Cheers & Jeers: Austin & Santino — No Plain Janes
Santino Rice and Austin Scarlett
Cheers to On the Road with Austin & Santino for giving the makeover show a much-needed makeover.
One needs only to watch The CW's Plain Jane (debuting July 28 at 9/8c) to see how tired this genre has become: British "fashion expert" Louise Roe — a reject from MTV's The City — helps a mousy wallflower land the guy of her dreams by tearing apart her closet, taking her shopping at Bloomingdale's and slathering her in beauty products. Ho-hum.
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Lifetime's On the Road (debuting after the season premiere of Project Runway on July 29 at 10:30/9:30c) freshens the formula by sending flamboyant former PR runners-up Austin Scarlett and Santino Rice on rescue missions for fashion-clueless women. In the pilot, they help Texas trick-rider Sadie Lynn Carter pretty herself up for the Cowgirls' Ball. The fashionistas-out-of-bottled-water concept (you should see the glares these two get at the local "bootiques") and witty interplay ("I wish I could quit you," Santino quips, a la Brokeback Mountain) sets On the Road apart from the pack. Plus, Austin and Santino actually use their design skills to create their clients' outfits. Clearly, like American Idol, you don't have to win Project Runway to become a star. Anybody seen Chloe Dao lately?
Are you ready to go On the Road with Austin & Santino?
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