Dressed and Written to Impress

Want to give my hearty approval to the new style of Project Runway. After coasting on the same basic show structure for seven seasons after its initial acclaim and popularity, PR has breathed new life into its show by shaking up a couple of its standard practices.
The show that gives amateur designers a chance to hit it big with a show at New York Fashion Week and money to start their own line - if they can make it past several challenges and eliminations - typically starts by showing the contestants settling into their new place.
However, this season PR hit the ground running. Their intro segments were great, giving the audience flavorful tastes of each contestant as well as getting the inside opinion of Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn. So what? By giving us their celebrity insight Klum and Gunn give us a reference point for each person with quick background story. Taking a note from MTV's The Real World the contestants meet their roommates in small clusters. As we're introduced to these groups the audience is able to follow their stories and personalities instead of getting lost in a dozen different interactions. The show also gives interview feedback of first impressions as well as the typical "I'm going to win because I'm ____."
Meeting at different points across the city, the contestants eventually convene in Lincoln Center - where Heidi and Tim trot out (from the mysterious heights of couture heaven) to meet them. Heidi informs us that they're in the new home of New York Fashion Week and that instead of easing into their new home the contestants will face a challenge NOW before they even unpack.
This all came before the first commercial break. Talk about reformatting! This season promises to be interesting and innovative (even if a bit contrived by producers) but still something loyal fans will love.
This new opening gave a great overview of the contestants, giving no hint as to who was going to be eliminated first. It began with Heidi and Gunn's welcome presences in interviews and was almost like their invitation to the audience to watch the show. This seamlessly segued into interviews of the contestants talking about their feelings (fear, joy, anxiety, pride) about the show and their style of design. All while they arrive and interact with one another.
Great revamp.