(Warning: this article contains spoilers!)
It's almost like we've never left, already, n'est-ce pas? Except for relocating the show to L.A. and adding on a half hour spin-off that follows each week's episode to focus on the models (more on that in a minute), we're already back in the Project Runway groove. Heidi announces the week's challenge, which is to create a chic, form-fitting look for model/actress Rebecca Romijn, who is carrying twins. The gang is given a half hour to sketch out their look and then a half hour and $100 to buy the fabric at Mood. Each designer also has a tie-on pregnancy pillow to put on their model form.
Mitchell, who was almost sent home last week, could pretty much have the word 'loser' branded into his forehead at this point. No one likes him; not his fellow designers nor the models, who are skittish of him after he badmouthed his model because of the faulty measurements which almost sent him home in week one. The models, we later find out, hope they never have to work with him. They can see that he's mere days away from losing. After his scare last week, he decides he wants to play it safe this time, not exactly the kind of thing you'd expect to hear from someone who plans to show their collection on the world stage. The designers get two days to complete their look. As Tim comes in to check on them, he tsk-tsks over Malvin's chicken leg concept with the jodhpurs. He warns Malvin not to go into costumeland but also expresses a caveat: "Very interesting. I am not bored."
This week designer Monique Lhuillier sits in Michael Kors' seat as his substitute, possibly because he has not and never will be pregnant and she has been, as has Nina Garcia and of course Heidi. Rebecca Romijn is the guest judge. Their faces are impassive for the most part as the models walk the runway with their baby bumps. Ra'mon created a cocktail dress which, as Mitchell pointed out to him in the workroom, bears an uncanny resemblance to a bowling ball bag. Luckily for him, other designs are worse. Malvin's design "drew reference to a mother hen and her egg" and looks like a hospital sling. Mitchell's casual shopping outfit falls flat and is badly executed. "She is a mess," says Nina. "A pregnant mess," Heidi qualifies. Rebecca appreciates that he was going for a cool, urban look but the execution doesn't work.
Shirin, who went above and beyond by also creating a fully lined coat to go with her elegant dress, is the winner. All agree that hers is the most wearable design and very versatile. Malvin and Mitchell are in the bottom two. Malvin is told that his look is complicated but not in a good way and he is sent home. I think on these types of shows they'll deliberately keep a contestant around who is so obviously going to lose, just for the drama. Thus Mitchell stays. It's a safe bet he won't be sleeping too well, this being his second week in the bottom two. I for one will be surprised if he makes it through week three.
After the show ends, the new half hour spinoff Models of the Runway follows. This season, to up the drama and provide more incentive to watch the spinoff, the designers have to choose new models every week unless circumstances conspire to make them lucky enough to keep their model if they so choose.
The show apparently will follow the template of starting off with the models watching the judging proceedings on close circuit TV. Then we'll have a little dishing, some day in the life of a model stuff (working out, cooking, bitching), and the final scene is the next elimination. All of which is meant to make the models more three dimensional and urge us to care about them. I'm not so sure this recipe is working, at least for me. A 15 minute show would have worked better, or perhaps a web only series. A half hour with these ladies is several minutes too long, methinks.
The models already have definite ideas on who is good and who isn't and who they want to work with. They like Shirin and Louise (who created a beautiful red lingerie-style romantic dress this week finished with hand-died lace). They like Logan -- the pretty boy -- in fact they have a Logan fan club in the model house, headed by Fatma who's more than a little scary. They do not like Mitchell -- they can smell his eventual certain failure and no one wants to be his model.
Erika is disliked because she's always on the phone with her agent, going on a casting, or some such, instead of hanging out with everyone. Fatma waxes scarier by the minute; she's been Logan's model for two weeks and has a fierce crush on him, thinking she is his muse because he thought about her skin color when he was designing his last outfit. But, as luck would have it, Mitchell gets to choose his model before Logan does and picks her. She goes completely batshit, and as she leaves the runway, visibly cringes behind the curtain. Valerie, Malvin's model, is sent home.
Who do you think is next on the chopping block? Who do you think is the dark horse in the competition? My money's on Louise Black. She's the one to watch in my opinion. Your thoughts?
Project Runway airs on Lifetime Thursday nights at 10pm. Models of the Runway follows at 11pm.