UNDER THE GUNN Turns "Make It Work" Into 'Make It Underwhelming...'

If you’ve watched Project Runway at all in the past several years, then you’re probably like me: a big fan of Tim Gunn. For a long time, I wondered when he was going to get his own show because he certainly needed it. The man is an incredible inspiration, not just in the fashion world, but as a mentor and in the gay community. He is someone I would love to meet. And honestly, I’ve never been a big fan of the whole fashion industry. I just adore him as a person. If it weren’t for him on the show, I likely would’ve stopped watching a few seasons back (and also must note that because he’s not on Project Runway: All Stars, I believe it’s a big reason why I can’t seem to get into that portion of the show most of the time).

So Mr. Tim Gunn finally got his own show and fans began to rejoice everywhere at this news! I was excited for sure, despite that it basically looked like another version of Project Runway in the previews I’d seen. I wasn’t going to jump to conclusions right away though. I waited until its premiere this past Thursday (1-16) and cast my judgment then, hoping to set aside my Tim Gunn bias at the same time.

The basic idea of this show is pretty simple. I’d easily describe it as The Voice for fashion design. You have a group of designers competing, along with three mentors. The mentors choose their groups, and as the show progresses and each designer gets sent home from whichever team it is, if a mentor loses everyone on their team, they are out as well. The designers compete in various challenges like Project Runway while being judged, etc. It’s all an interesting concept in some ways, but mostly I was disappointed by the whole approach. I think it’s because it’s something I’ve seen done too much through a variety of reality competition shows--and the three mentors have never really been favorites among mine (Nick, Mondo, and Anya).

The competing designers were also not impressive. Out of the premiere episode, not one stuck out particularly to me. Perhaps I’ll find one among the crowd if I continue watching over the next few weeks. I would like to think so anyway. Once again I find myself watching just because I want to support Tim Gunn and it is his show. But I can’t help but wonder why he was stiffed with such a repetitive, underwhelming, ho-hum debut when he obviously deserved so much more?

 

Let’s see how it’ll turn out by the end of the season. ;)


 

AiR Gets a Co-Blogger! Meet Red!

The new year had me making a lot of changes with my blogging, including picking up some co-bloggers for both of my blogs. Though Adventures in Remoteland in still in its new and growing stages, I knew I wanted to continue things here and would need the additional help. Naturally, I had to ask my long-time friend, Red, who was perfect for this job. ^-^

So without further ado, let me allow him to introduce himself. :D



Hello blogging world!

Allow myself to introduce... myself. Yes that was an Austin Powers reference.

                                                

            This is my first venture into the blogosphere, so I thought I should start with some basic information to get us better acquainted.

In... west Philadelphia born and raised... Ok technically I was born and raised in the Olney section of Philly. Which is somewhere between North & Northeast Philly. But that really doesn't have the same ring to it. Admit it though, you started singing the song.

                                            

Science!

I'm a guy with a lot of interests (most of them legal) a lot of talents (none of them profitable) and a lot of love (most of it consensual).

I'm married to a wonderful woman and she has given me two beautiful dogs. I'm pretty sure they're mine. One definitely has my ears, the other one...

I enjoy books, movies, video games, food, the results of a good workout, breathing, sleeping, getting paid and traveling.

I don’t write nearly as often as I’d like and I read even less. I’m extremely picky when it comes to reading and my wife is the exact opposite. She is a self confessed book junkie, Thank god for e-books. If we had the paperback equivalent, I’d have a castle made of words.

I left my ID in one of these...

I fit the Virgo mold a little too well, but part of me is trying to break it. INTJ personality type on top of that and you get someone that, in their head, is already ten minutes ahead of the conversation they're having with you and they’re already judging you for the things you haven’t said yet. Lol

                                                

I married my high school sweetheart (cliché, right?) and we’ve been together for almost fifteen years now. Ha! Take that statistics and logic!

But enough about that personal stuff, we’re here to talk about movies and TV and stuff! Since I’m knew to this whole thing I figured I would take a page out of Pixie’s book and tell you what I like and don’t like, just so you know what to expect from me.

I probably have the oddest taste in music of anyone you'll ever meet. It's rare that I actually like anything that actually plays on the radio. I jump from Miles Davis to Eminem and back to Michael Jackson. I like what I like and I don't care about genres. My taste in movies is very similar.

Crushes:  Do I really have to? Ok. Mila Kunis, Olivia Munn, Aubrey Plaza, Jensen Ackles… wait, how did that get there? I totally don’t have a crush on Jensen. I mean Dean is a great character and all, but I don’t…

                                               

Who put that there? Well, it’s already there now, might as well leave it…

Before I start please don't ask me to put them in order, it can't be done! Lol I think Story Notes (on AMC) are the cinema equivalent of bacon, they just make everything better.

Favorite TV shows –

Game of Thrones, Castle, Sons of Anarchy, Almost Human, Defiance, House of Cards, Burn Notice, Battlestar Galactica, Family Guy, Once Upon a Time, Supernatural, Simpsons, Boardwalk Empire (I’m so behind!) and, I'm sure there are others I just can't think of right now.

There are a bunch of shows I fell in love with that are no longer with us - Shield, 24, oz, the Sopranos, Seinfeld, Breaking Bad, Avatar: the last airbender, Dexter, Mystery Science Theater 3000…

                                                         

Team Mike!

Movies -

Ghostbusters, 12 Angry Men, Avengers, Goodfellas, Back to the Future, the Princess Bride, Rocky, High Noon, Young Frankenstein, Shawshank Redemption, Godfather, Pulp Fiction, The Good, The Bad and the Ugly, The Usual Suspects, Indiana Jones (everything but that stupid Skull), Wall –E, The Incredibles (when are they making a part two? Seriously!) Reservoir Dogs, Die Hard, Lethal Weapon, Pan’s Labyrinth, Casino, Scrooged, Groundhog Day, National Lampoon (with Chevy Chase) and many more!

There are a lot of popular movies that I just don’t like, but I don’t want you to hate just yet so I’ll save those for another post.

                                               

Other little facts about me: I love MMA, and video games. Also like Pixie I love the 80's and 90's cartoons (they really were the best!), I love comics and graphic novels, basically anything with the Hulk... and I really want to go to Comic-Con, but not as Mystique. Lol

Is that too much information to throw out in one blog post? Maybe. Is there a lot I’m leaving out? Probably. Are these questions rhetorical? Yes, yes they are.

                                   

Until we meet again...

“Good night. Good work. Sleep well. I'll most likely kill you in the morning.”