Project Runway 5, Episode 1: Where's My Everyman?

Photo from Flickr Commons

I finally got around to watching Episode 1 of Project Runway Season 5 the other night. I’ve been a fan of the show ever since I watched several episodes of Season 2 back-to-back on a Jetblue flight from San Francisco to New York.

I’m cautiously optimistic about Season 5. I liked the return to the supermarket challenge, but was highly disappointed in the execution. With a few exceptions, no one thought out of the box. Why? Because they’re all in the box. They are all already designers of some success. That was my problem with Season 4 too. Where’s the Danny V. who’s fresh out of design school? Where’s the Laura Bennet, architect and mother of six? As annoying as she was, where’s Wendy Pepper?

Sure, the designers the last two seasons have been more skilled, but the show has lacked an everyman. I have no one to identify with. No one who “could” be me. That makes the show less approachable. It’s harder to empathize with the contestants. It’s harder to care.

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Blayne’s annoying. I hope he goes early, but I suspect he will stay on the show longer than his talent should allow because he’ll make for better TV (much like Santino).

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You could tell Stella wasn’t going to get cut because they made her the one you were worried about losing. The one who’s in “trouble” always pulls it out in the end. Jerry on the other hand was painted as a conceited jack-ass with the onscreen charisma of a beige wall. While I’m sure he was conveniently edited to appear that way, he still had a giant target on his back as a result. He had to go.