The "Project Runway All Stars" season is upon us (premieres Thurs., Jan. 5, 9 p.m. EST on Lifetime), and while I'm so excited to see Mondo, Rami, Sweet P, Austin, Kenley and the gang try to make it work again, I can't help but think about what other reality competition shows are due for an all-star season of their own.
"Top Chef" has done it; "The Amazing Race" got its shot; "Survivor" and "Big Brother" routinely bring back winners and fan favorites; and Tyra Banks just had her favorite smizing runners-up back for more "America's Next Top Model."
So what other shows are deserving of the all-star treatment? Here are five I'd like to see ...
1. "The Real Housewives"
"Housewives" fans love to debate which city has the most drama, but nothing could ever top what would happen if Bravo plucked the biggest divas of the bunch, from all the show's many editions, and had them live together in a "Housewives"-owned house. Would NeNe Leakes and Bethenny Frankel be BFFs? And what kind of smackdown would Lisa Vanderpump give to flighty Gretchen Rossi from the O.C.? Throw Caroline Manzo and Michaele Salahi into the mix, and you've got yourselves an instant hit.
2. "Dancing With the Stars"
I just recently lamented that ABC needs to give it a break with the "Dancing" -- and I still maintain that the day will soon come where there are no more viable "stars" to court. But if they did an all-stars season with the more entertaining also-rans from seasons past, my eyes would be glued to the dance floor. Just imagine it: Carson Kressley, Ralph Macchio, Kelly Osbourne, Gilles Marini, Warren Sapp, Mel B, Laila Ali, Joey Lawrence, Lisa Rinna and Season 1's robbed John O'Hurley, all in the same season.
3. "Food Network Star"
This TV search hit its stride in Season 2 when winner Guy Fieri was given the keys to the company castle. Since then, it's produced a few other goodies like "Aarti Party" and Jeff Mauro's "Sandwich King," but do the names Dan and Steve ring a bell? No? They won Season 1. Sure, some of the runners-up have gone onto more high-profile endeavors (many on-camera for Food Network or sister site Cooking Channel), but there's nothing like winning that title. It'd be great to see Kelsey Nixon of "Kelsey's Essentials," BBQ guru (and current "Kid in a Candy Store" host) Adam Gertler, "United Tastes of America" host Jeffrey Saad, Tom Pizzica from "Outrageous Food" and Season 2 fan favorite (who's currently show-less) Reggie Southerland battle it out for a new season ... not to mention, supreme validation.
4. "So You Think You Can Dance"
Yes, "SYTYCD" has welcomed back their all-stars with open arms before -- just not the way we wanted them to. Having fan favorites from previous seasons pair off with a new competing crop was nice, from a mentoring perspective, but we want drama! Twitch, Lacey, Heidi, Evan and Jakob would bring the fans (and maybe even that recently-canceled results show) back for sure.
5. "American Idol"
"Idol" is the reality TV gold standard, producing more commercially successful singers from their winners' pool (Taylor Hicks excluded, of course) than even the show's biggest fans probably thought possible. Even amid judging panel shake-ups, they've pretty much stuck to what works. But what about those talented runners-up that've gone on to great things? To get Clay Aiken, Kimberly Locke, Chris Daughtry, Katharine McPhee, Blake Lewis, David Archuleta, Adam Lambert and, of course, Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson in one room again would be a feat -- if only because most of them have gone onto bigger and better things. We can still dream, though.