Is it just me, or is Project Runway starring Heidi Klum getting a bit tired? As Project Runway Season 5 got underway, Tim Gunn said the new cast was the most diverse group of designers yet. He seemed very excited and eager to work with this latest crop of designers.

I wasn’t impressed with the new cast of Project Runway. In my opinion, nobody really stood out in the group of fresh faces this season. In fact, Project Runway Season 5 seems to be constantly recycling the same old tired material. I feel like the producers are relying heavily on old formulas for the show instead of shaking things up a bit. For example, the first Project Runway challenge this season involved using items from Gristedes Supermarket (a repeat of an earlier Gristedes Supermarket challenge). Recycling concepts from older seasons of Project Runway seems to be very much the trend for Season 5.

Some of the contestants remind me of earlier participants on Project Runway. Blayne and Suede evoke memories of Santino and Christian. The quieter, soft spoken Leanne reminds me of the refined Laura Bennett. The feisty and controversial Kenley brings back memories of the outspoken and often unpopular Wendy Pepper, who somehow made it to the finals despite the disapproval of her fellow designers.

Though Project Runway Season 5 is largely a disappointment, there are some bright spots. The clever use of guest stars like Apolo Anton Ohno, Brooke Shields, Natalie Portman, and Diane von Furstenberg breathed some life into the series this season. The one episode of Project Runway that focused on a “green challenge” involving eco-friendly clothing designs was an innovative step in the right direction for the show.

It’s always a pleasure to see Tim Gunn work with the designers on Project Runway. He exudes sincerity and compassion and always seems to want the best for the contestants. Michael Kors and Nina Garcia are quite entertaining as the judges for Project Runway. This is one part of the Project Runway formula that still seems to be working. Heidi Klum, another Project Runway fixture, seems a bit distracted at times, like she’d really rather be somewhere else. Perhaps bringing in another supermodel to host this fashion reality show would help shake things up a bit.

One of the most entertaining aspects of Project Runway is still the runway segment, where the designers show off their creations and the judges then hash out who will be “in” and who is on the way “out.” In my opinion, one of the worst flaws of Project Runway Season 5 is the judging this year. I feel that some of the best contestants were sent home far too early.

Kelli showed great promise after the first Gristedes supermarket challenge, but received her walking papers fairly early on. Emily, Stella, Blayne and Suede were all more talented and fun to watch than some of the remaining Project Runway designers, like Leanne and Kenley.

Out of the final four, only Korto and Jerell have the talent to go the distance and win Season 5 of Project Runway. How Kenley made it to the final four is beyond me. With her limited design aesthetic (which appears to be stuck in the fifties) and her defensive, egotistical attitude, why wasn’t she sent packing a long time ago? (She should have been given the boot!)

My money is on Korto or Jerrell to win Project Runway Season 5. After this season wraps up, Project Runway will be moving to another network. However, if some changes aren’t made to the show for upcoming seasons, the future doesn’t look good for the series. In the words of host and judge Heidi Klum, if everything stays the same, viewers might as well say “auf wiedersehen” to Project Runway.