Terry Morrow: 'Mike & Molly' to walk down the aisle in May

"Mike & Molly" will take the next big step.

The title characters will walk down the aisle in May, shifting the comedy from being about two lonely people who found each other to a married couple making their way. The third season will focus on the newlyweds adjusting to marriage.

And are babies on the way?

That's a possibility — probably a very strong one — for future seasons.

Series star Billy Gardell says he doesn't want marriage to make Mike a more secure guy. That, he says, would be boring.

"You hope you can keep some of the insecurities going with what marriage brings," he says.

"Mike & Molly" airs 9:30 p.m. Mondays on CBS.

n "Two and a Half Men" came close to ending a year ago after Charlie Sheen left. "It seemed like a ridiculous and unbelievable thing to do" to let the series continue, said creator Chuck Lorre.

However, bringing Ashton Kutcher onboard changed Lorre's mind. Lorre liked the idea of a character who has everything but the one thing he wants — love in his life.

With Kutcher, the comedy has spiked even more in the household ratings and key demographics.

Kutcher would not commit to whether he'll be back for another season. He says he's looking at the end of this season as a hiatus and is open to the idea of working out a new deal to come back.

Co-creator Lee Aronsohn said he sees online that many fans say "Two and a Half Men" isn't the same without Sheen.

"It's not supposed to be," Aronsohn said.

nGetting more 'real.' With ABC, Fox and NBC having success with musical competitions, could CBS get into that kind of programming, too?

CBS Entertainment President Nina Tassler told reporters Wednesday she isn't anticipating it. As she pointed out in that very CBS way: The network is a leader, not a follower.

Even so, CBS's reality slate is a bit old. "Survivor" is CBS's highest rated reality show but is softening in numbers and demos.

"Big Brother" and "The Amazing Race" aren't exactly trailblazers in the ratings.

Tassler did say CBS has some reality competitions in development but did not talk more on where that may lead.

nDirty talk. Tassler defended CBS's crude jokes in its Monday night comedies. The network doesn't seem terribly bothered by the never-ending crudeness of sex and private body parts that runs through "How I Met Your Mother," "2 Broke Girls" and "Two and a Half Men."

"We don't bring (executives) in for a mass meeting about (it)," she deadpanned.

She described the tone of the Monday comedies as "a little risque."

That's an understatement only a network suit could make.

Terry Morrow may be reached at 865-342-6445 or morrowt@knoxville.com.

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