"Project Runway" October 11th Episode Update - The Turtle Poop Hits the Fan

Tim Gunn makes his seasonal visits to the homes of the finalists a month into the two months they have to complete their collections.  There is no doubt, these designers have to hit the ground running.   

In Atlanta, we see Michael's cute house and are introduced to his new set of braces framing his pearly whites.  Later he takes us to a cousin's house where we meet the rest of his clan.  Michael states that since he was nine he wanted to be a designer and his family has always "had his back."  He father, retired from the military, mentions that he always thought Michael would be a beautician.  All of this makes fans like me say, "Aw," while we note that he only had about two pieces done and is going for an 'urban safari' look.

Tim walks to Laura's place next.  She amazes him with all she has done, especially considering she is pregnant with her sixth child (fifth son in a row).  He warns her that her collection isn't youthful enough, but I admit I like it, even if it is more of a fall collection than spring. 

I'm amazed to learn that she is originally from New Orleans.  Maybe it's me, but she just seems to be the stereotype of the New York woman born and breed.  Her husband returns with the brood and the youngest offers Gunn the gift of turtle poop, from his lost turtle no less.  Gunn runs away squealing like a little girl.

Gunn then ventures to Miami, the tropical home of Uli.  This is the first time the audience learns anything about her history and I was moved and wish I had learned more about her earlier.  She is an immigrant from the former East Germany and confesses that she fell in love with Miami while watching 'Miami Vice' as a child.  She says kind things about being an immigrant and how America is the land of opportunity and it made this American misty eyed, until I wondered if she is planning to have a child as an anchor baby.  If this is the case, I say make her go back to Mexico!  (The last part was a little Gather humor.)      

She has a few pieces done and states that she is doing a 'beach safari' esthetic.  Do I detect a theme?

Finally, Gunn visits L.A. where we meet Jeffery, his girlfriend (with funky 1981 'Blondie' bass player hair) and their child, whom Jeffery says he loves more than any other human alive, thus allowing us to deduce that he fancies his girlfriend much less.  It would be unfair for me not to state that he openly talks about his drug abuse and suicide attempt and the story is touching, especially how he ties it to wanting better for his son.  

Apparently, Jeffery was a busy boy.  Not only was he designing for his Bryant Park show, but also some other collections that he was already doing for his regular 'rock-n-roll' clientele.  Gunn loves what Jeffery has done with the few pieces in his collection.  He has one dress that has zippers all over it and Gunn raves, but I'm just not so sure, it reminds me of the worst of the 80's coming back to haunt a la Linda Blair sort of way.

Five days before the Bryant Park show, the finalist reunite in the same hotel suite.  The next day they begin booking models and doing fittings.  Jeffery is suspiciously finished with his whole collection, which draws the ire of Laura.  Michael and Uli chime in their reservations and Laura informs Gunn there might be a problem. 

One of their concerns, beyond just Jeffery's casual attitude, is the workmanship on pieces like his leather pants, which he didn't display while at Parsons.  Everyone acknowledges that cheating is a difficult thing to prove, in the end it all comes down to Jeffery's receipts (the designers each have a budget of $8,000).  Further, nothing is mentioned about the mom communiqué.   

I'll end on a few thoughts about Laura.  I like her because she has the guts to tell her truth regardless of the perception.  She admits that she doesn't like Jeffery, but that alone isn't her motivation.  She's a smart woman, she knows accusing another designer of cheating can blow up in her face, yet she does it anyhow.  The others' support her revelations, but they aren't the ones to stick their necks out even when they have as much to lose over the possibility of Jeffery's cheating.  Jeffery targets her as his nemesis, though he has to understand that by not having even a button to sew on, the audience is asking the same thing. 

Next week's episode will be quite telling.  I'm almost to the point of not caring who wins as much as anticipating if Jeffery is guilty or not.