Today’s Guest Clacker is Jeff, a guy in Texas who spends so much time in front of the boob tube, he fears he’s beginning to grow a pair. To support his habit, he works IT like nobody’s business, if that business were coma-inducing and altogether unfulfilling. Outside of a Linux shell, he’s a fairly normal guy as long as you consider sleeping with an “I Miss Alias” pillow and Batman blankie normal grown-man behavior.
Tonight’s challenge required two teams of six to create a Fall 2010 collection. Team challenges typically pull a lot of drama onto the workroom floor. But tonight, said drama was saved for the runway panel, and lordy was there DRAMA.
Team Luxe, of which Gretchen grabbed the reins as dictator captain, even though it was supposed to be an equal level challenge, chose to go with Menswear for Women with a camel color palette. I don’t know much about fashion, personally, but I thought it was hideous, and about spat out my wine when Michael Kors referred to the “Golden Girls” sweater. He was dead on, because I could picture Bea Arthur wearing that exact outfit.
Team Military & Lace had a collection that was modern and hip, and I thought their designs were infinitely more fresh in their take on the mix of masculine and feminine. Worked really well on the runway, in my non-expert opinion. I guess the judges agreed because M&L won the challenge, with Casanova, who spent most of the episode wallowing in self-pity and whining about Tim not liking his designs, as the primary winner and thus immune to next week’s elimination. Great. At least two more weeks with Casanova. Just. Great.
The aforementioned drama came when the losing Team Luxe came out for their critiques. Just prior to, Gretchen brought up the question of what strategy to take — point the finger at the weakest link or stand their ground as a team? Clearly she wanted the former, but sided with the rest of the team on taking the latter approach.
Before the panel, Gretchen took charge (again) and stood up for her team and the collection, claiming how proud she was of the work they did together … that is until the judges started pounding her about the designs and she made a quick 180, calling their collection garbage and basically saying she had to attempt to save the anemic collection and called out Michael C. for being the weakest link. Everyone else jumped on the bash-wagon with her, except for A.J. who only pointed out his own shortcomings. Way to take the high road, dude.
Ultimately the decision came down to Gretchen and A. J. in the bottom, with A. J. packing his bags. The best part of the entire episode was when they were saying good-bye to A.J. and Tim Gunn came in and scolded the team for allowing Gretchen to manipulate them into doing her bidding, and now A. J. was taking the bullet. BURN! I agree Gretchen should have gone home. The entire collection was her design; she pretty much ran the show and should have been eliminated for it.
Side note, I was a little disturbed by the maxi-pad “saddle” in the Always commercial, and suddenly was painfully aware I was watching a network targeted to ladies. Shudders.
What did you think? Do you think Casanova should have won over Peach? Did A. J. deserve to be ousted over Gretchen? Should Tim stay neutral and avoid making disparaging remarks about a contestant?
Clacked by Guest Clacker
on Aug 28, 2010 @ 14:07 EST5EDT
Casanova’s design was beautiful. I would have loved to have seen Gretchen go home. Tim’s smackdown made me cheer and yell at the tv screen..Go Tim Go!!! Gretchen’s look of disbelief was hilarious, she has no clue how annoying she is.
I think Casanova should have his own show. He is so refreshing and funny. I totally get him. He’s very creative and very talented. I will miss watching him on subsequent episodes of Project Runway. Hopefully someone will give him his own show. I love him.