EW TV Review: "Project Runway"
By: Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly
What's that Heidi Klum likes to say every week on “Project Runway?” That one day you're in and the next you're out? Last season she discovered that same mantra could apply to her show, as well. Dalton Ross reports.
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Season six of “Project Runway” moved the action, what little of it there was, not only from New York to Los Angeles, but also from Bravo to the Lifetime channel. Meanwhile, the cast was short on both talent and personality, and regular judges Nina Garcia and Michael Kors were missing in action for long stretches of the season.
“Project Runway,” one of the hottest reality shows on cable, was suddenly very much out.
Steps were taken, however, to correct the debacle that was season 6. Witness the current cycle airing on Thursday nights at 10. For one thing, the Los Angeles experiment is over, and everyone is back in the fashion capital of the country, New York City.
But the Big Apple is not all that's back. So are Nina and Michael. Having the two on board on a regular basis is important not just for their critiques and quips, but also to give the show some consistency. It was difficult for judges to learn about a designer's particular strengths and weaknesses when they were constantly shuffling in and out.
Of course, all reality shows ultimately come down to the cast, and the new group already appears to be an improvement over last season. It's hard not to root for southern and sassy Anthony who wears his emotions on his sleeve. On the flip side could be that scurvy sea dog Jesse, a former “Pirates of the Caribbean” character at Disney theme parks who openly clashed with partner Ping last week in a team challenge.
I'm also keeping my eye on Mila, who felt severely slighted when her model ditched her for Anthony, and Seth Aaron, who is the self-absorbed type of character that the camera can't help but love.
It's still too early to see if this season will sink or swim, but it can't be any worse than last go-round, right?
Here's hoping that when all is said and done, “Project Runway” will be back in the in column.