The Democratic Debate/"Project Runway."

I haven't been watching much TV lately, and I don't following any show as it airs. I bought the season of "Survivor: China" to download and watch it on my iPhone when I'm traveling. I love "Curb Your Enthusiasm," but I catch up with it on HBO on Demand when I'm back in Madison. And I like the TV pastime. I want to watch maybe an hour or 2 of television in the evening. I don't get around to it here in NYC, mostly because the TV is small and un-flat. (How did the bulge of a picture tube become so distractingly unaesthetic that I'd prefer not to watch at all?)

But now, tonight, we've got another Democratic Debate, and it looks like a hot one (unless Wolf Blitzer makes it cold). Simultaneously, "Project Runway" is back. Robin Givhan reviews:

Most problematic... is that by the first episode, too many of the competitors have settled into well-worn archetypes. Were these 15 men and women chosen because they have such instantly familiar personalities? When the cameras are off, does Siriano really embody every single fashion cliche? Or do these players adjust their personalities to fit a preconceived ideal? In short, who exactly is having a crisis of authenticity: the show's producers or the cast?...

Siriano will be playing the role of the effete and sarcastic wunderkind. Webber stars as the overly confident fashion victim who thinks her experience as a model will serve as her secret weapon for winning the competition. Ricky Lizalde promises to be the contestant most prone to spontaneous weeping. And within the first 15 minutes, Elisa Jimenez, who makes giant marionettes, establishes herself as the avant-garde head case who describes her clothes as "mythical" and, for the first challenge, grinds grass stains into silk chiffon to "imbue it with a natural element."

Reality TV is a subtle mix of real and fiction. The players are themselves and they create themselves. That's part of what is so fascinating. Are we seeing what really happened or what was edited into existence? Endless layers of complexity to gaze into. Deep and frivolous.

Tim Gunn is back as the design-room mentor. And so are judges Michael Kors and Nina Garcia.

Plus Heidi. How perfect! But the first challenge is horrifically unfair, as Givhan describes in a spoiler I won't copy. That's just one more thing to talk about.

Life is unfair, fashion contests are unfair.

But it's the debate that I've got to make time for tonight. It's a long ordeal, and I'm going to preserve my stamina today so I can live-blog it — energetically, I hope. Last time, I fell asleep, and I missed the whole driver's license interchange. I didn't come away with an opinion about whether "the boys" — as Bill Clinton called them — ganged up on Hillary and whether Hillary showed her vulnerability. So it will be interesting — I've got to find it interesting — to see if Wolf is tame — did they get to him? — and whether Obama can take advantage of any cracks in Hillary's once-impervious facade.

Life is unfair, fashion contests are unfair, debates are unfair.

ADDED: I now realize I could have watched "Project Runway" last night. I adore the show, but not enough to keep track of when it's on.