CHICAGO (thefutoncritic.com) -- After spending two months in the ether, ABC is reviving its hiatused comedy franchise "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" That's just one of the changes in store for ABC as the war in Iraq has caused the network to shake up its schedule:
-- "Whose Line" will return to its old Thursday, 8:00/7:00c home with back-to-back episodes beginning this week (March 27). The series will replace "Profiles from the Front Line" which has been canceled due to war concerns (not to mention poor ratings). "Profiles," which was shot last year, followed soldiers hunting down terrorists in Afghanistan.
-- The Alphabet network will burn off the final two episodes of "Are You Hot? The Search for America's Sexiest People" in a two-hour finale on Saturday, April 5 at 9:00/8:00c.
-- "The Family" has been pulled from ABC's schedule effective immediately with news coverge running in its place until the return of "N.Y.P.D. Blue" on April 8. The six remaining episodes will likely air this summer.
-- Also getting an early hook: "Extreme Makeover," the series version of a special ABC ran earlier this year that featured a trio of participants going through extensive plastic surgery. The series had been scheduled to run Thursdays at 9:00/8:00c beginning next week but will now likely air this summer. Production on all six episodes has been completed.
-- The only two reality series not getting shelved are "The Bachelor" and "All American Girl," which will remain on the network's Wednesday schedule. "Girl's" third installment was yanked for war coverage last week and will air this Wednesday.
-- ABC's struggling Monday lineup of "Veritas: The Quest," "The Practice" and "Miracles" once again will get the boot this week. News coverage will air in the 8:00/7:00c hour followed by back-to-back episodes of "The Practice." It is not known as of this writing if "Veritas" and "Miracles" will return next week.
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