Last May, FOX canceled weekly episodes of America's Most Wanted but ordered four specials. ABC has now done exactly the same with Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.
The news comes a day after CBS re-established interview program Person to Person, "which will be shown occasionally in prime time, starting Wednesday, Feb. 8 at 8/7c."
Annual holiday specials have gotten better ratings than last year. A couple weeks ago, CBS's Rudolph scored a surprising 4.0 and Victoria Secret's Fashion Show hit a new high. On ABC, last night's 10 Most Fascinating People was up year-to-year. FOX's made up country music award show was up 25% versus its debut last season.
FOX even ordered up a new Charlie Brown special of its own, and aired it after a new Ice Age cartoon on Thanksgiving (1.3 and 2.6 respectively). The CW's Muppets special has so far only been topped by 5 non-Vampire episodes the network has aired this season. NBC's Christmas in Rockefeller Center claimed a 1.9, which is not bad for NBC, and not bad for an hour built around plugging in a Christmas tree. FOX has also picked up UFC specials to help fill its Saturday nights, the first of which hit 3.0.
ABC has relied on its package of Charlie Brown specials since 2000, using them to fill holes left in the schedule left by canceled shows such as My Generation and Charlie's Angels. ABC also aired stints of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire in 2004 and 2009. Update from tomorrow: ABC's specials last night did not do well:
This Saturday, FOX will air its second America's Most Wanted special, NBC will air this year's WWE Tribute to the Troops, CBS will rerun both Frostys and The Story of Santa Claus from 1996, and ABC will rerun CMA Country Christmas from December 1. Next week, the networks offer up last year's Kung Fu Panda Holiday Special, A Chipmunk Christmas from 1981, SNL's A Very Gilly Christmas, both Prep & Landings, I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown, Shrek the Halls, Phineas and Ferb, as well as this year's adoption awareness special, A Home for the Holidays with Martina McBride, culminating with the Grinch on Christmas night. During the following week, there's Rudolph's Shiny New Year, the Kennedy Center Honors, and, naturally, Happy New Year, Charlie Brown.
The high volume recalls years of television past when Hanna-Barbara characters were roasted by Roy Clark, on ice.
How long before we see Chaz and Cher singing Christmas carols and trading light-hearted banter with Nick Cannon and the cast of Glee?
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