheldon more than new episodes of “The McCarthys,” which will be off the air by the end of February.

What do you think about all of this? Share with a comment, and head over here to get some further TV updates via our CarterMatt Newsletter. (Photo: CBS.)