Project Runway Season 10: Episode 1: The Deatherrage of Civility

Gunnar represents the Deatherrage of civility

We are back to the good old framework of Project Runway after that chintzy All-Stars of a few months ago. (I couldn't even watch it to the end, I was so bored with it. The same with Around the World in 80 Plates. Top Chef meets Amazing Race. Yawn) PR premiered on Thurs. and I finally got around to watching the Behind the Scenes "Road to the Runway" special and the 90-minute premiere on Sat. night and Sun. morning. This time there are 16 designers and I have already picked out the most hated one of the season and possibly of all time. Can you guess who it is?

It's the appropriately named Gunnar Deatherrage (because he represents the death of civility in our age.) This twink was one of the first 4 out of 20 designers eliminated at the very  beginning of the previous season.He may be overcompensating for that incident, but he is nasty and obnoxious in addition to possessing an annoying nasal voice. There's nothing wrong for being a larger-than-life personality, but Gunnar must be "the only star in the sky."

He has singled out Christopher for his venom, rebuffing the latter as friendship was offered. Gunnar admitted the reason for his dislike of Christopher is that they are too similar. He feels threatened by someone of the same age and temperament who is probably more talented than him. When Christopher won the first week's challenge, Gunnar told the confession camera "Christopher made a nice dress but now he's going to get a swelled head. He's so arrogant." Pot, meet kettle.

At the other end of my taste spectrum, I like Buffi for her British-Judy-Robinson-from-Lost-in-Space vibe and Andrea for her 58-year-old-I-don't-give-a-shit attitude.I'm almost as old as Andrea and I'm beginning to see what she means.

There are a lot of designers and it's always difficult to get them straight--as it were--on the first episode. But here are my impressions of the remaining ones I can remember. Kooan is like a little anime character whose clothes look like they belong on cartoon characters. I think I'll call him Pickachu. Lantie is now Bib Woman for her signature accessory and her defense of it in defiance of Michael Kors and Nina Garcia.Raul is the one who made the tissue-paper dress. Elanya is the futuristic goth one. All of her designs look like they belong on  the cover of a William Gibson cyberpunk novel. Ven is a master technician with an obsession for red roses, he will probably make it to the end.

This looks to be an exciting season. I read that two contestants have a meltdown and a psychiatrist has to be called to the set.