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TV This Week

‘Extreme Makeover’ gets one of its own

Long-running ABC series, canceled last year, returns as a special

By Louisa Ada Seltzer

November 26, 2012

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Apparently “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” wasn’t really canceled last January. It was just on an 11-month hiatus.

Tonight the show returns with the first of four holiday specials, a smart way for ABC to fill the dead time between the end of the November sweeps and January, when the networks begin debuting their top new midseason shows.

The first “Makeover” will air at 9 p.m. following part one of the season finale of “Dancing with the Stars.” It features a special guest host, Jenny McCarthy, though original host Ty Pennington will be back next week.

“Makeover” may actually work better as a special than it did as a series in its later years. The show, which ran for nine seasons, was a hit in its early years but ratings fell off sharply its final three seasons.

It averaged only a 1.5 adults 18-49 rating last year, according to Nielsen, after being demoted to Fridays. ABC decided to cancel it at midseason.

The falloff was understandable.

“Makeover” was essentially the same program each week, with only two variables: The family that was being helped (all had tragic backstories) and the bells and whistles on the new house (all were impressive).

It was hard to make the show feel fresh when it ran every week. But a long break could help lure viewers back in.

Even if “Makeover” draws low ratings, it will be a good placeholder for ABC, whose Monday schedule usually goes limp when “Stars” leaves the air each November.

At the least, “Makeover” will draw better numbers than last year’s placefiller, the dismally rated “Skating with the Stars.”

A look at this week's top TV draws
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26
Time		Network	Program			Description
8 p.m.		NBC	"The Voice" (R)			The final eight singers perform.
8:30 p.m.		ESPN	"Monday Night Football" (S)			A pair of underachieving teams, the Panthers and Eagles, face off in Philadelphia.
9 p.m.		ABC	"Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" (R)			First half of a special two-part episode guest hosted by Jenny McCarthy.
9 p.m.		TLC	"Cake Boss: Next Great Baker" (R)			Season premiere. Contestants create cakes for Mario Lopez's wedding.
10 p.m.		NBC	"Revolution" (D)			In the fall finale Charlie makes a surprising discovery.
11 p.m.		History	"Invention USA" (N)			Season premiere. Highlighted items include a medical device and a new way to eat finger food.
11:30 p.m.		Comedy Central	"Colbert Report" (C)			Journalist Jake Tapper guests.
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 27
Time	Network			Program	Description
8 p.m.	ABC			"How the Grinch Stole Christmas" (K)	The classic 1996 special narrated by Boris Karloff.
8 p.m.	CBS			"NCIS" (D)	Ziva makes plans with someone, which makes Tony jealous.
9 p.m.	TNT			"Rizzoli & Isles" (D)	A man dies from poisoning at a café in the fall premiere.
9 p.m.	ABC			"Dancing with the Stars" (R)	Season finale. The winner of the All-Star season is revealed.
9:30 p.m.	ESPN			"College Basketball" (S)	Great early season matchup between Indiana and North Carolina.
10 p.m.	TNT			"Leverage" (D)	The group sets its sights on a giant retail chain that could ruin a small town.
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 28
Time	Network			Program	Description
8 p.m.	NBC			"Christmas in Rockefeller Center" (A)	Coverage of the 80th annual lighting of the Christmas tree in Manhattan.
8 p.m.	ABC			"Charlie Brown Christmas" (K)	If Charlie Brown thought the holiday was too commercialized in 1965, what does he think now?
9 p.m.	BBC America			"The Hour" (D)	Season premiere. Nuclear war is a threat in the season's first episode.
9 p.m.	NBC			"SNL Christmas" (C)	A compilation of 'SNL' holiday sketches from over the years.
10 p.m.	TV Land			"Hot in Cleveland" (C)	Season premiere. The girls find out whose baby was left at the doorstep.
10:30 p.m.	E!			"Love You, Mean It with Whitney Cummings" (T)	Series premiere. New weekly talk show in which the comedienne touches on entertainment and pop culture.
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29
Time	Network			Program	Description
8 p.m.	CBS			"The Big Bang Theory" (C)	Sheldon has a fit when the school gives Wolowitz his parking spot.
8:20 p.m.	NFL Network			"NFL Football" (S)	Interesting NFC game between New Orleans and Atlanta.
9 p.m.	NBC			"The Office" (C)	Angela finds out about her husband's affair, then turns to Dwight.
9 p.m.	VH1			"The Greatest" (N)	A countdown of the 100 greatest child stars.
10 p.m.	A&E			"Panic 9-1-1" (R)	Series premiere. New show reenacts dramatic emergency calls.
10 p.m.	FX			"It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" (C)	Episode titled "Frank's Back in Business."
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30
Time	Network			Program	Description
8 p.m.	Fox			"College Football" (S)	The Pac-12 title game, won last year by Oregon.
8 p.m.	Speed			"NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards" (S, A)	The 2012 event, live from Las Vegas.
8:30 p.m.	ESPN			"College Basketball" (S)	A rare out-of-state nonconference game for Syracuse against the Razorbacks of Arkansas.
9 p.m.	CBS			"CSI: NY" (D)	The team targets a Latin gang after Lovato's cover is blown.
9 p.m.	Investigation Discovery			"Deadly Women" (N)	Season finale. Stories about women looking for revenge against men they once loved.
10 p.m.	E!			"Fashion Police" (T)	The show celebrates its 100th episode.
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1
Time	Network			Program	Description
4 p.m.	CBS			"College Football" (S)	The SEC championship game between Georgia and Alabama, which will decide who plays Notre Dame in the BCS national championship.
8 p.m.	Fox			"College Football" (S)	The Big Ten title game from Indianapolis.
8 p.m.	NBC			"It's a Wonderful Life" (M)	The classic 1946 movie starring Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed.
8 p.m.	Hallmark Channel			"A Bride for Christmas" (M)	A man tries to woo a woman who has had three failed engagements.
9 p.m.	Disney XD			"Kickin' It" (C)	Rudy sells the dojo but ends up regretting it.
10 p.m.	TBS			"Wedding Band" (C)	Rutherford wants to throw a prom for adults.
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 2
Time	Network			Program	Description
8:20 p.m.	NBC			"Sunday Night Football" (S)	NFC East rivalry game between the Eagles and Cowboys.
9 p.m.	HBO			"Boardwalk Empire" (D)	Season finale. Nucky concedes a bit to Rothstein in a grander effort to take control of Atlantic City.
9 p.m.	AMC			"The Walking Dead" (D)	The prison gang deals with a new threat in the fall finale.
10 p.m.	A&E			"Be the Boss"	Series premiere. Employees at chains compete to win their own franchise.
10 p.m.	Food Network			"Iron Chef America" (R)	Holiday-themed episode pitting Food Network stars against stars from Cooking Channel.
10 p.m.	TLC			"Suddenly Single" (N)	A group of people in their 40s deal with failed marriages.
A = awards show or special, C = comedy, D = drama, DD = daytime drama, G = game show, K = kids, M = movie, N = news/documentary, R = reality, S = sports, T = talk/variety show.