'REMODELED' HAS NARROW AUDIENCE

-- If television is to be believed, half of the American economy is devoted to fashion. Into this fairy-tale universe comes "Remodeled" (9 p.m., CW, TV-PG), an odd choice for a network show, as it seems too small and niche-marketed even for Bravo.

I can understand why CW's viewers may find vicarious fascination in "America's Next Top Model" -- or at least why they did for the first 50 seasons or so. But "Remodeled" isn't as much about young models as it is about the management of modeling agencies.

Fashion guru Paul Fisher and his comically high-strung entourage have set up "The Network," a loose connection of agencies in small American cities. They scour the shopping malls and ice cream parlors of America to discover 15-year-olds with the potential to become the next Giselle, or Kate, or Iman. Or whomever.

Most of "Remodeled" consists of Fisher descending on his satellite offices and screaming at the staff for running them so badly. With his shaven head and intense manner, one half expects his brain to explode at any given moment. Many of the words he shouts have to be bleeped by the censors. He's the Gordon Ramsay of regional fashion agencies.

How many people really care about the management style of regional fashion agencies? And how many of them belong to CW's target audience of young women? While Fisher runs around "Remodeled" yelling about The Network, I kept thinking about the management of the network airing this ridiculous show. The folks at CW appear to have lost their audience, their focus and, perhaps, their minds.

-- The modern-day Western "Justified" (10 p.m., FX, TV-MA) returns for a third season with a bang. Make that several startling bangs, a couple of jabs with an ice pick and the surprisingly deft use of a cast-iron frying pan.

Gunslinging U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant) is doing his best to recover from gunshot wounds, but we know he'll be dragged back into action. Tonight's episode features the most cold-blooded killer I've seen in some time and a deft performance by Neal McDonough (no relation) as a Detroit mob enforcer whose blood runs as icy as his scary blue eyes.

Not for the squeamish, "Justified" is among the most violent shows around. But it's also one of the best.

-- In my review, I called "Work It" (8:30 p.m., ABC, TV-PG) the worst new comedy of the year. Other critics have declared it possibly the worst show of all time. Something this atrocious doesn't come along every season. You owe it to yourself to watch it once before ABC wises up and pulls the plug. [Note: ABC did cancel "Work It" last week, after this column was filed].

-- Half the businesses not involved in high fashion are dedicated to tattoos, the subject of "Ink Master" (10 p.m., Spike).

-- "American Experience" (8 p.m., PBS, check local listings) examines how Gen. George Custer remains a powerful symbol of both military triumph and spectacular failure.

-- "Frontline" (10 p.m., PBS) examines how the accident at Japan's Fukushima nuclear plant has affected energy policy planning in the United States.

-- TV-themed DVDs available today include season six of "Adam-12."

TONIGHT'S OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

-- Twenty-one million "NCIS" (8 p.m., CBS, r, TV-PG, V) fans can't be all wrong. That was the audience for last week's show.

-- Cupid's arrow descends on "Glee" (8 p.m., Fox, TV-14).

-- Schmidt's birthday calls for celebration on "New Girl" (9 p.m., Fox, TV-14).

-- Back to school on "Raising Hope" (9:30 p.m., Fox, TV-14).

-- Ali's reputation takes a hit on "Unforgettable" (10 p.m., CBS, r, TV-14).

-- A medical scare for Zeek on "Parenthood" (10 p.m., NBC, TV-14).

-- Marcia Gay Harden and Rita Wilson guest-star on "Body of Proof" (10 p.m., ABC, TV-14).

CULT CHOICE

An evil widow dispatches the help and uses their remains to feed the geraniums in the 1969 shocker "What Ever Happened to Aunt Alice?" (8 p.m., TCM), starring Geraldine Page and Ruth Gordon.

SERIES NOTES

"The Biggest Loser" (8 p.m., NBC, TV-PG) ... The uninvited on "Last Man Standing" (8 p.m., ABC, TV-PG) ... New Year's blues on "90210" (8 p.m., CW, TV-14).

Hetty at large on "NCIS: Los Angeles" (9 p.m., CBS, r, TV-14) ... "Celebrity Wife Swap" (9 p.m., ABC, TV-PG).

LATE NIGHT

Fred Armisen appears on "Conan" (11 p.m., TBS) ... Ricky Gervais and Kathleen Edwards are booked on "Late Show With David Letterman" (11:35 p.m., CBS) ... Jay Leno welcomes Sam Worthington, Sherri Shepherd and Adam Lambert on "The Tonight Show" (11:35 p.m., NBC) ... Katherine Heigl, Ne-Yo and Grouplove appear on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" (midnight, ABC).

Kyra Sedgwick and Outasight chat on "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon" (12:35 a.m., NBC) ... Craig Ferguson hosts Colin Firth on "The Late Late Show" (12:35 a.m., CBS).

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