Can someone explain to me the life cycle of a reality show? Has anyone done research on this topic? I feel like something just happened with our Project Runway, something that has happened before and will happen again. In short, I think that we have passed out of the Self-Conscious Phase and into the Self-Parody Phase.
Seriously -- I'm half-convinced that half the designers (*cough* Suede, Jerell, that surrealism girl . . . that scary rocker lady . . . that dickslapicious Blayne) are actually actors performing in a skit for Reality Bites Back (only kind of funny). Every time Suede talks to the camera, my suspension of disbelief just completely disappears. No one really calls himself Suede -- and absolutely no one refers to himself in the third person, like that. Seriously. Have you ever met anyone in real life who does that?
That said, I'm actually starting to enjoy this season. I like the repetition of previous years' challenges -- maybe in part because it seems like an obvious slap at the franchise by Magical Elves. It's true that so far, each of these repeated challenges has compared unfavorably with the originals. Remember the one from the first season (right?) with the models' wedding dresses? That was hilarious. Wasn't the second season one about finding inspiration on the streets of New York the one that featured Andrae crying, on the runway, for like a half-hour for no definable reason?
However -- do I have a however? -- this episode seemed especially strong. Some of the designers are starting to click for me. I like Kelli. I like Daniel Feld. I love Kenley (although I wasn't crazy about this week's dress).
I'm feeling very ambivalent about this season. I sort of like Leanne (Portland holla!) but she also reminds me of the things that I don't love about my city. I usually have a definite favorite by now and I'm getting panicky that I won't like anyone.
Posted by: Melanie | August 02, 2008 at 08:05 PM