Imitation is not that flattering in Fashion

They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery – but what if its imitation done bad and with a mean spirit? Is that flattery? In television terms, imitation is simply torture for the viewers.

After a prolonged legal battle, reality-TV icon Project Runway was granted its release from Bravo and will reappear this summer on Lifetime. The only benefit of the legal squabble was Bravo that used Runway’s forced hiatus to quickly develop and produce its Runway replacement, The Fashion Show, which premiered last week.

I know that Bravo, starting with Runway, has parlayed the angst-drenched professional skill competition genre in a multi-tentacle octopus with Top Chef, Shear Genius, and Top Design. The only difference between each is the skills of the contestant and the glamorous model host and the mentor/sidekick.  The Fashion Show doesn’t stray from that path.

Beginning with Fashion’s graphics and editing style of b-roll city shots I would swear I was watching runway. As with Runway, the 16 contestants were varied and over the top as often is the case, though for Fashion Show, the producers failed to create any emotional connection to the designers during the first episode. The competition followed direct from the Top Chef show map, the designers faced off in two challenges – a quick “mini” challenge and an elimination challenge judges by a panel including the two hosts, a regular panelist and an industry “expert.”

The only two major difference s between Fashion Show and Runway or Chef, Design… are an “audience vote” element as part of the judging (though how the vote was counted or weighted wasn’t ever explained) and the split tongued, wicked tone of the entire show – punctuated by co-hosts Isaac Mizrahi and Kelly Rowland.

Mizrahi is more than comfortable in front of the camera after his years of Target commercials and morning TV appearances, yet in this role he comes across as shrill, mean and more intent on delivering a memorable line, than constructive advice. Rowland, of Destiny’s Child fame, is a qualified co-host – in her words, because of the hundreds of fashion shows she has attended over the years.  She is always at Mizrahi’s side and her sole purpose is to engage in some sort of vicious banter with the designer which often ended up a battle of who could top the other with the zinger of the show.

Bitter co-hosts and contestants that seem to have been told to be cut throat and vocal from the get go, casts a wicked shadow over the program, darker than the witch did over the Munchkins in the Wizard of Oz.

Bravo may have perfected the formula for this competition television, but the Fashion Show seems to have missed the secret ingredient – heart and soul. Each of the other shows in the stable has a mentor or teacher role – Tim Gunn, Chef Tom, Todd Oldham. Their involvement with the contestants sometimes as cheerleader or critical eye or even teacher – allow the viewer to connect not only with the challenges but with the battles the contestants face. That heart and soul compels viewers to watch and cheer on their favorites and keep turning back to Bravo each season.

The Fashion Show in itself is not a bad program.  It’s got the Runway feel, a wide array of designer talent, and the potential for some interesting storylines. It is the spirit or the tone of the show that is bad tempered and bad timed. We could hope for improvement, but the first season is already wrapped and finished production – so maybe year two tweaks will overcome – after all Padma didn’t take over as host until Chef’s second season and Oldham stumbled through year one as host before settling in to the more natural mentor role in season two.