lauren hutton

I'll admit it, I like soap operas. I don't watch a lot of them, unless you count 'Lost' as a soap opera. It has a continuing storyline over many years with many characters, it just happens to include time travel and monsters.

Wait...daytime soaps have had those too.... But I did watch 'Guiding Light' for 30 years and 'Knots Landing' for whatever number of years that show was on -- it was better than 'Dallas' -- and now I've found myself hooked on 'The Young & The Restless' because one day I was too lazy to reach for the remote control after my local noon news was over. That's how addiction happens sometimes.

There was another soap I liked too, back in the 1995. It was called 'Central Park West,' and considering the ratings the show got, I think I'm one of the very few people in the country who can say I watched it and liked it.

(S07E02) This week's challenge on Project Runway fell under the unconventional materials category. The contestants had burlap potato sacks and a day and a few embellishments to transform it into a party look for their models. The models got to choose their clients, so there was a slight shuffle with a handful of designers. The model-as-client episodes are a reminder that while the models have opinions, it's ultimately up to the designer to know what is both visually stunning and matches their aesthetic.

There are still too many contestants, I don't think I heard a peep from Captain Jack Sparrow or last week's winner Emilio. We still get a lot of quirky Ping, including her pronunciation of "Buttocks." As for Anthony, I'm tired of him ending statements by announcing "period." The real question is, will these outlandish characters survive the long haul, or are they being focused on because they will be eliminated?

(S05E02) "No matter how old I get, these champagne cups seem to be frozen in time." - Fiona

Let the Hollywood exploitation begin! Two episodes into the new season and Ryan Murphy and Co. are already taking advantage of Nip/Tuck's new location. Competing Marilyn Monroe impersonators is something we would have never seen had Sean and Christian decided to stay in Miami. Now that they're out west, I'm quite sure that this will be the first in a long line of Tinseltown degenerates looking for ways to "enhance" themselves and make an extra buck.

(S05E01) "I feel like I'm trying to sell semen at a whore house." - Christian

Life just ain't easy for Sean McNamara and Christian Troy. They moved out to LA thinking it would bring them a fresh start. Sean had just put a messy divorce with Julia to bed. Christian had backed out of his engagement to Michelle. They needed a new beginning. After pouring all their money into a new state-of-the-art Rodeo Drive operation and recovery facility, what do they have to show for it? Nothing. Saying that you "almost" did some work on Joan Rivers isn't exactly a great resume when no one has heard of you.

The set-up was to be expected. Of course it wasn't going to be easy. Everyone is a plastic surgeon in Hollywood. But it's been two months since they switched coasts and the money is running thin. That's where this season of Nip/Tuck draws its plot from and watching Sean and Christian crack the secrets of their new celebrity infested locale is plenty of fun for us viewers. I think we've got a good season in store.

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It's been almost a year since McNamara/Troy closed up shop in Miami and packed their bags for Los Angeles, in search of a better life. Following up on a season where just about every loose thread from the world of Nip/Tuck got answered might seem like a daunting task, but look at it this way: after two seasons of some of the best stuff on TV, Nip/Tuck returned for a third time to mixed reviews because of the season long focus on The Carver. For the most part, the show returned to its roots in season four, but overall it was clear that the FX drama needed its own face lift. Starting from scratch in a city where you can order a pizza and a boob-job at the same time seemed like a perfect fit. Fans of the show can rest assured that it is. I've screened the first two episodes of the new season and creator Ryan Murphy has continued to provide us with a show that indulges all our guilty pleasures.

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