Project Run-a-way to the Lifetime Network [Archive]

spejic

21 Aug 2009, 02:36 AM

So what do people think of the new series? It's always difficult at first because the personalities have not come out yet and there are so many contestants. But what is the deal with the guy quitting medical school to become a designer? If I was dictator of America, I would imprison him for failure to serve the greater needs of his fellow citizens. And I'm really sad that the one lady lost - her personal sense of style seemed the most interesting to me.

I will say the follow-on show about the models of Runway is beyond boring. The women are utterly vacuous, and most of them are in serious need of a cheeseburger (if only to hold on to so they won't be blown away in a gentle breeze).

I did enjoy the show with all the previous season contestants but, as usual, the wrong person won. When the judges say "you make clothes all women want to wear", it is the kiss of death. And that confuses me, because it should be the highest compliment.

Matt in the Hat

21 Aug 2009, 02:37 AM

Demosthenes

21 Aug 2009, 10:59 AM

I only watched the "all-stars" contest but Tivo'ed the first episode of the new series.

I could not understand why they liked Daniel V's work. Maybe it looked better in person? Sweet Pea's stuff was also massively overrated by the judges. I wanted to see Uli or Korto win - their designs were head and shoulders above everyone else's.

Anyway, can't wait to watch the premiere. It's like being able to breathe again.

Matt in the Hat

26 Aug 2009, 02:33 AM

I want to do horrific things to that little Iranian girl

Demosthenes

27 Aug 2009, 11:22 PM

I watched the first two episodes. I feel like there is more real talent than in past seasons, but maybe that's just my imagination. I do think it's interesting that the two most conceptual, avant-garde designers were eliminated right off the bat. They definitely seem to be going for wearable designs this year.

spejic

28 Aug 2009, 02:04 AM

I do think it's interesting that the two most conceptual, avant-garde designers were eliminated right off the bat.It seems bizarre to me to lose those people so early - wait until you see more of what they can do. In the first couple of seasons, high concept people did well after initial bumps. If you can't sew, you can't sew and there isn't any hope for you - those are the ones that should be out.
They definitely seem to be going for wearable designs this year.Until the final show when they pick the unwearable designs.

Matt in the Hat

28 Aug 2009, 02:28 AM

It seems bizarre to me to lose those people so early - wait until you see more of what they can do. In the first couple of seasons, high concept people did well after initial bumps. If you can't sew, you can't sew and there isn't any hope for you - those are the ones that should be out.

The problem is that there aren't as many craft deficient contestants this time around that buffer the overconceptualizers.

Demos is right. This is the best all around group we have ever seen.

Matrim55

28 Aug 2009, 09:45 AM

I want to do horrific things to that little Iranian girl
plusone

fischerw

29 Aug 2009, 12:26 AM

Agreed with those who say this is perhaps the most talented group so far. I was surprised to see the "mother hen" guy go--he seemed to have solid technique and skills which, as others have said, is usually enough to excuse an odd concept.

Two episodes in and no kooky challenge yet. It's early, but in past seasons they usually start off with something off the wall.

I'm enjoying this season but I fear Lifetime has made changes that won't be initially apparent, perhaps having to do with the preferences of the judges and the kinds of challenges given.

Demosthenes

29 Aug 2009, 01:34 AM

It seems bizarre to me to lose those people so early - wait until you see more of what they can do. In the first couple of seasons, high concept people did well after initial bumps. If you can't sew, you can't sew and there isn't any hope for you - those are the ones that should be out.
Until the final show when they pick the unwearable designs.

I think it's a reflection of the network change.

spejic

29 Aug 2009, 02:21 PM

I think it's a reflection of the network change.So gays prize high-concept more than women? :)

Demosthenes

29 Aug 2009, 04:17 PM

So gays prize high-concept more than women? :)

Actually, yes. But more specifically we're talking about the type of women who watch the Lifetime network. I picture them as more... conventional women than the Bravo audience.

muskiesrock35

29 Aug 2009, 05:02 PM

Lots of decent people this season, but it's a real shame to see the most 'out there' and creative designers go 1 and 2.

As a side note, I had a Professional Speaking class with Althea last summer at UC. She's a bit of an airhead, but a very genuine and very sweet girl.

http://www.mylifetime.com/on-tv/shows/project-runway/project-runway-designers/althea-harper

Matt in the Hat

30 Aug 2009, 03:05 AM

Lots of decent people this season, but it's a real shame to see the most 'out there' and creative designers go 1 and 2.

These two were out there but they were conceptual for concept sake. That's not design. Design is creation with a purpose and when the purpose is neglected then it's fine art. Which is not what this show is about.

Neither of those two could hold Christian Siriano's jock. That's how you do it.

Dolemite

30 Aug 2009, 06:42 PM

Neither of those two could hold Christian Siriano's jock.

hahahahah when i read this, i pictured two gnarly dudes in a biker bar having a serious discussion about PR in between pitchers of Natural Ice and hits of angel dust in the bathroom. of course, i'm more stoned than ten commandments right now.

spejic

26 Sep 2009, 08:16 PM

I'm not sure I agree with the judging this season. Most of the people who have gone after the first two were unsurprising, which makes the loss of the first two even more glaring - if someone can sew but has wild ideas, keep them around a while to see what they can do. It worked for Santino in the second series.

I particularly don't like how they judge Nicholas and Gordana. Nicholas was nearly kicked out for making a uniquely wild outfit for a requirement of an avant garde outfit, clearly showing the judges don't know what avant garde means. The only time he was praised was when the unusual challenge allowed his "give me your life force High Guard Captain Dylan Hunt" ice queen outfit to be judged on its own merits. On the other end, Gordana is constantly making well constructed, nice looking stuff and constantly getting dinged for it. I don't agree that boring is a greater evil than ugly.

fischerw

26 Sep 2009, 09:43 PM

This season--meh. I'll keep watching but I'm beginning to see subtle changes as a result of the switch to Lifetime.

For one, I feel that the audience never gets a good view of the dress until it comes out on the runway. In seasons past, you would get a pretty good idea of everyone's garment over the course of the first 40 minutes of the show. Now, they are practically sight unseen in most cases until the runway show. I don't like this--I would prefer to see the garment get made from the ground up.

I was surprised to see Ramon go home. His alien dress was bad but before then he had consistently combined creativity with skill to good effect.

spejic

20 Nov 2009, 01:52 AM

Well, the season had very few surprises or controversies, so there was little to talk about. But we just had the final episode. So what do people think? I really liked Irina's German World War I soldiers and spies as seen through an alternate-world anime movie.

Here's an NPR blog post about how this season failed, and they mostly blame the change in production companies from the one that currently does Top Chef to more standard reality show producers.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/monkeysee/2009/11/project_runway_what_went_wrong.html

fischerw

20 Nov 2009, 11:40 PM

I was rooting against Irina because she strikes me as pretty arrogant. Accusing Althea of copying was pretty low. Plus she was just something of a bitch in general.

However, her collection was very good. I preferred the other two because they actually had color. But Irina's hats were pretty much the shit.

Overall, I agree that this season was a let down. Just badly edited--as I think I mentioned before, we got to see a lot less of the creative process all season. FOr the most part, our first real look at the garments the contestants made was when they went onto the runway.

I agree with everything in the npr article that spejic posted. No fun challenges at all. In seasons past we got "make a look out of food" or "make a look out of car parts". This year we get "make a nice blue garment for Macy's"

Demosthenes

21 Nov 2009, 02:24 PM

Here's an NPR blog post about how this season failed, and they mostly blame the change in production companies from the one that currently does Top Chef to more standard reality show producers.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/monkeysee/2009/11/project_runway_what_went_wrong.html

Good piece. I didn't know they had a new production company. Maybe that explains it. Because this season sucked. What a disappointment.