Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Nails 100

The Extreme Makeover: Home Edition builders will truly raise the roof Sunday night when they celebrate their 100th episode. 

My LA counterpart, Carole Glines, caught up with several of the show's designers at the Nov. 19 broadcast of Dancing With the Stars, where she learned the hit ABC reality show, which remodels houses for needy people, has reached the big TV milestone because “we all want to see someone get what they deserve in life,” said interior designer Michael Moloney.  “We’ve helped one hundred families and created a lot of awareness with the different topics we’ve covered.  We educate people and tell a story.” 

EMHE landscaper Eduardo Xol said Extreme viewers “really connect with the fact that we’re out to try to make other people’s lives better.  I think there are very few shows on television that are entertaining, philanthropic, and a bit of show and tell and do it yourself.”

Home builder/carpenter Paige Hemmis thinks the show’s longevity over five years isn’t a surprise because it “pulls at your heart strings.”

The 100th episode deals with domestic violence, but will have a happy ending, Michael revealed.  “We brought back eight families, fan favorites, to be volunteers and help us build the house.” 

The Extreme Team, including star Ty Pennington, won’t get together for a party celebrating the 100th episode until December.  “We’re all on the road right now.  When we’re all home for the holidays, we’ll do something fun,” Paige shared. 

Michael declared EMHE has, er, a strong foundation because it

won’t be affected by the TV writers’ strike.  “We don’t have writers. 

We’re not scripted,” Michael said.  “What we say is what we say.  Our

show wouldn’t work if it was scripted.”

Thank goodness. I'll remember to stock up on tissues in 2008!

Extreme Makeover: Home Edition airs its 100th episode on Nov. 25 at 8 p.m. on ABC.