‘Project Runway’ Recap: Always a Bridesmaid

The only thing nastier than a hot pink, polyester bridesmaid gown is this season of Project Runway. Never before have we seen so many glaring eyes, heard so many put downs and now it seems to have spread throughout the whole cast! As if it wasn’t hard enough making a wearable garment out of an old bridesmaid gown, now they have to do it with knives in their backs? Et tu, Project Runway! Et tu!

Look up the word “awkward” in the dictionary and you’ll find a description of this week’s episode. It began with the aftermath of Tim’s uncharacteristic slam after last week’s elimination. He called Gretchen a manipulative bully and she said he hurt her feelings. I believe that, because even the meanest person doesn’t like to be called out on their behavior, but several of the designers join the pity party, saying she’s just a little controlling and doesn’t mean to be mean. And Cruella De Ville loves puppies.

The really odd thing is how nearly everyone suddenly has it in for Michael C, whom I find funny and charming. It’s not like he won last week. That was Casanova. He was in the bottom and he took hits from every one of his teammates, so if anyone had a reason to whine, it was him.

The mood only grew worse when the designers found out that they had to make wearable clothes for real-size people mainly using the fabric from an ugly bridesmaid gown. Then the tension ratcheted up a notch when Tim made his first visit to the workroom. There was an understandably awkward moment between him and Gretchen as he critiqued her design but once they got past it Gretchen found a way to turn it into some weird cathartic moment. Something about open wounds and picking at scabs. . .

Let’s Go Public

Then, because we’re tired of watching everyone have lunch, the producers throw in a curve which is really more of slight bend. The designers will have to show off their work at a public exhibition where actual people will cast votes via buttons in a jar. It was shades of True Beauty as the designers attempted to woo the crowd one button tosser at a time. It was all pretty boring until someone (probably one of the producers) started a rumor that Michael C was telling the guests not to vote for Ivy because she’s a bitch.

We never see this happen, and I imagine if he had done it, they would have shown it on camera but Ivy doesn’t believe he’s innocent, even when he tells her so later in the workroom. Come on, folks. This guy doesn’t have a mean bone in his body. Even when he made that serial killer comment about Jason weeks ago. He was just joking!

So it was on to the runway and it was pretty bad. Then again, considering what they all had to work with, not as bad as it could have been. We’ll get into the details of who came in on the top and the bottom tomorrow, but for now, let’s just say that the worst possible person won.

Yep, Michael C took home another win and now everyone, even reasonable people like Andy and Christopher seem to be gunning for him. Peach was eliminated and though she was a likable lady, her time had come. She went out with style as the rest of the designers sat on the couch with their jaws in their laps.

Think tonight was bad? A promo for next week promises much worse when Tim gathers the group together to announce that someone has been accused of cheating.

Ponder that now, then come back later for a closer look at the designs in this week’s runway show.

Photo Credit: Barbara Nitke / Lifetime Television