In the Callan household, Project Runway trumps all other shows waiting on the DVR, so this evening’s Season Five premier was a cause for celebration. If not for the crutches I’m on while under the care of an overeager podiatrist, there might have even been jumping involved…especially since I’d forgotten it was airing tonight and came home from a consultation to this welcome surprise. The reemergence of Project Runway means that Design Star got kicked to the curb again in terms of viewing priority.

Interesting cast of characters this season and all of them look the part. However, I was dejected when I saw Gristedes in the background and knew they were doing the supermarket challenge again. They’ve never ripped themselves off so boringly before. Has the well of ideas run dry already?

Then the contestants went and bored me some more with the barrage of tablecloth/shower curtain/lawn chair outfits. And when they were all surprised that so many people were also making tablecloth dresses? Well, duh, people. The only one who rose above the tablecloth curse was Korto, with her veggie collar.

I was amazed at the lack of on-air kudos awarded to Terri, whose loosely-woven top was ultracool. Granted, her skirt was just meh, but the top was pretty dang impressive.

I wasn’t completely in love with Kelli’s dress until finding out about the handmade hook & eye closure she made out of a spiral notebook. Good gawd! That’s ingenious. However, I kind of thought the look of her outfit was a bit of a yawn.

Poor Jerry and his haz mat suit. Based his work displayed in his intro, I expected much more out of him and think this must not have been his night. Although I hated his outfit, I thought Blayne’s (a.k.a. Tanny Boy’s) hooker diaper getup was much worse. Plus, I know the models are used to designers playing Hands on a Hard Body, but it’s total BS that that poor girl had this cokehead (what other explanation is there for all the sniffing he did on camera?) hand-sewing the crotch of her diaper together while it was on her body. That’s just disgusting.

Show of hands, who was over Stella with all her complaining about the trash bags before the third commercial break? It was almost as if she thought they would let her go back to the grocery store. Plus, anyone who makes their own ass look fat should not be turned loose on the public. That leather thongish hotpant thing she wore over the wide plank striped pants created an optical illusion that made her butt look inflated, and not in a good way.

Not many other standouts, except whassup with Wesley wearing little boy short pants all the time?

Nice to see Austin Scarlett again, who looked wonderful, as per usual.