The new series “Greg Behrendt’s Wake-Up Call” (9 p.m., SOAPnet) offers a variation on the “Can-this-marriage-be-saved” column of yesteryear. “Wake-Up” will air six episodes in which Behrendt, the author of “He’s Just Not That Into You,” offers insight and tough love to couples whose relationships have hit a bad patch. In the debut, he tackles Hannah and Chris, an attractive twosome suffering from Hannah’s ambitions and exacting standards. She’s given him two years to get his act together, to hold up his end of a “power couple.” If he doesn’t shape up, Hannah, a frequent pageant participant, is out the door.

At first, both Behrendt and most viewers conclude that Chris would be well rid of this harridan in high heels. But the ways of true love and “Wake-up” do not go so smoothly. Behrendt is given to the grand gesture. He delivers a lecture to Hannah in an empty theater lit only by a spotlight. He offers similar advice to Chris in a sports stadium. He spends time with Hannah trying to convince her that her values may be a just a little misplaced.

Like the best and worst of such shows, “Wake-up” works equally well for romantics who want to watch a walk down the aisle and for those folks who love to hate people like Hannah and pity saps like Chris. Not without some wit, Behrendt seems simply too custom-made for basic cable. From his moussed-up hair to his athletic physique, he projects an air of contrived and generic dude-osity. He often seems like he’s auditioning to take over the “Extreme Makeover” gig from Ty Pennington.

• Set in Montreal, the Canadian series “The Property Shop” (9:30 p.m., HGTV) follows real estate agent-turned-broker Tatiana Londono as she multitasks furiously under a helmet of golden ringlets. In this episode, she raises her kids, rents and renovates a new office, studies for her brokerage exam and attempts to land a slightly shady new client and sell his ugly property to dubious investors. With its emphasis on the “flipping” market, this import seems like it’s at least a couple of years old. The whole point of “Property” is to follow Tatiana, a sexy and slightly frazzled woman with a great sense of style, a youthful entourage and a flirtatious business manner. “Property” may not break any new ground in the real estate genre, but it shows off the slightly exotic Tatiana to her best advantage.

Tonight’s other highlights

• Earl recalls a beloved babysitter on “My Name is Earl” (7 p.m., NBC).

• Oklahoma and Florida clash in the BCS championship game (7 p.m., Fox).

• Betty goes all out on “Ugly Betty” (7 p.m., ABC).

• A budget surplus inspires creative thinking on “The Office” (8 p.m., NBC).

• The Broadcast Film Critics Association anoints the best films of 2008 on the 14th Annual Critics Choice Awards (8 p.m., VH1).

• Liz’s new crush causes concern on “30 Rock” (8:30 p.m., NBC).

• Stupid and entirely avoidable fatalities are recalled on the “Darwin Awards” (8:35 p.m., Showtime).

Cult choice

Laura Linney, Tom Wilkinson and Campbell Scott star in the 2005 occult thriller/courtroom drama “The Exorcism of Emily Rose” (8 p.m., Lifetime).