Best TV Show of the Week

Extreme Makeover: Holiday Edition on ABC

By catherine Nailog

For a wonderful holiday treat, ABC’s broadcast of Extreme Makeover:  Holiday Edition that aired on Friday, December 16 at 8 pm, part one and at 9 pm part two (ET) would surely put a smile on one’s face.  The show has been chosen for Best TV Show of the Week. Ty Pennington, Michael Moloney, Sabrina Soto, and Tracy Hutson traveled to Columbus, Ohio to visit James and Jackie Rhodes who have been married for thirty-five years.  They’ve lived in a home with their daughter, Mikia, and her four children:  Jawaun, Mahogany, Jiona, and Nya.  Mikia was diagnosed with a brain tumor, and as a result of her illness, James and Jackie brought her and her children into their home to help her recover. 

James and Jackie’s home was slightly over 900 square feet and had only one bathroom; yet it housed seven family members.  It was a small and cramped home that had electrical and plumbing problems. Mikia and her children slept on the couches and the floor of the living room, and the kitchen also served as the laundry room. Ty and his team were determined to give the Rhodes family a spacious new home to better accommodate their needs. The Rhodes family was sent to San Diego for a vacation as Ty, his team, P & D Builders, community members, and Santa and his elves demolished their home with giant candy canes and a large bag filled with coal. 

James and Jackie very much loved their community, particularly the Tray Lee Community Center; a place where kids could safely spend their time playing pool, foosball, or other activities. Ty met Marie Moreland Short, the executive director of the center, who mentioned that the center barely got by with the little resources they had. Ty made sure that center received a makeover which included a solar power panels to not only power the center but would also provide income in energy rebates to the center. The center also received new computers.  James was thrilled that the center was blessed with such gifts. 

In keeping with the spirit of the holidays, Ty challenged his team of designers to a holiday home decoration contest against neighborhood children. Each team was given a home to decorate and the team with the best decorations would win the Christmas Spirit Award. The winner of the award was the neighborhood children who added holiday music and dance to their home. 

In working with the children of the community, Tracy realized that many of them may not have a present to open on Christmas, so she began a toy drive. She became even more excited when the band, Journey, helped them spread the word on the community toy drive. And Sears added an additional $15,000 worth of toys for the children of the community.

James loved his family, and as an added bonus, Ty sent James and Jackie’s other children and their children to San Diego so that the Rhodeses could truly be on a family vacation. While on vacation, the family also received wonderful news that their mortgage was paid off by the local community, which was a great relief to James.  

Upon returning from vacation, the Rhodes’ local community park was turned into a winter wonderland filled with holiday decorations. The Rhodeses then saw their newly built home. James and Jackie received a beautiful new bedroom in which the headboard of the bed consisted of pictures of their family and on one wall was “better” which was in the original home that reminded Jackie that things will get better. They also were given a gift of a wedding band for James, something Jackie had always wanted to give to him, but could never afford to, and a matching bracelet for Jackie. Mikia was given a glamorous room that included a tile picture of her children.  Jawaun received a brick, loft-style room that had a secret doorway into a weight room. Mahogany received a chic, salon style bedroom that included a fully stocked nail station. Jiona and Nya shared a bedroom that included a butterfly and a ladybug motif. The Rhodes family was also blessed with a kitchen and a dining area in which the whole family could sit down and eat a meal together; a new game room, and a deck honoring the family’s love for the Ohio State Buckeyes.  American Family Insurance included a $50,000 fund for the upkeep of the home. The Rhodes family was grateful for the generosity of those involved in the creation of their new home. 

Christmas time is a season of giving, and Extreme Makeover: Holiday Edition gave the Rhodes family and their local community reasons to celebrate. James and Jackie Rhodes never hesitated in taking in their daughter and her family in because it is what family does for one another. They made do with what little space or conveniences they had in their home and kept the family together. The Rhodeses’ love for family was extended in their love for their community and the center that served the local children. The Rhodes family believed that their lives would get better and never lost faith and in doing so their lives were enriched. The Rhodeses portrayed what a family is all about:  love, support, and undying faith that things would get better. And for this it has been deemed the Best TV Show of the Week.

Best TV Show of the Week

The Parents Television Council - www.parentstv.org