Austin360 blogs > Tex & the City > Archives > 2006 > March > 02 > Entry
Bizarro ‘Runway’
So, last night’s episode was apparently beamed in from an alternate universe that has a different version of “Project Runway” — one where Chloe is flighty and silly, Daniel is not talented enough to have won five competitions and Santino is a gentle soul who creates exquisitely beautiful clothes.
There were things to like. I enjoyed the glimpse into the designers’ real lives, especially the pictures of Santino as a funny-looking kid you just wanted to hug and the visit with Chloe’s large family. Although I am jealous that she got a holiday visit from Tim Gunn. I want Tim Gunn in my Christmas pictures.
(A personal side, unrelated to our rigorous academic analysis of “Runway”: When Tim Gunn and Santino were sitting by the basketball courts in Venice Beach, they were at the exact spot Jeff and I sat during our L.A. visit last month. I think we must have sensed they’d been there.)
And I really like what we saw of Santino’s collection. I wanted him to make those outfits in normal-girl size and give them to me. Maybe it was all editing or an act, but he seemed like he’d been changed by the experience.
Now the gripes, or if not exactly complaints, points of hurt and confusion: What was up with Chloe’s collection? After all the marvelously accessible clothes of the season, she now turns in a puffy coat? I hurt for Daniel and those bags he brought. And how could he have construction problems like uneven hems at this point in the game?
But what really bothered me was that “one final surprise”: The designers have to come up with one more look to be part of their Fashion Week shows. This is just sadistic. You could see the despair on their faces. The show didn’t need this element of artificial drama. The upside, though, is that it was good to see the other designers again, especially Andrae!, when the finalists got to pick an assistant for the last design.
I understand why Chloe picked Diana — they’re good friends, and she probably wanted a supportive presence around — but I think it’s a huge mistake. Diana wasn’t that good at sewing, as I recall. Chloe would have been better off with other best bud Emmett, who also had some sewing problems, but would have been better than Diana.
The previews of next week make it look like a full-on disaster, but I doutbt it’s that bad. Until then, bravotv.com has so many “Runway” extras that I feel daunted by them. In that spirit, here’s my own “Runway” extra from pop-culture guru Sharon:
“Last night’s ‘Runway’ was topsy-turvy world. I loved Santino! It was sweet seeing him with his friends; those little girls clearly loved him. Tim Gunn seemed touched by it, too. I don’t recall St. Charles, Mo., being all that small, but it’s been awhile. I am concerned for Chloe. I hate that Santino went with the tired ‘Hollywood glamour’ theme, but I liked what I saw. Chloe’s collection did not seem cohesive. But it’s all probably an editing smoke-screen — I doubt there is that much concern about Daniel V.’s work.”
Carry on!
Permalink | Comments (3) | Categories: By Sarah Lindner
Comments
By Kim
March 4, 2006 07:39 PM | Link to this
I think Santino realized what a jerk he was when he watched the show. I heard he read a lot of message boards too where folks blasted him.
Do you plan on watching America's Next Top Model?
By eliz.
March 2, 2006 02:25 PM | Link to this
That last task was SO wrong. They didn't pull that crap with last year's candidates. Yuck. I had read about Chloe's collection looking like a puffy chair, so I wasn't too surprised when I saw her stuff. And yeah, Santino really did something with that collection. That surprised me. I still don't care much for him, though.
By omit
March 2, 2006 01:34 PM | Link to this
Urggh!! I hated the twist--it totally brought last night's show down and increased my hatred for Heidi. I just have a feeling that it was her idea. It was so tacky and Apprentice wannabe-like.