The season premier of Project Runway gets underway in a new city and on a new network. Will the moves keep the series strong or has it reached the end of the runway?
The great thing about this show as always been the collection of eccentric, super-weirdo designers that PR has been able to dig up. This season starts no differently as we meet the new cast and see clips of some of their bio videos. I can’t really do the group justice in this space, but let’s just say the eclectic sideshow lives on.
Another thing I appreciate about this show is the way the game proceeds in more of a straightforward fashion. Each episode focuses around one challenge and gets into each of the facets of it, which are: sketching their idea, shopping for materials, designing and of course, the judging at the end of the episode.
This week was the “Red Carpet” challenge, where the contestants are charged with designing something suitable for the, well, the red carpet. After the sketching and shopping, the meat of the episode starts when all of the designs come together. Now, I don’t know the first thing about design nor fashion, but this is quite a fascinating process. It’s amazing to me what these people can create in such a short period of time. All the while Tim Gunn is checking in on them giving them often blunt critiques and occasional support. It’s actually only a matter of minutes before Johnny, the ex-meth addict contestant starts crying because he hates his sketches and is talked down.
Throughout the design phase of the episode, there is a lot of interesting interaction between the contestants as they basically inflate their competition’s designs while talking smack behind their backs to the camera. The bottom line is the stress creates good TV. They don’t give away too much, so that way by the time you get to the judging, you’re seeing the finish products for the first time.
As the same as other seasons, the top and bottom three designers are brought out and the winner wins immunity for the next challenge and the loser, “is out”. I think PR has developed a winning formula and has remained strong regardless of its move to Lifetime and Los Angeles, which were both pretty transparent as far as the show goes. The addition of Lindsay Lohan as a guest judge on the premier was a nice touch too. PR will remain part of my guilty pleasure schedule.
