Men just want to be left alone to watch football, but women want to “improve” them. That’s the lesson of “Fixing Pete” (7 p.m., Hallmark). Like many of this network’s offerings, “Pete” seems to have run out of creative gas shortly after it was cast. Look for Valerie Harper (yes, “Rhoda” herself!) as a high-powered publisher who assigns fledgling writer Ashley (Brooke Burns) her very own column on the condition that she dedicate it to the makeover of Pete (Dylan Bruno), a slovenly sportswriter. He has little interest in the project, but his boss, played by John Ratzenberger (“Cheers”), insists. Stacy Keibler (“Dancing With the Stars”) also appears.

• Did Cesar Millan’s whisper grow more faint? “The Dog Whisperer” (7 p.m.) returns with 10 episodes of wayward pets and their rehabilitation, but this time on National Geographic Wild, the high-definition spinoff network launched just last year.

Over on the cable mother ship, Cesar’s been replaced by “Ultimate Factories” (7 p.m., National Geographic), the series offering behind-the-scenes tours of facilities that manufacture familiar products, like Ford automobiles, Frito-Lay snack foods and Heineken beers. Tonight: a visit to the Porsche factory in Leipzig, Germany. Next week, it’s off to the Mack Truck factory in Macungie, Pa.

Tonight’s other highlights

• The Lions and Saints meet in the NFC Wild Card game (7 p.m., NBC).

• Republican candidates for president debate before a New Hampshire audience (8 p.m., ABC).

• Scheduled on “48 Hours Mystery” (9p.m., CBS): Adultery plus murder equals intrigue.

• Gerard Butler, Karen Gillan and Noel Gallagher appear on “The Graham Norton Show” (9p.m., BBC America).

• Charles Barkley hosts “Saturday Night Live” (10:30 p.m., NBC), featuring musical guest Kelly Clarkson.

Series notes

On two helpings of “Rules of Engagement” (CBS): quitting time (7 p.m.), jealousy (7:30 p.m.) … On back-to-back episodes of “Cops” (Fox): unwelcome at Wal-Mart (7 p.m.), a marital spat (7:30 p.m.) … More wintertime “Wipeout” (7 p.m., ABC).

A building under surveillance explodes on “The Mentalist” (8 p.m., CBS) … War looms on “Terra Nova” (8 p.m., Fox).