We’re a couple episodes deep into the new “seasons” of Bravo’s big fashion shows, and I just don’t understand them anymore. Top Design, only in its second season, is following the new trend of all such shows, which is to have more and more qualified contestants, matched with more and more ludicrous challenges.
Whether we’ve got chefs, designers, or whatever else comes down the line in the ever-expanding reality world, my interest goes down in direct relation to the rise in the contestants’ current salary. A lot of these shows were pretty interesting a few years ago, in the days of ancient reality television history. Watching people who had a bit of background, but were pretty much starting out on the road to hopeful success, was not only watchable television, but also a nice idea. Someone might have their own line of clothes, but what they mean is that they make dresses in their garage and hopefully sell them somewhere.
Now, when we get down to dueling “people who already have their own store in Beverly Hills,” I sort of squint at my television. Do I really care which of these popinjays, who already make around six figures, wins a contest run by increasingly snotty elitists?
Just about every contestant on the new season of Top Design either owns their own design firm, works for a major design firm, or have other outrageous credentials – like being Senior Style Editor of Martha Stewart Living magazine. The Style Editor of Martha Stewart Living, and Ricky Shroder’s wife (who also owns a real estate development company) need gigs… watch our show. Yeah, no thanks really. Goofy challenges of the rich and famous just isn’t quite the deal I thought I was signing on for. On the other hand, I wouldn’t mind watching the fallout when the incredibly understanding Martha Stewart finds out her boy didn’t win.
If this all isn’t bad enough, the shows have turned into top trumps stupid challenges. Interior designers have to put their unique touch on bomb shelters, fashion designers make clothes out of crap they find at the dollar store, and isn’t it all just brilliant.
I’ll even let slide the puffed up egos of a lot of the judges on these shows, and I’m led to understand that Kelly Wearstler is just the most fabulous thing ever, but last night she popped into contestants rooms in this outfit —-
And not one person laughed at her… according to the highly-edited airing of the show.
I don’t know, I guess people are just as interested in these shows, by and large, but when Michael Kors switches from judge to competitor, I’m out.
Are You Screening?
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About Marc Eastman
Marc Eastman is the owner and operator of Are You Screening? and has been writing film reviews for over a decade, and several branches of the internet's film review world have seen his name. His reviews have brought him personal praise from the director of a major motion picture, and have been used as required reading in a course at a major University. These priceless rewards, along with just bags of cash, keep him from straying from freelance writing. He is also a member of The Broadcast Film Critics Association and The Broadcast Television Journalists Association.
