Project Runway All Stars 12/27/12--"There's No Business Like Sew Business" summary

Previously on "Project Runway": the designers were paired off and forced to make "20's inspired" outfits in head-to-head battles. Nothing was particularly 20's, but in general on this show nothing matches up with whatever inspiration it's supposed to have. Anthony Ryan won, again, which is boring. Laura finally got sent home, even though Josh had a worse dress, but I don't like Laura so whatever.

Top Chef 12/26/12--"Jalapeno Business" summary

Previously on "Top Chef": The Quickfire involved making dishes with mystery ingredients. They made some poor intern cover everything in the pantry with foil. Kristen made a cake, which is impressive because it means she made a pan out of foil too, so she won immunity. The Elimination challenge was to make a dish with berries for a berry festival. Everyone got paired off, and then you battled head-to-head with someone who had the same berry as you. John and Stefan engaged in some trash talking. Josie channeled Guy Fieri and irritated the judges, and then later got into it with Stefan. Kristen won again, while Danyele made terrible chicken terrine and was sent home. (click for more)

Project Runway All Stars 12/20/12--"Flapper Fashion Face-off" summary

Previously on Project Runway: unconventional materials challenge! This time everyone had to make an outfit from the Christmas store, without making it obvious it was from the Christmas store. Mostly it was tacky. Uli won, because her signature is now apparently embellishments, and not flowy maxi dresses. Casanova flailed and made multiple dresses and ended up going home. (click for more)

Top Chef 12/19/12--"Foiled Again" summary

Previously on “Top Chef”: there was an internet celebrity and a product placement challenge that also involved gimmicktry. It was dumb. Essentially the chefs had to make a “holiday” dish and Brooke won with apple crostada. Then everyone had to cater a party for some actors. There was a good deal of heavy foreshadowing about Danyele. Brooke won again, because she took her immunity and made lamb stuffed-squid. Even with the foreshadowing, Eliza was sent home for undercooked carrots. (click for more)

Project Runway All Stars 12/13/12--"An Unconventional Nightmare Before Christmas" summary

Previously on Project Runway: make a red carpet dress but you have to use eco-friendly fabrics. Whatever. Laura won, even though she made a romper, because Diane von Furstenberg was the guest judge and that’s Laura’s idol or something. Althea was sent home, even though she is a good designer. She’s said in interviews that her dress had fallen apart, something had detached, and she had asked to fix it. The producers refused, even though in other similar situations designers were allowed to fix their clothing. So I guess she was not drama enough.

Top Chef 12/12/12--"Even the Famous Come Home" summary

Previously on “Top Chef”: the chefs were asked to make breakfast on a stick (in teams) for workers at Pike Place Market. Sheldon and Bart won by making a sandwich, which I still think was not “breakfast on a stick” exactly but whatever. Then the teams each were assigned a unique food item to spotlight in a dish. There were some weird things. Overall the dishes were not very good. They were so bad, in fact, no one won, and Padma apologized to everyone for such a crappy lunch. When the dust cleared CJ and Tyler were sent home for making a bad burger to showcase pickles.

TAR21, Recap Leg 12, 12/9/12

Welcome to Leg 12! Last time, on Evil Gays: Rainbows of Destruction!, teams raced from the Spain to the Loire Valley of France.  The Beekmans managed to keep their slight lead over the Twinnies due to their intelligence, and the necessity of the lacing of a corset.  So the Twinnies were eliminated.  And our final three!  Jaymes and James, the Chippendale dancers who are racing for their families, especially Jaymes’ dad and James’ mom; Josh and Brent, the goat farmers in a fourteen year relationship who have hit every eliminator possible and have still managed to hang on; and Trey and Lexi, whose relationship has grown by leaps and bounds throughout the race.  Who will win The Amazing Race 21? (click for more)

TAR21, Recap Leg 11, 12/9/12

Welcome to Leg 11! Last time, on Driving Stick Shift Is Hard Since We Haven’t Had to Do It Yet, teams raced from the Netherlands to Mallorca, Spain.  The alliance was in full force (Toyouke: “Stupid alliances. Hate. I don't want to watch this show if people are going to do this every season.”), but in the end, bad driving caused the Twinnies to have a rough leg, landing them in last place on the final nonelimination leg.  (Toyouke: “The twins did not "awaken a sleeping giant". They failed at driving. Because your stupid show didn't make them drive themselves anywhere until almost the last leg.”)  They will have a Speed Bump on this leg, leading into the final three.  Who will be eliminated. . . next? (click for more)

Project Runway All Stars 12/6/12--"Green Dress for the Red Carpet" summary

Previously on Project Runway: the designers were tasked to make androgynous looks which were also avant garde. The twist was they would be making two looks, one for their regular model and one for a male model. Everyone kind of freaks out. As is usual on this show, no one’s looks are particularly avant garde. Some of them are not really androgynous either. Emilio made two great suits, which were androgynous enough you couldn’t tell which was the girl and which was the boy, so he won. Josh got bitchy in the Scrap Bin because he didn’t like how Ivy called him out on being full of himself. Kayne was sent home, hopefully to make more pageant gowns and things of that nature.

Top Chef 12/5/12--"Pike Place Pickle" summary

Previously on “Top Chef”: John won a Quickfire involving butchering, because boo. And then everyone had to recreate a menu from 1950 for Canlis Restaurant. It mostly went OK except Carla overcooked her squab (because other diners had been sending it back for being too rare) and Chrissy had to make the salad that’s been on the menu since 1950 and is iconic. Not really fair to make her recreate your signature dish when she’s never had it. But even with some competition from CJ and Josh, those two girls went home. Kristen won for making mushrooms and onions, which someone pointed out was forced on her because Stefan took over and bullied everyone into whatever he felt like. Which I missed, so: shut up Stefan. (click for more)

TAR21, Recap Leg 10, 12/2/12

Welcome to Leg 10! Last time, on We Shouldn’t Have Gone Back to Frankfurt, teams raced from Moscow to Amsterdam.  The Dream Team Alliance made a plan to screw over Abbie and Ryan, which ended up working due to continued issues with flying through Frankfurt.  (Toyouke: “I guess in terms of strategy, last week's U-Turn was a good idea, in terms of making absolutely sure Abbie and Ryan were U-Turned and they were the only ones U-Turned. But what if they hadn't been last? Then it would have been wasted. “)  So, Abbie and Ryan lose their chance at $2000000.  And the Beekmans are still going strong!  Who will be eliminated. . . next? (click for more)