[Televisionary]

I had more than an inkling as to how last night's penultimate episode of Project Runway would play out. You couldn't have picked two more drastically different designers than Rami Kashou and Chris March and seeing them go head to head was a virtual lesson in aesthetics, unfettered creativity, and determination. After all, only one of them would get the opportunity to advance to the final round and show at New York Fashion Week. Or would do so AND remain in the competition. After all, both of them (along with Sweet P) put on shows. Reward or red herring? You decide. In any event, Tim Gunn flew around the country to check in with the four remaining designers in the weeks leading up to Fashion Week, visiting the Manhattan-based teeny-tiny closet/sewing room/studio/bedroom Christian calls home (though why exactly didn't he meet any of Christian's friends or family?), checking in with Rami and his fantastic studio in Los Angeles, having dinner with Jillian's family on L

I don't know about you but I am hooked on Bravo's reality series Project Runway and cannot wait for tonight's season finale. While I'm rooting for wunderkind Christian to win this competition, I know that there are quite a few Jillian fans out there as well; we're all winners at the end of the day with talent like these two in the finals. With only a few more hours to go before the season finale, I thought we could take a sneak peek at what's in store for our finalists on tonight's penultimate episode and that eleventh hour showdown between Rami and Chris. Which one will go on to New York Fashion Week (well, both, but you know what I mean) and which will fall by the wayside? Find out tonight. Project Runway 's season finale kicks off tonight with Part One at 10 pm ET/PT on Bravo. What's On Tonight 8 pm: Big Brother 9 (CBS); Deal or No Deal (NBC); America's Next Top Model (CW); Wife Swap (ABC); American Idol (FOX; 8-9:30 pm) 9 pm: Criminal Mi

I have to say that I really quite enjoyed last night's reunion episode of Project Runway . While I am not usually a fan of the overly packaged clip-laden specials that Bravo typically airs (especially when irritating Andy Cohen presides over them), Runway usually does offer a classier affair and last night's installment was no exception. It was fantastic to see the entire 15-member cast come together again one final time though I had to refresh my memory in order to remember some of them. (Simone, we hardly knew ye!) Still, it was a reunion filled with some interesting and hysterical asides (Michael Kors' uncharacteristic laughing jag during the WWE Diva challenge), predicable filler (a clip package featuring Ricky crying the entire time), and a collection of Christian's best "fierce" moments. Worst Reunion Moment: Carmen telling Heidi Klum (Heidi Effing Klum!) that she had enough already from her when she made a comment about the menswear challenge, in which

I had a feeling, even after Heidi made a point of saying that two designers would be auf 'd this week, that there would be four contestants making it to the final rounds. And, before you ask, yes, I've managed to avoid all spoilers about the season finale, New York Fashion Week, or anything else relating to this addictive series. On this week's episode of Project Runway ("The Art of Fashion"), the series' producers made up for their "quirky" challenges involving product placement, trash, or chocolate and gave the designers creative carte blanche when tasked with using a piece of art from New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art (easily one of my favorite places in the world) as the inspiration for a garment. It was a dynamic challenge and one that I hoped would invigorate these designs and spur their designers to greater heights than we've seen so far. Christian won this challenge hands down. There wasn't a shadow of a doubt in my mind that

There is justice--albeit massively delayed--in the world. Any fears that I had that Ricky would somehow squeak by elimination yet again on this week's episode of Project Runway ("Raw Talent") evaporated as soon as I saw the hideous orange swimsuit and gold lame tunic he designed for his client, one of the ladies of the WWE. In yet another "quirky" challenge, the six remaining designers were tasked with creating new outfits for those female wrestlers of the WWE that fit their personalities and would work inside the ring. Working only with a $100 budget and severe limitations as to what would work and what wouldn't (along with some pretty, er, intense clients), the challenge was definitely not as simple as it seemed. And, yet, if anyone should have had a leg up on the competition, it should have been teary lingerie designer Ricky, whose skills in designing sexy and provocative undergarments should have shone in this fashion faceoff. Instead, his design was ju

I don't know about you but I've totally been going through Project Runway withdrawal since the most recent episode aired nearly two weeks ago. Fortunately, Bravo will air a new installment this week (huzzah!), but in the meantime, I thought I'd take this opportunity to take a look at the contestants still in the sartorial showdown and who I'd like to see head up their own runway show during New York's Fashion Week. Chris Already eliminated once, it's simply amazing that Chris is still in this competition but he's added a level of humor and wackadoo designs that had been missing in the wake of his departure. His designs tend to just slightly but consistently miss the mark but his collaboration with Christian marks a high point for both designers--and the entire season-long competition--as it was just so drop-dead gorgeous that it almost made me wish these diametrically opposite designers would work together all the time. Still, it's only a matter of time

Is it just me or are you just flat out confused as to why tear-prone Ricky is still in this competition... and how he managed to walk away with the top spot on last night's episode of Project Runway ("Even Designers Get the Blues")? Grr. I had a feeling that last night's editing was setting up a win for the former lingerie designer. Call it "The One with the Waterworks," if you will. It must have been a record for Ricky, who broke into tears on three separate occasions last night during a challenge in which the designers were tasked with creating an iconic piece out of Levi's brand jeans. Was Ricky's lingerie-inspired dress good-looking? Yes, for a change; it was also well-constructed, which was also a bit of a departure for Ricky. But I thought the dress, essentially a ruffled piece of lingerie in denim, paled in comparison to Christian's iconic design, which reinterpreted the classic jean jacket and, well, jeans in a fashion-forward and unexpec

Oh. My. God. Can I just tell you how much I loved last night's episode of Project Runway ? Putting aside Jillian's hysterics at the sewing machine (which seem to come to a head next week) and Ricky's continued teariness at the drop of the hat, this week's installment brought the goods in the form of a elaborate challenge that was unlike anything we've seen to date on Project Runway this season. The task? To work together as teams of two to create an avant-garde look based around their model's hairstyle. And just when the teams thought they were on track for a last-minute finish for their designs, Tim Gunn threw a bit of a spanner into the works, telling them that they'd have to create another look--based on their avant-garde designs--for a ready-to-wear ensemble. Both would have to go down the runway and (the best part) the designers would receive no time credit. It was, to say the least, a daunting challenge. Yet some of the designers rose to the occasion,

Unlike Christian, who seemed en route to a nervous breakdown last night, I quite enjoyed the prom dress challenge presented on this week's episode of sartorial showdown Project Runway ("What a Girl Wants"). Perhaps its the sadist in me, but I like seeing the designers pushed to the brink of despair at the parameters of their latest task and how they manage to pull it all together. Or, in some cases, don't. First off, I am still amazed that Ricky is still in this competition when far superior designers have been auf 'd. Once again, he proved that he can't make it through an episode without turning on the waterworks. I was really hoping that the amount of time the cameras spent with teary Ricky this week would point towards his dismissal, especially since he made such a point of saying how, unlike the other designers, he selected a "subtle" shade of fabric for his client's prom dress. A fact that later worked against him as his client looked "

Okay, I can admit when I am wrong. It does happen after all as I am only human and prone to the snap judgments and biases of the species. Case in point? Last night's episode of sartorial showdown Project Runway , which had the designers raiding the Hershey's store in Time Square for materials with which to construct an outfit. Yawn, right? So I thought at first as Tim Gunn gave the contestants--some of whom shifted uncomfortably when they learned of their task--five minutes to grab as much Hershey-related swag and candy as humanly possible and then create a garment from this flotsam and jetsam in one day. I harrumphed and shifted uncomfortably myself (one need only look at Christian and Victorya's reactions to see what I mean); after all, this challenge seemed on the surface to be something more at home in, say, The Apprentice than on Project Runway . This task was all about mass market branding and edible materials and less about careful restrictions and creative success

Conflict, conflict, conflict. That's the name of the game on Bravo's sartorial showdown Project Runway . After all, these are big personalities who typically can't agree to get along for the duration of an elevator ride, much less design an outfit or collection together. So it was interesting then to see on last night's episode that several of the teams actually did work surprisingly well together. Their task: to select fashion faux-pas from previous decades and then, in teams of three, weave these heinous stylistic sins into a cohesive collection that reinvented the fashion no-nos into something modern. A Herculean task, to be fair. Making matters all the more interesting was the fact that Tim allowed the teams to select themselves into groups and they'd have to nominate a de facto leader for each team. I always find these sort of social interactions exciting to watch as it typically forces people's true colors to come out. Would Ricky prove an effective leader

After four seasons, it's hard to get the designers on Bravo's addictively compelling design challenge Project Runway all flustered during a challenge. This group, especially seems completely jaded and underwhelmed by everything they encounter. And yet, last night's challenge--a first for Project Runway --had each of the designers floundering as they were forced to adapt while designing an ensemble for a TV personality. Just what was so unexpected and difficult about the challenge? For something that really threw the designers and forced them to think outside their own experiences and comfort zone, they were tasked with creating an outfit for Tiki Barber to wear on Today . Yes, ladies and gents, it was menswear and it was not going to be pretty. Still, I do have to say that I was rather impressed with some of the results though I immediately predicted that Carmen and crybaby Ricky would end up in the bottom two this week. (Is there anything that doesn't send Ricky into

Ah, Project Runway , how I've missed you. The sartorial showdown launched last night on Bravo and I for one was absolutely glued to my television. As usual, production company Magical Elves did an amazing job at casting, editing, and producing this slick, sleek, and stylish competition series, invigorating the elimination process of professions (whether they be fashion designers or chefs) and turning a spotlight onto their creative process. In a word: bravo. Last night's episode of Project Runway ("Sew Me What You Got") introduced us to the fifteen new designers who, unlike previous seasons, seem to be a wacky, slightly more out there, motley crew consisting of avant-garde marionette designers, over-the-top theatrical costume designers, and lingerie designers. It's a cluttered playing field and one that's filled with promise, even though I was pretty disappointed with several of the offerings on hand. For the first challenge, the designers had 10 minutes to

For fans of Bravo's fantastic sartorial competition Project Runway , it's been a little bit of a frustrating summer. After all, we've been waiting for ages just for an official release date from cabler Bravo. Then, there was a ray of hope just the other day. Heidi Klum had posted the below update about PR4 on her website, as reported here : Project Runway Season Premiere-November 14th Watch the new season of Project Runway beginning Wednesday, November 14th, only on Bravo (check your local listings). I consider it to be our best season yet! And then, rather mysteriously, the message disappeared from her website . Curious. Could Teutonic goddess Klum have spoken too soon? (Apparently, as Bravo requested she remove the erroneous launch date.) And when, just when, will Bravo then release any information (other than 4th quarter 2007) about when viewers will finally get to see Project Runway 's fourth season? Your guess is, sadly, as good as mine.

It's been driving me mad wondering just when the hell Bravo's style competition Project Runway will be returning. After all, the space between last season (which wrapped in 2006) and next season has seemed interminably long. Bravo claimed that the fashion series would return in "Fall 2007." But they've been saying that for quite some time now. Sure, we've got Top Chef and next month's Tim Gunn's Guide to Style to tide us over until then, but I'm hungry for some backstabbing and arguments about sewing machines now. Worry no longer. Reality Blurred has the story. Heidi Klum, model, host/judge, and executive producer of Project Runway , has revealed via her website that Season Four of Project Runway will hit the airwaves on November 14th: Project Runway Season Premiere-November 14th Watch the new season of Project Runway beginning Wednesday, November 14th, only on Bravo (check your local listings). I consider it to be our best season yet! I do

Like many fans of Bravo's catwalks-and-catfights reality series Project Runway , I could not imagine the show without erudite and dapper mentor Tim Gunn along for the ride. After all, while I love Heidi, Nina, and Michael, Tim is really the heart and soul of the sartorial series. So I was overjoyed to learn today that Tim has signed on to return for the fourth season of Project Runway , along with Heidi Klum, Nina Garcia, and Michael Kors as the troika of over-critical judges who will destroy the dreams of more than a few would-be designers while casting one into the spotlight . Harvey Weinstein made the announcement earlier today in a joint statement representing The Weinstein Company, Miramax, and Bravo. "I am thrilled to make it official that I will be back in the workroom for season four of Project Runway ," said Gunn in a statement. "We're in the midst of casting the designers now and I can already see that it will be another amazing season." It'

Oh, Jeffrey. You won Project Runway 3 , despite allegations of cheating launched at you by pregnant nemesis Laura, making a fellow contestant's mother cry, and a general air of self-entitlement spurred on by a mixture of cockiness, success, and a variety of neck tattoos. So, what's become of you since the camera stopped rolling? I'm not the only one who's been wondering what former Project Runway contestant Jeffrey Sebelia has been up to since he won the fashion reality series' top prize, including $100,000, a Saturn, and a mentorship with Macy and I.N.C. In fact, New York Magazine 's Amy Larocca has an extremely candid interview with Sebelia in this week's issue, in which he admits that he's broke and his next gig is fact designing costumes for the upcoming live-action Bratz motion picture. That $100K grand prize went to paying off a huge debt for his clothing line (that would be Cosa Nostra, which once dressed Gwen Stefani, most likely in her pre-L.A

Project Runway host/mentor Tim Gunn might not be confirmed for the next season of the sartorial challenge series, but he is due to pop up in an unlikely place: Mode magazine. ABC has announced that Gunn will guest star on Golden Globe-winning comedy Ugly Betty during February sweeps in not one, but two (yes, two!) episodes. Gunn will play a Fashion TV correspondent covering a grand scandale that breaks during the Mode Fashion Week runway show, beginning February 1st. The February 1st installment of Ugly Betty that introduces Gunn's character will also guest star American Idol 's Katharine McPhee, playing herself. Or better still, herself as a celebrity guest at said Mode runway show. Also said to return in that February 1st episode: Christopher Gorham, who plays Henry, the object of Betty's affections. Will Betty be forced to choose between Henry and Walter? It is February sweeps, after all, but if Gunn can teach Betty one thing, it's to come to a decision and, well