Skip to main content

Catfights and Michael Knight: The "Project Runway" Reunion Special

I am usually not a fan of reality series reunion specials, especially when they happen before the show's actual finale. Most of the time they feel extremely anti-climactic and how can you look backwards when you haven't even yet reached your destination? Putting that aside, I was completely engrossed and entertained by last night's fantastic Project Runway reunion special which managed to be both irreverent and informative. Can I just say how much I love Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn? They are definitely up there with Phil Keoghan as my favorite reality TV "hosts," especially because Tim and Heidi allow themselves to be so outspoken about their feelings.

Last night was no exception to that as Heidi and Tim welcomed back all 15 contestants from this season of Project Runway (including Alison, whom I've missed terribly). And while it was great to see some familiar faces and some not so familiar ones (I was wracking my brain to even remember Stacy), you could cut the tension in the air with a pair of shears. And I wouldn't have it any other way.

So what were the notable moments from last night? First and foremost, it had to be the return of Runway exile Keith, who was kicked off the show after other contestants discovered verboten pattern making books under Keith's bed. After the discovery, the designer disappeared for several hours (another no-no) to use the Internet. Both issues were enough for producers to eliminate Keith from the competition and it fell to Tim to break the news to Keith, who promptly "rolled over like a puppy," according to Tim. Keith, on the other hand, had a completely different version of the events, claiming that he was never aware of any restriction on bringing fashion or pattern books with them (all of the other designers--and Heidi--chimed in to contradict him) and he claims that the books were taken from him when he arrived at production... and then they mysteriously reappeared underneath his bed, without his knowledge. It seems clear that Keith is implying some hanky-panky on the part of the show's producers, a fact that has Tim up in arms as he says their integrity cannot be impugned. He also claims that he needed to get away from the Sturm und Drang created by the books' discovery and told a PA that he was leaving and was pointed to the door. Again, Tim refused to accept that as even remotely possible and Uli claimed that the designers couldn't so much as go to the bathroom unaccompanied by production staff. So what really happened? We'll never know but I simply can't believe Keith's version. Sorry, dude.

Typically, there was a significant amount of time devoted to feuding contestants Angela and Jeffrey and the whole issue of Jeffrey's treatment towards Angela's mother was brought up again and rehashed. I do think that Jeffrey handled the entire situation poorly, but hearing from Laura that the other mothers basically took a back seat and let the designers do whatever they wanted without any interference made me change my opinion somewhat of the entire affair. Did Jeffrey mistreat Angela's mom? Certainly; he should never have talked to her--or as Robert pointed out, any client--that way. But she was also the model for this challenge and should have voiced her objections or opinion far earlier than she did. It was a stressful situation all around and both sides were clearly hurt and affected by the other. Still, under no circumstances could I see Angela and Michael becoming "good friends" in another environment, as Angela asserted. I just don't think so.

I've always known that Vincent is absolutely effing crazy, but it was never more apparent than last night, from his attack of Tim Gunn for smearing him online (whah?) and his description of his fellow competitors as "amateurs," a designation he refused to withdraw or apologize for. He's clearly "delusional" (thanks, Laura) if he thinks he has more talent in his entire body than many of these designers have in their little toes and he's clearly a narcissist with delusions of grandeur and far too much adoration for himself and his lousy designs. I just never realized what a complete diva he is and much heap loads of praise upon which ever producer decided to show us his venom-spewing tantrum over his laundry, an obscenity-laced display of such childishness that went on for way too long and was directed, not even at whichever poor PA made the mistake of having his $130 shirt fluffed and folded, but at one of the show's producers. Are you completely mental? While I am excited to see where many of this season's designer's careers go, I hope that Vincent (and his 401K) crawl back into whatever dank hole he climbed out of. His entire personality is just reprehensible.

On a lighter note, I was ecstatic to see that the fan favorite prize, complete with a check for $10,000 presented by judges Michael Kors and Nina Garcia, went to Michael Knight, whom I called way back in Week One as my favorite. I think if he doesn't make any mistakes he's got this competition in the bag. And, as an aside, how adorable are his new braces? I'm still rooting for Michael to take home the top prize and cannot wait to see him present his collection during Fashion Week.

Next week on Project Runway: it's Part One of the season finale as the final four contestants (Michael, Uli, Laura, and Jeffrey) prepare to present their collections. Meanwhile, in a stunning twist (if Uli won't say it, I will), Laura accuses competitor Jeffrey of cheating! Shock, horror! Find out what happens next week.

Comments

Anonymous said…
The reunion episode was surprisingly entertaining. I love the fact that Heidi and Tim called Vincent out on his ridiculous behavior (what was with that "fluff and fold" incident?) and made Jeffrey squirm through the footage of him and Angela's mom and refused to listen to Keith's lame excuses. Good times! And it was fun to see some clips and interviews that didn't make it into the show.
Anonymous said…
Keith really dug his grave even deeper. What an ass. Love that all the contestants spoke up about knowing the rules.

Vincent - even crazier than I thought. I really dislike him.

Still have no idea who stacy is. :)

Popular posts from this blog

What's Done is Done: The Eternal Struggle Between Good and Evil on the Season Finale of "Lost"

Every story begins with thread. It's up to the storyteller to determine just how much they need to parcel out, what pattern they're making, and when to cut it short and tie it off. With last night's penultimate season finale of Lost ("The Incident, Parts One and Two"), written by Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse, we began to see the pattern that Lindelof and Cuse have been designing towards the last five seasons of this serpentine series. And it was only fitting that the two-hour finale, which pushes us on the road to the final season of Lost , should begin with thread, a loom, and a tapestry. Would Jack follow through on his plan to detonate the island and therefore reset their lives aboard Oceanic Flight 815 ? Why did Locke want to kill Jacob? What caused The Incident? What was in the box and just what lies in the shadow of the statue? We got the answers to these in a two-hour season finale that didn't quite pack the same emotional wallop of previous season

Pilot Inspektor: CBS' "Smith"

I may just have to change my original "What I'll Be Watching This Fall" post, as I sat down and finally watched CBS' new crime drama Smith this weekend. (What? It's taken me a long time to make my way through the stack of pilot DVDs.) While it's on following Gilmore Girls and Veronica Mars on Tuesday nights (10 pm ET/PT, to be exact), I'm going to be sure to leave enough room on my TiVo to make sure that I catch this compelling, amoral drama. While one can't help but be impressed by what might just be the most marquee-friendly cast in primetime--Ray Liotta, Virginia Madsen, Jonny Lee Miller, Amy Smart, Simon Baker, and Franky G all star and Shohreh Aghdashloo has a recurring role--the pilot's premise alone earned major points in my book: it's a crime drama from the point of view of the criminals, who engage in high-stakes heists. But don't be alarmed; it's nothing like NBC's short-lived Heist . Instead, think of it as The Italian

The Daily Beast: "How The Killing Went Wrong"

While the uproar over the U.S. version of The Killing has quieted, the show is still a pale imitation of the Danish series on which it is based. Over at The Daily Beast, you can read my latest feature, "How The Killing Went Wrong," in which I look at how The Killing has handled itself during its second season, and compare it to the stunning and electrifying original Danish series, Forbrydelsen , on which it is based. (I recently watched all 20 episodes of Forbrydelsen over a few evenings.) The original is a mind-blowing and gut-wrenching work of genius. It’s not necessary to rehash the anger that followed in the wake of the conclusion last June of the first season of AMC’s mystery drama The Killing, based on Søren Sveistrup’s landmark Danish show Forbrydelsen, which follows the murder of a schoolgirl and its impact on the people whose lives the investigation touches upon. What followed were irate reviews, burnished with the “burning intensity of 10,000 white-hot suns