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Joplin, Missouri, build on series finale, courtesy ABC

This is a program note because there wasn’t a review screener, but this being the finale for this venerable series of 9 seasons, one must note the end of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. The reality show is a rarity among TV programming, mostly because of its charitable bent – each episode focused on the building of a home for a worthy needy family.

But it’s also notable because it’s a spin-off series that lasted far longer than its parent series, Extreme Makeover. (That show featured someone getting plastic surgery and, truth be told, I never watched it.) According to my colleague, TV guru Marc Berman, probably only three other spin offs have done the same: Family Matters, The Jeffersons and Knots Landing.

As for Home Edition, the show took some serious criticism for its excesses and emphasis on commercialism, not to mention all the product names flashing all over the screen. Given that these companies were donating building materials to build nice homes for families, I couldn’t get too upset about the mentions on camera. It seemed only fair.

The houses, they could be a bit much, and I have to say I found that occasionally grating. But ultimately, the show is about charity and bringing people together to do something good, and one does have to appreciate that.

Tonight’s two-hour finale is, not surprisingly, the biggest build the show has ever done – seven homes in tornado-ravaged Joplin, Missouri. It airs tonight at 8 p.m. on ABC.

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Rob Schneider, Claudia Bassols, Cheech Marin, Diana Maria Riva, courtesy CBS

ROB

Friendly Rating: Elementary age and up

Safety Rating: Some sex joking, more direct between the married couple, less so otherwise

Quality Rating: Rocky at best, but it has its moments

New series premieres tonight at 8:31 p.m. on CBS.

Okay, it’s true that we White folk can be surprisingly dense about cultures other than our own, and yeah, I think that’s a great target for satire. But Rob, while it has its moments, really falls flat on its face when star Rob Schneider, playing Rob, a man who has eloped with a Mexican woman, goes to meet her family and tries to impress them that he recognizes guacamole. Or that he’s stupid enough to mess with an obvious shrine – which, of course, results in a bit of physical comedy that gets borderline raunchy.

The sad thing is that the parts where Fernando (Cheech Marin) gets really annoyed at his new son-in-law, those are funny. The bits within the family are funny. Even the bits where Rob and his new bride Maggie (Claudia Bassols) are together are moderately amusing. Part of the problem may be that the show runners in charge are White. Fortunately, they do have at least three (maybe there were four) Hispanics on the writing staff and they do listen to their cast. It could also be one of those situations where the pilot is rocky because they haven’t figured it all out yet.

Given the paucity of Hispanics on TV, there might be a place for this show, though I would certainly understand it if the larger part of the Mexican community find it somewhat offensive. Alas, not being a member of that group, I do not want to say what is and isn’t. One thing I do like is that the family, while the parents are first-generation in American, is upper middle class.

So I’d love to get some input on this. Do you find the show offensive or do you think it takes a affectionate look at Mexicans in the U.S.?

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Michael Clarke Duncan, Geoff Stults, courtesy of Fox Networks

THE FINDER

Friendly Rating: Elementary age and older

Safety Rating: Some shooting, no one shot, a fair amount of butt kicking with blood

Quality Rating: Surprisingly charming

New series premieres tonight on Fox at 9 p.m.

Introduced on an episode of Bones last year, private detective Walter Sherman (Geoff Shults) is a former military man whose gift for finding people has been enhanced when he suffered brain damage via an IED. He’s hanging out in a bar run by his pal Leo (Michael Clarke Duncan). They’re caring for a juvenile delinquent Willa Monday (Maddie Hasson) on probation. Walter has an on again, off again relationship and gets help from Deputy U.S. Marshall Isabel Zambada (Mercedes Masohn).

Oddly enough, for a show that features bad guys and guns and shooting, nobody gets shot in this episode. The worst of the violence is some bad guys who attack Willa and the young man looking for his father, and the young man keeps fighting and fighting, and it does get a little bloody. There are a few women running around in swimsuits and one scene in which Zambada comes out in underwear, obviously having been getting friendly with Walter, which really wasn’t necessary. So there may be some gender issues to watch out for, but overall, the show looks pretty mild.

The show has a rather quirky charm. Walter is obviously a genius, but he’s a broken genius who could melt down if he can’t find the thing he’s set on finding. He doesn’t always follow the rules, but he’s got a good heart. He cares for Willa, but he’s not going to let her get away with anything, either. Leo’s an even more interesting character – a wise man who can also kick butt in defense of his friends.

It’s not perfect, but there’s more here to like than not.

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Laura Prepon, Chelsea Handler, courtesy NBC

ARE YOU THERE, CHELSEA?

Friendly Rating: Pre-teen and teen-age and older

Safety Rating: Alcohol abuse, sex jokes, other grown up humor

Quality Rating: Somewhere between okay and blah

New series premieres tonight at 8:30 p.m. on NBC.

There is, in fact, nothing wrong with programming for adults. And this is, unquestionably, a show for adults. Based on Chelsea Handler’s book Are You There, Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea, the show revolves around Chelsea, a young 20-something making some pretty lousy decisions re drinking too much and in her relationships with men.

This is the sort of thing that has to be handled as a comedy because in real life, this isn’t at all funny. The show is barely there as it is. The show starts out with Chelsea (Laura Prepon) landing in jail with a DUI and getting bailed out by her sister Sloane (the real-life Chelsea Handler). We see Chelsea coming to the conclusion that she has to change her ways, but we don’t get a sense that she’s really all that committed to it.

I have to concede that the jokes aren’t too been there, done that. Sex is a frequent theme. We see at least two instances of it beginning to happen, but neither incident goes anywhere, both for reasons connected to Chelsea’s shallow nature. In the first, neither she nor her partner can handle being on the bottom, and in the second she has an issue with the color of the guy’s, ahem, body hair.

Also, on the plus side, the supporting cast, including Lenny Clark as Chelsea’s father Melvin and Olivia (Ali Wong) as Chelsea’s co-worker and best friend since childhood. They’re not the usual types and benefit from something resembling real people. But the writing doesn’t fulfill its promise.

Ultimately, the show feels a little unsteady. As a show for grown ups it’s okay, but I don’t recommend it it for younger viewers.

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Kaley Cuoco, courtesy CBS

PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS

This is a live event, hence this is not a review. The show airs tonight at 9 p.m. on CBS.

The People’s Choice Awards have been around for 38 years now, probably a response to awards like the Oscars or the Emmys that are voted on by other members of the Industry rather than by the public at large. Even before the Internet, these awards were based on a straw poll of every day folks weighing in on their faves of the year in entertainment.

There are the usual cautions regarding live shows – somebody might make an inappropriate joke or two. You might have to explain an issue if somebody mouths off.

But overall, shows like this are a great way to get a pulse on your kids’ preferences and what they’re thinking about these days, especially if they happen to be teens and not communicating as readily as they used to.

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