Reality TV is not something I’ve gotten into. I have never seen a whole episode of Survivor, The Amazing Race, American Idol, Wife Swap, The Bachelor, Jersey Shore, or any of those other smash hits. However, there are two that I enjoy.

One is Mantracker, where a dude on horseback  tracks two contestants through the Canadian wilderness for two days, trying to catch them before the hit the finish line. I love watching all the tracking tips he gives because they help me understand how Kate and Locke can track everyone on Lost. Since I used to be a player and organizer of urban manhunt (also how I met my wife), I also obviously enjoy a good chase.

 The other show is Project Runway. Unlike American Idol that searches for raw talent, Project Runway looks for professionals who are already making a career for themselves. They find 16  fashion designers and make them compete in challenges, like making a new bridal gown out of a divorced woman’s old bridal gown or using potato sacks to make a cocktail dress in 24 hours. I appreciate the skill level of the contestants, the eye into people’s creative processes and the limited level of personal drama. Probably the clincher though is Tim Gunn. He’s a design teacher at Parson’s School of Design, which means he has the chops of a proper teacher. He’s the anti-Simon Cowell. He isn’t mean. He’s helpful. Gunn provides a professional critique of each of the works in progress, helping the designer funnel their thoughts and energy in the rights direction. Knowing how to present criticism is a skill very few people have and is clearly absent from most tv. Dramatic flare ups between strong personalities seem to be what other shows strive for. I much prefer a thoughtful consideration of pros and cons. And the outifts are often really exciting. Anyway, a couple weeks ago I drew while watching the show, trying to catch a quick likeness of each of the contestants left. Some are pretty successful and some are the terribles.