WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2006

Project Runway

Why do I watch Project Runway? I'm not gay, don't care about fashion, and I find the contestants on this show annoying at best. Ah, it's that wonderful bitchiness that keeps me coming back week after week. The producers have created the perfect atmosphere for cattiness and it often pays off when flamboyant fashion designers are forced to compete and work in a confined space. I also watch to see how these talented designers are able to make something out of nothing. I know little of fashion, but the outfits they whip up out of hot glue and palm fronds look pretty decent most of the time. I guess I watch Project Runway for many of the same reasons I enjoy Discovery Channel's American Chopper - creative people making their unique art while occasionally screaming at each other to break up the monotony. For me, it's a glimpse into a creative world I know nothing about - with delicious non-fat drama!

The stand-out star of this season is Santino, but not for his fashion designs. The tall and gangly General-Zod-from-Superman-II lookalike has become a fan favorite for his arrogant attitude and trash talking. To me, his feather-laden work all looks the same, so I wonder if the only reason he made it as far as he did in the competition is because the producers know a character who is ratings gold when they see it. He's the one you love to hate - another ingredient to a successful reality tv recipe.

The editing of this show is quick and keeps things interesting while always over-dramatizing the tension. A seasoned reality tv viewer can tell which designer will be eliminated each episode based on how the show is edited and which character is highlighed, but this is a trap most other reality shows also fall into. I do find it amusing how the director trys so hard to minimize the fact that Heidi Klum is pregnant this season. Come on, she's drop dead gorgeous even when she's bursting with a bun in the oven. Overall the show is very well produced, but the variety of challenges each week is limited, repeating many of the same themes from the first season.

This might not be the best reality tv show out there today, but a good example of putting together the right elements to make a fun show that's additively watchable.

Watch season 2 of Project Runway on Bravo every Wednesday at 10/9c