#project-runway

#project-runway

This Project Runway season has been a roller coaster, especially frustrating because of how often it felt like the series was shortchanging us in terms of what we watch it for (design time, mentoring time!) and being overloaded with drama. But also, this format just works as a reality competition, especially for people who watch these shows for a glimpse into specialized processes that they may not themselves know how to do, and I'm including myself in that group.

Thank you for indulging me in my little Tyra Banks impression (inspired by Law's abrupt rendition of the same thing on the runway this week), because it really captures what I feel about this season's penultimate episode, "Something Wicked." Finally, a two-day challenge, with a really great concept and an extremely helpful mentor in Wicked costume designer Paul Tazewell, who made history by being the first Black man to win the Oscar for Best Costume Design.

Stop me if you've heard this one before: The twins are annoyed with the other contestants, the other contestants are annoyed with the twins, the twins end up making a variation of an outfit they've made before, none of the judges comment on their narrow design aesthetic, and another episode of Project Runway wraps up. If the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result, well, yeah, we're there, folks.

An unconventional-materials challenge with the twins working together, only Law Roach deciding who wins, and a demoralizing vote forced upon the safe designers to kick out one of the bottom-three contestants highlights a disturbing shift.

Ah Loo was an innocent bystander at the protest and was not the intended target of the gunfire, according to preliminary police investigations.