November sweeps really aren't what they used to be.

Changing tastes and new technologies have put the big network movies, mega-miniseries and very special specials of past sweeps out to pasture.

Viewers don't much look to the broadcast networks for movies and miniseries anymore, and why should they? Except for "Hallmark Hall of Fame," which remains a fixture on CBS, cable networks have almost taken over TV's long-form programming. And specials these days mainly boil down to concerts and awards shows.

In the past, the broadcast networks pumped up sweeps periods (the major ones are November, February and May) to help their affiliate stations get big ratings on which they could base advertising sales. Sweeps also provided information about who was watching that wasn't obtained any other time of year.

But with most major TV markets (including St. Louis) now using Nielsen people meters, demographic information is available every day of the year. Even local newscasts don't scream as loudly about their sweeps shockers as they did before meters arrived.

Now, sweeps periods (the one now under way runs through Nov. 25) are so low-key that viewers are lucky to get even first-run episodes of their favorite series during a sweeps, and finding sweeps-month highlights requires a scavenger hunt.

November sweeps are still important enough for the networks to yank underperforming shows for the duration, though. That's what Fox did with "Dollhouse," replaced on Friday nights by repeats of more popular shows. The Joss Whedon drama returns in December.

OK, that's what won't be on. What will be on? Here are a few highlights, with an apology for the absence of the next "Roots" or "The Thorn Birds."

— "The Wanda Sykes Show" joins Fox's late-night lineup at 10 p.m. Saturday.

— Taylor Swift (Saturday), January Jones (Nov. 14) and Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Nov. 21) are sweeps-month hosts for "Saturday Night Live." Saturdays on NBC.

— "Family Guy Presents Seth and Alex's Almost Live Comedy Show," with "Family Guy" creator Seth MacFarlane and Alex Borestein, the voice of Lois Griffin, makes it onto the air after all, entirely sponsored by Warner Bros.' "Sherlock Holmes" movie after Microsoft dropped out because of concerns about the comedy special's content. Sunday on Fox.

— A weeklong on-air scavenger hunt paying "homarge" — Fox said it, not me — to 20 years of "The Simpsons" challenges viewers to find clues in shows and promos. Monday through Nov. 15 on Fox.

— Laurence Fishburne passes through all three editions of "CSI" on CBS, beginning in Miami on Monday, continuing to New York on Wednesday and finally returning to Las Vegas on Thursday.

— As part of "Green is Universal" week, plugs for going green will be included on "Heroes," "The Biggest Loser," "Mercy," "Trauma," "Law & Order: SVU," "Parks and Recreation," "The Office," "30 Rock" and "Law & Order." Nov. 15-22 on NBC.

— Heather Locklear returns to "Melrose Place." The promo: "Ella (Katie Cassidy) and Caleb (Victor Webster) are stunned when agency owner Amanda Woodward walks into WPK and immediately fires half the staff, including Caleb." Nov. 17 on the CW.

— "Merry Madagascar" is an animated Thanksgiving special from Dreamworks, spun off from the movie and featuring the voices of Ben Stiller, David Schwimmer, Jada Pinkett Smith and Andy Richter. Nov. 17 on NBC.

— "The Biggest Loser" revisits former contestants for a "Where Are They Now?" special. Nov. 25 on NBC.