Project Runway: Girls, Girls, Girls

The outcome of this episode was SO predetermined and obvious that I didn’t even think twice of going with a mild spoiler as this column’s title.

Still, I have to give the producers behind this show credit for (almost) making it (kinda) interesting.

I hope you don’t mind if this is one my shorter recaps. I mean, what is there to say about an episode that was mostly comprised of the designers spouting variations of, “This is the last challenge”, “We have to wow the judges this week because it’s the last challenge”, “I really want to go to Bryant Park”, and “Going to Bryant Park means everything to me.”

The challenge was to create a look inspired by the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles, which made me think immediately of the season 4 challenge that had the contestants create a look inspired by the Metropolitan Museum of Art. (Unfortunately, it also made me think of how much more exciting/entertaining/challenging Christian, Rami, Jillian and Co. were compared to this year’s crop of designers.)

Our current contestants ended up doing little to shake the underwhelming tag.

This week’s workroom sessions didn’t bring anything new, other than Althea sort of assuming the role of main antagonist. (I thought Irina was going to say Althea was like King Kong because she was really tall, not because she “grabs everything.”) Irina happily informed us that she would never say anything behind anyone’s back that she wouldn’t say to their face, leading me to let out my most sarcastic “HA!”

For example, she criticized Christopher for having a “false confidence” right after we were shown her being nice to him. I don’t believe Christopher has a “false” confidence, I think he has a misguided confidence. A false confidence implies that he doesn’t believe in himself or what he’s saying. Unfortunately, I think Christopher actually believes in everything he’s done the past month. (Tim certainly didn’t believe in the accent color he wanted to use while they were at Mood.)

After a depressing mentoring visit from Tim (was he REALLY excited about any of the outfits, except maybe Gordana’s?) the runway show came, went and disappointed again.

Heidi and Nina were joined by Cynthia Rowley and Cindy Crawford (what’s SHE been up to). Although there was no top 3 or bottom 3, none of the judges seemed terribly excited about ANY of the looks. (How sad is it that, facing their most important challenge of the season, none of these people could get the judges or viewers excited?)

Althea – who’s never been in the bottom 2 – delivered her worst look of the season after spending too much time on a puckered skirt. She also forced her model Tanisha to wear her boobs around her belly again thanks to a flimsy top. Although Irina’s look got some positive comments, it was too droopy for my taste and Nina said it looked “too old.” She also over-accessorized her model Kalyn and the judges forced her to take off her shoes and hair clip thingy. (That’s what happens when you don’t use the Macy’s Accessory Wall thoughtfully.) Carol-Hannah did “the best”, but made a pretty-yet-unexciting dress that had little to do with her inspiration and was too reminiscent of her past work. Nina called it “safe perfection.” (Not exactly glowing praise.)

That being said, it was pretty clear those three would be going to Bryant Park, and they absolutely deserve to be there out of the designers who are left.

I believe that’s why the judges tempered their praise of Gordana’s work (probably the best of the night). If they praised Gordana’s dress too much, they might have been forced to send her to Bryant Park over the suddenly-struggling Althea. Gordana has been WAY too inconsistent to earn a spot in Bryant Park, and she just seemed to be in a generally foul mood last night. (Maybe it came from hanging around with new BFF Irina too much.) Still, I had to laugh when Nina criticized her by saying that she “didn’t know who Gordana was as a designer.” How WOULD Nina know? She’s been gone half the season!

Then there’s Christopher, the self-proclaimed “wacky, weird guy.” It’s not so much that he was “wacky or weird” as much as he was totally clueless. I REALLY appreciated that he went outside the box and didn’t use a painting or work of art for inspiration. (Christopher used a fountain and the algae at the bottom.) I LOVE that he tried to find beauty in an unusual place – like this guy. Still, his final creation was (again!) ultimately misguided. The bottom of the dress was too stiff and heavy and appeared to be smeared with blue crayon. I think the judges got it exactly right in the end – he has good ideas, but doesn’t have the experience to execute them.

The judges, I believe, also got it exactly right with this final three.

So what’d you think of the episode? Why the hell was L.A. mayor Antonio Villaraigosa there to present the challenge along with Tim? (I’m guessing this was filmed pre-scandal.) Finally, who do you think will win this season of “Project Runway”?