By Jae-Ha Kim
Amazon.com
November 4, 2008
The fourth season of “Project Runway” returns with another group of telegenic contestants intent on winning the $100,000 cash prize and the chance to jumpstart their careers as fashion designers. The 15 competitors include sensitive Ricky Lizdale, earth mama Kathleen Vaughn, and impishly adorable Christian Siriano. Thanks to his quirky looks, hip designs, and popular catchphrases (“fierce,” “ferosh,” “hot tranny mess”), Siriano became such a pop culture sensation that he was parodied by Amy Poehler on Saturday Night Live.
Though it is full of drama and its share of cat fighting, Project Runway has always been a step above your run-of-the-mill reality series. Whereas The Hills relies on a coterie of frenemies to ramp up its ratings, Project Runway actually seems interested in the contestants and how they will succeed in life beyond the series.
Hosted by supermodel Heidi Klum, who exhibits a wry sense of humor while keeping the show moving at a brisk pace, the series is smartly entertaining. Fan favorite Tim Gunn returns, as does judge Nina Garcia. This season’s guest stars include fashionista Sarah Jessica Parker, who helps critique the contestants’ creations for her affordable Bitten line.
But former football pro Tiki Barber is a scene stealer, appearing in an episode where the competitors have to design an outfit for him to wear on television. (Some of the pieces that the cast comes up with challenge the notion that Barber looks good in anything.) All 13 episodes from the Bravo series are included in this four-disc set.
By the time Klum says auf wiedersehen to the runner up, most viewers will agree that the right contestant won.
