Since the two were paired up last year, I've been waiting to see Walden and Zooey have a real couple's conundrum (one that doesn't involve private jets or the legal system), and this scenario is realistic and perfectly sweet. We always want Ashton to step up and deliver the laughs like Charlie Sheen, but honestly, he's the main character of the show, not the kooky sidekick. He sells Walden's emotional attachment to the beard without going over the top. In the context of Men , that's brilliance.
Walden invites a lonely Alan, whose evening plans were set to include "rubbing one out," out on his dinner date with Zooey—a move that only drives her further up the wall. As a reminder of his current caveman appearance, Walden scarfs down a few breadsticks, crumbs sprinkling into his beard. We don't see too much, as the action of the episode shifts sporadically to Alan encountering his ex-girlfriend Lindsey and her 25-year-old boy toy Dylan, but there's enough set up in the dinner to expect an explosion of massive proportions down the line.


I don't love that neither of tonight's plot lines are strong enough to be committed too—Walden's facial hair quarrel or the resurfacing of Alan's love life—but both Ashton and Jon Cryer make the most of it. I'm going to attempt to forget that the episode spends a solid five minutes following the moronic, baked Jake and Lindsey's stoner son riff on "pre-dipped chips" and how bug spray can get rid of "roaches." Understandable why they never use him anymore, especially when you have two solid actors capable of delivering quality work (which is unfortunately spotty in its own right).