[Televisionary]

Say it ain't so. Could Tim Gunn not be back for the next installment of Project Runway ? It's a chilling thought and, while it might pale in comparison to the real troubles of the world today, it's one that gives this Runway obsessive a bit of a difficulty breathing. (Rest assured, Heidi Klum, Michael Kors, and--say it with me--Nina Garcia are all locks for next season.) This week's edition of industry bible Entertainment Weekly has the story. According to the article's writer Nisha Gopalan, Bravo--the style-hungry network behind Project Runway --is champing at the bit to get started on the fourth season of the sartorial challenge. One speed bump in the road to Season Four just happens to be Tim Gunn himself. Whah? You'd be right to ask that, especially given that I can't imagine a single episode of Runway sans Gunn, much less an entire season. While Gunn's not commenting one way or another, he's a busy guy as the chair of the fashion design depar

I never, ever would have seen this coming. Throughout this season of Project Runway , I was really rooting for Michael Knight to take home the top prize at the end of the day. But had you told me that the winner of Pro ject Runway 3 would have been Jeffrey, especially after the fiasco with Angela's mom and the accusations of cheating , I would have laughed in your face. And yet, here we are. Jeffrey Sebelia, he of the wackadoo hair and giraffe neck tattoos, has been given the couture crown and named the ultimate winner of Bravo's addictive fashion competition. It's been quite a rollercoaster ride these past few weeks and I'm actually more than a little sad that the season has come to a close now. I had a feeling that Jeffrey would be allowed to show his collection at Olympus Fashion Week in Bryant Park... and stay in the competition. Just a hunch. Even if producers pulled a fast one and made him present but still eliminated him, I think that would have been a little

I'm really torn by last night's episode of Project Runway, the first of a two-part season finale that sees the final four designers--Michael, Uli, Laura, and Jeffrey--present their collections at New York Fashion Week. Getting to show a collection at Bryant Park is a huge feat and an entry to the rarefied world of fashion. Let's just hope all four designers actually get there now. I'm speaking of course of Laura's decision to inform Tim Gunn (and by dint the show's producers) of her belief that Jeffrey had outside help above and beyond that dictated by the rules set out by the producers for this challenge. They were given two months and eight thousand dollars to create twelve pieces to present on the runway. It's an arduous task, regardless of the timeframe, but all of the designers managed to assemble their collections and put the finishing touches on their outfits in the studio in New York. Laura believes strongly that Jeffrey's outfits show a craftsm

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

After two weeks, we finally got our final four showdown on last night's Project Runwa y . Or did we? In a rather (un)expected twist, the final four contestants--that would be Michael, Uli, Laura, and Jeffrey for those of you asleep by 10 pm--went head to head in a challenge that tested their creativity and sense of self, only to discover that none of them would be auf wiedersehen 'd by Heidi and they would all present collections at New York's Fashion Week in Bryant Park. And thank god it turned out that way because I was more than concerned that Michael was going to be the one booted after he seemed to spend the majority of Day One still sketching and trying to figure out what he was doing. Big mistake on his part to select a gown for presenting to the judges (especially when the prize was an actual page in Elle magazine with the winning design photographed by a top fashion photog). Everyone--especially Michael Kors--knows that Michael's strength is in his sportswe

I hate repeats. So imagine my frustration when I realized that my beloved TiVo was correct after all (as were several of you Televisionary readers): last night's Project Runway was not an original episode, despite no warning the week before from Bravo. Le sigh. I've been looking forward all week to the final four, but alas. We'll have to wait yet another week for the first Kayne-free installment of Runway . I already miss the guy. Since it was a repeat this week, I thought I'd take the opportunity to take a look forward, if you will, at our final four contestants, whom it seems will be presenting their individual shows at Fashion Week at Bryant Park in New York City. A certain reality series producer associate of mine tells me that the current theory is that this year's final four will indeed be a final four and that there won't be the red herring of the past few seasons with the three finalists and the auf'd fourth giving shows. Heidi herself seems to b

Hello there Televisionary readers. Christine Fortune here filling in for Jace while he’s jet setting in London (lucky dog). Not to worry, I am equally as obsessed with Project Runway and there certainly was a lot to talk about in this week’s episode, so let’s get to it! It was down to the final five…that is, until my runway nightmares became a reality as both Vincent and Angela returned to the catwalk. In a frightening twist, these two fashion failures were allowed to compete in this week’s challenge as an extra bonus for having won previous challenges. And, because of this, three people would be going home. The other designers received the bad news while attending a L’Oreal “party” (they were the only ones there) and were not happy when confronted with Vincent and Angela’s smiling faces. As Kayne so delicately put it, “It’s like cockroaches. You step on them once and they still keep crawling around.” Cockroaches or not, all designers were given the task of creating a cocktail party

Was I the only one whooping and hollering last night? I swear I could hear similar cries of excitement emanating from other houses in my neighborhood around 11 pm last night. For those of you who failed to catch Runway last night, what I've been praying for has finally happened. Just when I had begun to lose faith in Project Runway (shock, horror!), Heidi and the other judges finally auf wiedersehen' d Vincent last night. It was about time that this 401K-cashing space cadet be punished for his sartorial crimes, even if it should have happened a few weeks back . I'm still smarting over the fact that uber-talented Allison was booted and Vincent managed to make it this far, despite landing in the bottom 3 nearly every week... I may have cried foul, but I'm happy to see that the judges have finally snapped out of whatever hypnotic trance they've been under to cut the unfashionable chaff from the wheat. This week found the contestants still in Paris, operating out of t

Okay, so I was wrong about the challenge this week having to design outfits for Delta Airlines flight attendants... but I was right about the Delta Airlines part. I loved the looks on the designers' faces when they were told to get the eff off the runway, pack their bags for an unknown destination, and get to the airport in their newly minted ensembles... to see how well the "jet setter" outfits they designed would hold up after they stepped off that other runway. Classic and clever. Even better that they ended up in Paris, one of the world's fashion capitals (if not THE fashion capital) though half of me was hoping they'd end up somewhere truly un-exotic and mundane. You know, completely take them out of their element altogether and force them to dress the people of St. Olaf or something. To really see if they can design for the runway and the masses. But I'll take Paris any day, as they were all so excited to be there. Even if I did think it was so complete

Project Runway has always had that certain sniff of authenticity. Unlike other reality shows, it seems important to the judges (and one would imagine the producers) which contestants actually have talent and which ones just don't have what it takes. But lately things have gotten a little, um, ugly on the supposedly "reality-based" fashion competition. Last week, Allison was kicked off the show without an iota of consideration about the consistent work she'd done every other week (unlike Robert who had been kept in the running because the judges saw his "talent") and then this week? Vincent wins this week's competition? Am I alone in thinking what the hell is going on over there? The fact that Vincent won this week makes me completely irate for several reasons. First, Vincent can't seem to design his way out of a crap-festooned paper bag and his designs are consistently off-the-wall or entirely lazy, showing no imagination, reach, or skill. His dre

What. The. Hell. I'm often bemused or surprised by who gets eliminated in reality show competitions but I'm not usually as shocked and appalled as I was watching last night's Project Runway . Apparently, consistency doesn't mean anything in this Runway race nor does consistently quality work. Every designer has a fiasco or two (Kayne, my dear, I am looking at you this week), but to boot Allison over Vincent? Hello, VINCENT? He of the garishly gauche basket-hat? And the one-dimensional nursery school craft project dress this week? Who kept interrupting the judges to insist that his model's walk--sorry, hobble--down the runway was a turn-on? Who quit his job and cashed in his 401K to wind up in the bottom three nearly every week? Um, consistently? Enough questions. Here's a statement: I am seriously annoyed. I thought that the judges were extraordinarily cruel to Allison this week whose design was far superior to Vincent's white "sheath" sack dress.

Every now and then on a reality TV show, there's a contestant who is so fantastic, so amazing, that you can't help but root for them, even if the judges seem to be looking the other way. One of those is Project Runway 's Michael, whose designs are consistently beautiful but never seems to get any acknowledgement from Heidi, Nina, and the other judges. Until last night, that is, when the 28-year-old, German-born designer presented a fabulously modernized look for icon Pam Grier, complete with magenta hot pants. (I kid you not, they were outrageously beautiful. Even Diane von Furstenberg thought so and she "wore a lot of hot pants" back in the day.) I've had my eye on Michael Knight as a dark horse competitor since Day One, when his model sashayed down the runway in a provocative dress made entirely out of coffee filters. It was a sight to be seen and even these jaded eyes couldn't help but take notice of Michael's skill. But still, while he was consiste