Lifetime Goes Nuts With 'Project Runway'-Palooza

After a lawsuit by NBC Universal, "Project Runway" makes its much-delayed debut on Lifetime on Aug. 20, and the building sense of anticipation is just terrible.

Kidding! I've never made it through an entire episode of the show and couldn't possibly care less.

Still, it's a big, big deal for Lifetime, which has experienced its programming troubles and is clearly hoping that the reality competition will jump-start its lineup. And because in cable anything worth doing is worth overdoing, the one-hour premiere will merely be the centerpiece in a 3 1/2-hour programming block, kicking off with a two-hour reunion of past contestants, "Project Runway: All-Star Challenge," and followed by a half-hour companion series titled "Models of the Runway."

Actually, Lifetime sent out a truncated version of the season premiere that cut off the last third, presumably so nasty critics won't spoil the outcome. So here's my one-sentence review: "Wow, Heidi Klum looks great, but if I had to sit through this 'Omigod, what will the judges think of my dress' nonsense week after week, I'd poke my eyes out with sewing needles. P.S. Why is that contestant already crying when I still don't even know who he is?"

Of course, my idea of fashion is when the 20%-off coupons hit the papers for the Macy's Labor Day sale, so I might not be the target audience.