Anger Management

Charlie Goodson used to play major league baseball, until anger ended that career and pushed him into a very different line of work. Now he runs a successful private practice as an anger management therapist and volunteers to lead a support group at a state prison. The show follows his sessions and the messy, often funny interactions with clients, friends, and family, while Charlie tries to apply his own techniques to everyday life. Episodes mix workplace scenes, group counseling moments, and domestic situations, keeping the focus on behavior, relationships, and the awkward, often absurd ways people try to change.

The series premiered in 2012 and was created by Bruce Helford, with Charlie Sheen starring as the lead. It launched on cable and was built around a sitcom structure that leaned into rapid-fire dialogue and recurring ensemble roles.

The show didn’t rack up major awards recognition from bodies like the Emmys or Golden Globes, and it wasn’t a frequent presence during awards season. Most attention came from its ratings, casting, and the surrounding media coverage rather than trophy wins.

Its cultural profile was tied closely to Charlie Sheen’s return to television after a period of intense public scrutiny, which made the premiere a media event. That visibility boosted initial curiosity and conversation about the program, and the series became part of pop culture discussions about celebrity comebacks and television stunts.

Critics were divided and audience scores stayed middling, the series holding around a 6.2/10 average from viewers. Responses tended to praise moments of sharp comedy and the ensemble’s chemistry, while pointing out uneven scripts and repetitive setups. The show centers on themes of anger regulation, personal accountability, and relationship dynamics, using sitcom humor to probe how people try to change ingrained behavior.