Then read this fabulous summary on Lucienne Diver's blog. One of the best and most clear I've ever seen.
On other issues... Is anyone else enjoying Lost again? Actually, I must confess that even during that strange split season 3, this show never "lost" me.
I was also excited that the new season of Project Runway Canada started this week. For you Americans... it's the exact same format as the US one, except the host is Iman. Who I think does a way better job than Heidi Klum. She's smarter, more opinionated and although when she loves something she really loves it, she can be cuttingly mean. (And every time I see her on screen I can't help myself thinking, ten times a minute, she gets to sleep with David Bowie, she gets to sleep with David Bowie -- giggle.)
There's no Tim Gunn... Instead the mentor is a Canadian designer called Brian Bailey. He's okay... but no Tim Gunn.
Still, the first season "measured up" (Iman's catch phrase to kick people off -- "you don't measure up") to the US and UK versions. Especially since in the last season of the UK one, not only did a Canadian (living in London) win... another one of the top three was Canadian.
But the first episode of this season was such a let down. I thought it might be better/slicker since it was moved from the cable station Slice to the broadcast network Global. But not so far.
First, they've set this season in Ottawa. Really? Ottawa? To gain context... Imagine putting the US version in DC. (Ottawa is the capital of Canada.) Is it a fashion city? Does it make any sense? No. None. Maybe the production costs were cheaper or something? They set the first challenge at the War Museum. Really? Really???? The producers must be getting some serious grants from the government or something. Ottawa is a pretty city in places and at times... But it's like a small town with a few great buildings... And I expect the only fabric stores they have are Fabricland. (Cheap, horrible fabric in a sterile mall-like setting. Nothing like the cool fabric stores on Queen St. in Toronto where the contestants shopped last season.)
Setting the show in Ottawa is almost as strange a choice as setting the first season of Canada's Next Top Model in Victoria. (I assume that had to do with Trisha Helfer needing to be on the west coast to film Battlestar Galactica, but still... why not Vancouver? At least they were smart enough to move that show to Toronto in the second season (hosted by Torontonian Jay Manuel.)
Second, not one, but TWO of the designers cast in Runway Canada season 2 left the show during the first episode for medical reasons. One had a serious panic attack about 2 hours into the first challenge and the other guy -- well it was so clear taking one look at him that he was not physically up to doing a show like Project Runway... Not physically up to walking up a short flight of stairs. I feel badly for the guy but what was he (or the producers) thinking???
And as of now, I don't see any great personalities emerging. I guess it's early to make that call, (they guy who is trying to have a "catch phrase" will get old quickly) but last season's winner, Biddell, and a few of the others were interesting from day one. (If you go to his website, be sure to click on the lookbook. Some seriously cool photos and fashion.)
I'm hoping the season improves. Pout.
10 comments:
Thanks for the link to Lucienne's blog, Maureen. She did a great job of explaining what seems to be a confusing dilemma at times!
Iman is hot, and the David Bowie connection can't be beat. Mmm, mental image...
I love that Lost is on again and have really ejoyed the 2 episodes that have aired, but I must admit to disappoint that they didn't mention Michael or Walt during the "catch up" show. Whatever happens, they better tie up the millions of loose threads they have dangling out there or they'll have one angry fan next year!
Good point, Maria! They barely mentioned Charlie, either.
They made such a big deal of the Walt character... and then dropped it.
Very rarely have I seen the distinctions explained so well. Thanks for the link.
OOOHHH..and love me some LOST :)
Your posts crack me up, Maureen! "Ottawa...is like a small town with a few great buildings." Ha!
as someone whose worked to build the fashion industry in ottawa, i can say it's getting there. the producers of project runway canada are trying to set the show in various cities across canada. they've already done toronto, they can't do montreal (the show is not billingual) and so ottawa was the next setting. probably next season will be in vancouver, or calgary. do remember that ottawa does have a population of 1 million and is canada's 4th largest city. although boring and government, it's still deserves a chance. also, the war museum is absolutely beautiful. i hosted a fashion show there once, the architecture and features are mind blowing.
D.
My humble apologies to Ottawa. :-) I actually like the city and have lived there...
I just thought that show fit in Toronto... and now that you mention Montreal, it would fit there, too. And I don't see how the bilingual nature of the city would be a problem. Ottawa is quite bilingual, too. My BIL grew up in Ottawa without learning English until he was in his late teens...
But if they want to move it around to various cities, hey, fine. The setting isn't really the point of the show, I guess.
The choice just felt odd to me so I made a joke about it.
(and sorry, Ottawa totally does have a small town, roll up the sidewalks at midnight feel to me. A million people spread out over a huge area... And the War Museum might be beautiful... But they way they lit that runway show made it hard to see the clothes. It seemed like such a dark room.)
The second episode was a little better... but I'm still on the fence about this season... The designers they seem to be focusing on are very annoying...
On the upside... The fabric store looked way better than I expected! But the fact they had to go to all the way to Rockland to find a good fabric store proves my point about Ottawa. :-)
oh don't worry i was not offended! I don't even live in ottawa anymore. You're right the sidewalks are cleared by midnight and the city is way too big and built wrong in the first place so you never know where anyone is you know?
my point about montreal was that the city would not provide the producers funding because Montreal's first language is French and the show has no French in it therefore not representative of Quebec. Ottawa you can survive without being billingual, although I assure you we billingualites get paid much more for being french in ottawa hahaha!
the producers are focusing on the drama filled people (of course reality TV ratings ratings ratings!) but i hope they start giving the non catty ones some more air time because they are actually more talented than the rest.
D.
That makes sense about Montreal... Too bad for Montreal really... but that's an entirely different (and political) topic.
I'm with you on hoping they stop focusing on the catty ones. That dress Brandon did was ridiculous. I know the other girl's (can't think of her name) was a mess... but at least the concept was better... You could see how it might have worked if she were a better sewer... But the producers clearly like Brandon and have decided to focus on him. "Hey, hey, hey!" One likes to think the judges aren't influenced by that kind of thing... but they are going for good TV...
I do love that show...
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