Commercial Interruption: The ice queen returneth

Sometimes there's just too much television for one Channel Surfing blogger to handle. That's when we need a break to sit back, relax and indulge in some friendly back-and-forth (via email, of course — we don't actually like to speak to one another in person). Bloggers Malavika Jagannathan and new Channel Surfing inductee Kelly McBride are frustrated with the seemingly random eliminations on "Project Runway" this season. Last night's episode was just the latest in a series of unexpected auf'ings, and we can't help but wonder whether the move to Lifetime has somehow changed the show's ethics.

Kelly: What the devil is going on with Project Runway? Have the long-suffered court battle and move to the west coast caused the judges to take leave of their senses?

Last night's episode was another shocker, with talented Shirin going home for a slight misstep while Christopher "Bottom Three" Straub squeaked by yet again. And as much as I love my boy from Minnesota, his recent trifecta of scary looks in blue, weird wedding bubble dress and slutty Lady Marmalade knockoff should have had him Auf'd for sure.

Last night's challenge had the designers creating a stage look -- for guest judge Christina Aguilera, no less -- in the style of famed designer Bob Mackie. It was their chance to be glitzy, glamorous and over-the-top. Winner Carol Hannah earned her first victory with a long, textural black dress accented with just the right amount of feathers and sequins. Shirin also did a long, black number, but hers admittedly fell short and probably deserved to be among the bottom-dwellers.

Still, it paled in comparison to Christopher's cheap-looking nighmare, a weird corset and shorts combo under some sort of random cover-up. After thinking he had a good chance to go home last week, I was certain he'd be cleaning up his workspace after last night's disaster. Malavika, why on Earth is Christopher still with us?

Malavika: I had such high hopes that the return of the unflappable Nee-nah Gah-cia would mean a return to normal judging.

How my hopes were dashed. There's no earthly reason that Christopher should be here after three straight weeks of almost-eliminations at the bottom. Although I argue he had some spectacular pieces in earlier rounds that should have won (the newspaper challenge -- remember that?), he's taken a nosedive that cannot be excused. Instead, Shirin took the fall.

Now I've been hoping -- nay, praying -- that Nicolas would get his long overdue auf'ing this week, especially given that he basically made a REPEAT of his ice queen disaster in a shorter form for this challenge. Even the normally polite Tim Gunn pointed that out to him. However, he continues to skate by unscathed. Last week he openly admitted that the garment he made was the most hideous thing ever -- points for humor but not for effort -- yet he still persists in mediocrity. When will it end? When will they send him and his greasy/child-molester hair home?

His only redeeming quality -- and I'm not kiddng when I say only -- was the biting comment he made about Irina's... ummm... witchiness. That got a chuckle out of me. Any ideas on who will make the top three or four?

Kelly: If you'd have asked me yesterday, I'd have counted Shirin among the likely candidates. But even with her untimely departure, I still predict an all-female final three; namely, Althea, Carol Hannah and nasty-yet-talented Irina. We've talked about Christopher, who won't make the cut although he seemed a strong contender early on. Nicolas doesn't have what it takes, and I count both he and Logan in the lucky they made it this far category. I enjoy Gordana (mostly her accent), but she's been too hit-or-miss thus far (and could have gotten the Auf last night if not for immunity earned last week). Can't wait to see what next week's episode has in store.

--Kelly McBride, kmcbride@greenbaypressgazette and Malavika Jagannathan, mjaganna@greenbaypressgazette.com