Sadly, ratings for the seventh season of Project Runway have gone down pretty significantly, with the premiere down about a third from the previous season.
Fashionista examines the somewhat surprising dip in viewers, coming to the conclusion with pop culture expert Robert Thompson that it all lies with the cast. What we don't realize while we're watching something like PR is that most of the audience cares less about design prowess than character behavior falling somewhere between intriguing and downright outrageous. If you're discussing zippers while some other clown is having a meltdown, you're in the very small minority.
That said, last season produced no memorable TV personalities and the hypothesis is essentially that that has damaged ratings for this season on Lifetime. Through the years, we've been drawn to Project Runway because of its legitimacy as a design competition, versus a debauchery bonanza with the bottom of human society to win a million dollars.
Turns out, that's not what sells. We'd love to see the show continue producing the talent it has been known for, but we're afraid that if it's to stay on the air, there may be some bleeped-out drama and ridiculous gimmicks in the show's future.
