Allison Wrongfully Trashed on "Project Runway"

What. The. Hell.

I'm often bemused or surprised by who gets eliminated in reality show competitions but I'm not usually as shocked and appalled as I was watching last night's Project Runway.

Apparently, consistency doesn't mean anything in this Runway race nor does consistently quality work. Every designer has a fiasco or two (Kayne, my dear, I am looking at you this week), but to boot Allison over Vincent? Hello, VINCENT? He of the garishly gauche basket-hat? And the one-dimensional nursery school craft project dress this week? Who kept interrupting the judges to insist that his model's walk--sorry, hobble--down the runway was a turn-on? Who quit his job and cashed in his 401K to wind up in the bottom three nearly every week? Um, consistently?

Enough questions. Here's a statement: I am seriously annoyed. I thought that the judges were extraordinarily cruel to Allison this week whose design was far superior to Vincent's white "sheath" sack dress. Did it make her "zaftig" model look large? Yes. But was it so unflattering and so unworthy of being up on the runway that it discounted everything that Allison has done to date? I don't think so. Especially since "talent" was what kept Robert Best in the running last week when his Jackie O. atrocity nearly got him auf wiedersehen'd. Why do the judges' perception of talent save some designers and not others?

It makes my blood boil.

I think that Allison has an extraordinary amount of ability and came thisclose to winning that one challenge against Uli (another favorite of mine, BTW). It makes me angry that she's off the show but the aforementioned Clown Prince of Couture and sketch-phobic Angela are still in the running. I'm just baffled. That said, I was happy that Kayne didn't get the boot this week as I am usually a fan of his designs and he's just freaking hilarious on the show. I loved the scene with him and Robert where they trashed the suddenly more-uptight-than-usual Laura.

Speaking of which, what is the deal with Laura? Her "For Nuts Only" dress was prettily elegant, if a little understated, and she hasn't really bothered me to date, but she seems to have seriously gotten under her fellow contestants' skins. While I am sure that Kayne and Robert rail on everybody, they seemed particularly catty about Laura, whose comments to Kayne about not understanding most of his fashion choices, sweetie, were so off-base and inappropriate as to be funny, especially given the fact that most weeks Kayne ends up towards the top of the pack. Even funnier was Vincent's quip to "stick some Harry Winston's up your nose" to Laura, even if I don't quite follow the non-sequitur. Up her nose? How... very specific. Nor do I follow why Laura was suddenly attacking Vincent when Allison walked out (even if I do agree with her); not the appropriate time or place to confront Vincent about his model's walk. Color me confused.

I was really torn between the final two designs, which couldn't have been more different. Michael's ensemble was gorgeous and instantly wearable and he made good use out of the recycled materials, transforming each of them into something approaching organza and taffeta. Michael's recycled bustier, wrap, and skirt looked simply stunning on model Nazri, his good luck charm. Jeffrey used newspaper and magazine paper to created a jaw-dropping painted effect dress that actually moved on the runway and seemed to achieve the closest approximation to fabric than any of the other designers (most designs looked stiff on the runway) and created a trompe l'oeil belt which wowed Michael Kors and Co. but left me a little cold (I'd rather have seen him create an actual belt out of some scraps). Still, it was a tough decision to choose between these two very different designs... and I couldn't believe I was actually rooting for Jeffrey a little bit. But in the end, the top spot went to Michael for the second week in a row and rightfully so. (Plus, seeing Jeffrey's attitude afterwards made me happy that he didn't win. Again.) So bravo, Michael Knight.

But even up against Vincent's terrible sack dress, it was poor Allison who got the sack, so to speak. I'm really going to miss her as she added a little youthful femininity to her designs and did not deserve to go home so early in the competition. Especially when there are others who should have gotten Heidi's double-kiss-off a long time ago already.

Next week on Project Runway: another "shocking" challenge for the designers while Angela reaches her breaking point with the tantrum-prone and tattooed Jeffrey. Quelle surprise.

What's On Tonight

8 pm: Big Brother 7: All-Stars (CBS); My Name is Earl/The Office (NBC); Smallville (WB); Grey's Anatomy (ABC); The Simpsons/Malcolm in the Middle (FOX); Everybody Hates Chris/Love, Inc. (UPN)

9 pm: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (CBS); America's Got Talent (NBC); Supernatural (WB); Grey's Anatomy (ABC); Malcolm in the Middle/Fox Fall Preview (FOX); Eve/Cuts (UPN)

10 pm: Without a Trace (CBS); Windfall (NBC); Primetime (ABC)

What I'll Be Watching

8 pm: My Name is Earl.

On tonight's repeat episode ("O Karma, Where Art Thou?"), Earl helps a newlywed couple go on their honeymoon by filling in for the groom at his fast food job, where he has to contend with his boss, Big Bully Numero Uno, played by guest star Jon Favreau.

8:30 pm: The Office.

It's "Viewer's Choice" time, meaning get onto NBC.com and vote for your favorite episode. Will it be the one where Michael burns his foot on a George Foreman grill ("The Injury"), Michael's trip to New York City ("Valentine's Day"), or the climactic Jim-and-Pam kiss ("Casino Night")? Everybody wins!

9: 30 pm: Fox Fall Preview on FOX.

Tune in to this sneak peek of new and returning Fox series and try to guess which of your new favorite programs will be cancelled after only a few episodes!

10 pm: Murder City on BBC America.

Premiering tonight on BBC America: a 2004 Brit mystery series starring Amanda Donahoe (L.A. Law) and Kris Marshall (My Family) as pair of terribly mismatched police partners. In tonight's premiere episode, when an 18-year-old girl goes missing from her bedroom, Luke (Marshall) uses complex mathematic equations to trap a murderer while Susan (Donahoe) is forced to trust a clairvoyant.