Reality Television Gets a Makeover on Top Design

There is a moment when switching your television to a reality show that you have to ask yourself if you are ready for the commitment that a reality show would require. It's the question I asked when turning on Bravo's latest reality competition Top Design. I was lucky enough to start from the beginning thanks to Bravo airing all current episodes in sequence on the weekends. A busy mom like myself was able to Tivo the episodes and always keep current.

The show was not only entertaining but simple.

Twelve ambitious people with various levels of decorating and interior design expertise were put to the test with a series of design assignments. They were helped along with their task by a handful of expert carpenters, three permanent judges, various guest judges and host Todd Oldham, who seemed genuinely concerned with their problems and overall performance. Maybe it's just my simpleton views on fashion but it seemed as if the judges were in desperate need of a fashion make over themselves. My kids nicknamed judge Jonathan Adler "Mr. Big Fat Tie Guy". The name lasted the entire season with each tie being just as flamboyant and atrocious as the last. Our entire family began using Jonathan's signature line "see you later decorator" as a way to dismiss anything we didn't like. The two female judges, Kelly Wearstler and Margaret Russel became favorites in our family. My 12 year old son asked me, "mom if these people are supposed to know about fashion then why are they dressed like they are from That 70's Show?"

I had to explain that knowledge of interior design was very different from apparel design as was very evident by almost everyones dress on the show. With the exception of Matt Lorenze who seemed to be dripping with a wide range of creative ability. The lady judges seemed to not understand that fashion over 30 should change. If not for them, then for the sake of us all who have to endure looking at the results of not obeying that fashion law. At one point we all were laughing so hard at one of their outlandishly quilted, puffy outfits that we missed who was actually the winner of the design competition.

This show was so entertaining that it had even my very young children on the edge of the seat. We discussed, laughed and had such a good time trying to figure out who would have the successful design. We even had pet names to keep track of the contestants, Carisa Perez-Fuentes was also known as "Too Many Pillows Lady" my children liked to count just how many pillows she put into her design each time. Andrea Keller was "emo chick". Named so for her dark drab clothing and her dyed black hair which was always over her eyes. Matt Lorenz was known as "cutey pie".

A reality show on our family night of television?

Believe me when I say I was surprised anyone else in my household would be willing to endure the show with me. But the show had a lot of heart. Even the most busy members of our household paused long enough to watch the show with us. It wasn't the drama that hooked us, but the intense passion each contestant had to have the best design. Often times, the drama between contestants overshadowed their accomplishments. Judges weren't just looking at design abilities, but the many qualities that top designers must possess. Working together on projects proved to be the bane of many of the designer contestants, while others with a more temperate personality did very well on such challenges.

This show is a valuable classroom of humanity. Watching each week gave us a view into a world we may never see. The last night as the winner was named our entire household shouted out in victory. I think the judges made very good decisions down the line and the end result was a winner our whole house had been cheering for from the beginning.

Although our family usually avoids such programing on our family night, I now have a more positive attitude about the overall genre. Thanks to Bravo, who put an excellent combination of factors together to bring a level of sophistication to reality television.