Episode Report Card Jeff Long: B+ | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT On Garde!
By Jeff Long | Season 4 | Episode 8 | Aired on 01.15.2008
In a hurry? Read the recaplet for a nutshell description! Finished? Click here to close.It appears that the producers of Project Runway are spending more time thinking up challenges than thinking up bullshit drama. This is seriously one of the coolest challenges to date. Heidi brings out the models for the designers to choose and all of them have different extreme hairstyles. Heidi explains that they will be creating an avant-garde design based on the hairstyle of their model. Awesome. Then, Tim tells them that they will be paired into teams. The teams are Kit and Ricky, Sweet P and Rami, Jillian and Victorya, and Christian and Chris (aka Team Fierce).
Sweet P and Rami have a really hard time working together as Rami starts to reveal the Type A-est of TypeA personalities. Victorya and Jillian are masterful designers but right away are behind on execution due to their time management problems. Christian and Chris are a team made in Xanadu-- they know exactly where they are going from the moment everything begins. Ricky and Kit sail along loving their design and thankfully not crying.
After a day of work, Tim springs another element of the challenge onto them. They have to create an additional look, one that is a ready-to-wear version of their avant-garde piece.
Sweet P and Rami start fighting because Rami doesn't seem to trust anyone, or maybe it's just Sweet P. Victorya and Jillian are seriously, painfully pushed to the last minute. They almost don't even BEGIN their ready-to-wear look. In the end, Victorya and Jillian pull it out with an awesome look that includes one of the greatest jackets in Project Runway history. Seriously, I'm on the fence about Jillian being human and all, but this jacket is freaking amazing. Christian and Chris win the challenge (and Christian wins immunity because he was team leader) with their amazingly intricate and forward piece.
Ridiculously, Ricky remains for another week. Kit goes home. Sure, their dress was shabby and amateurish, but did it have to be Kit? What is Ricky holding over these people's heads? Want more? The full recap starts right below!
Previously: Ricky's deal with the devil was finalized and Kevin was sent home for making a prom dress that wasn't great, but it wasn't Ricky. Victorya won her second challenge. Christian almost got eliminated because his teenaged client dominated him.
It's rise and shine time at the New Gotham apartments, and everyone is getting ready. Rami asks Christian how he felt about the previous challenge. Christian says, "What? My client? Who almost got me eliminated?" Christian interviews that he had a lot of trouble with his design, but he still doesn't think he should have been in the bottom two. His wasn't that cute, but others were not cute. That's actually probably true.
Ricky says that the prom dress challenge taught him that he still has a lot to learn. Send the Understatement of the Century Committee home, we have a winner.
At Parsons, Heidi comes onstage with the button bag. She brings out the models and they all have super-funky hairstyles. Heidi tells them that they will be creating an avant-garde design inspired by the hairstyle of their models. Kit looks disturbed by the mention of avant-garde, but maybe she just remembered that she left the coffee pot on at the apartment. Wow, this could be a really cool challenge. It's asking them to really create something new. Granted, designers could just choose the hair that's closest to their style, but I like thinking of the possibilities. Heidi says that this is an opportunity for the designers to push themselves to create something conceptual and artistic. Agreed, Heidi.
Since the models weren't used in the last challenge, two of them will be eliminated in this choosing. As someone has mentioned on the forum, the whole bit about this being a competition for the models as well as the designers is kind of a load of crap. When you are not even appearing in half of the challenges, there's not much that you can do to insure your spot.
Since Victorya won the last challenge, she gets to choose models first. She stays with Jacqueline, who has this weird manufactured mohawk/banana clip look. Kit is chosen next and she stays with Marie, who has this old-style look-- smooth on top, super full and curly at the ends. Sweet P disses Katie, her old model, for Lea who has a giant mane of kinky, curly hair. She interviews that she felt bad, but Katie's hair was very flat and greasy. I totally agree with her. Plus, everyone wants a piece of Lea. I like seeing that trend continued. Jillian stays with Lauren, who has a sort of pulled back Brigitte Bardot look. Chris stays with Marcia, who has a giant bun of a braid. It looks like a hair pastry. It's much less disgusting than I described it; pretty, even. Marcia picks Sam, who has a flat wave on her crown, then her hair is frizzed and everywhere. These hairdos are certainly inspiring. Remind me to have Rhonda and Frances groomed. Christian picks Lisa, who has really straight bangs and curly, full ends. Christian interviews that she is "so high fashion." I'm starting to love that little twerp. I can't help myself. Ricky is last to choose and he picks Amanda, who has a humongo actual Brigitte Bardot do going on. That means that Katie and Aviva are going home. Bye girls. At least you get to wash that crap out of your hair now. Sweet P seems sad to see Katie go.