'Sons of Anarchy' and 'Project Runway'

So how do I rationalize hate-watching not one but two shows, Sons of Anarchy and Project Runway?

First, some distinctions must be made. A hate watch is not the same as a guilty pleasure. I watched all seven seasons of True Blood with nary a twinge. It was a terrible show, but it had no lofty pretensions. Even its most ardent fans shrugged and said, “Yeah, but it’s fun!” And it was, because it was ridiculous and everyone knew it.

Hate-watching is when you can hardly hear the show over the sound of your teeth grinding. You yell at the screen. You spend half the show covering your eyes. You vow you’re going to delete it from the DVR queue. Yet week after week, you tune in.

A gut-churning telenovela

The perfect example of this for me is Sons of Anarchy. It’s not fun to watch — it’s a gut-churning Hamlet on Harleys, a telenovela for the wallet-on-a-chain demographic. The show’s villainess, Gemma Teller Morrow, is fantastically loathsome. She’s Jocasta, Lady Macbeth, Gertrude, and Grendel's mother rolled into a ball and shoved into a fringed leather jacket. Her manipulation of her son, the hapless but hot biker gang leader Jackson Teller, has turned him into a sociopathic monster. Yet she gets away with everything, including murder.

I speculated that the reason for Gemma’s endlessly successful scheming was that the actress who plays her, Katey Sagal, is the real-life wife of Kurt Sutter, the show’s creator. Creepily enough, Katey’s son is named Jackson, just like her son on the show. Gemma is a dark Mary Sue, so perfect in her evil that no matter how bad she is, she always wins.

Wait for it . . .

But upon reflection, I think Gemma and the Sons’ many despicable victories hold the key to Sutter’s genius. Jax and the gang’s punishment is long overdue, and I hate Gemma so much that I crave her downfall with a visceral longing. In last season’s finale, she murdered the last character for which I had any sympathy. All that’s left is to root for everyone’s demise.

And that is how Sutter will honor his professed Shakespearean roots. He understands that we watch antiheroes and tragedies because we desire catharsis. Build a villain up to great heights of evil, withhold consequences until the tension is unbearable, and then bring down such vengeance that the Furies smile as the universe is set aright.

There’s no guarantee I will get this catharsis. Antihero dramas are notorious for letting bad guys off the hook with an undeserved redemption. But my gut tells me that I can trust Sutter to pay off big time with the ending of Sons. As the Bard himself said, “Bloody thou art, bloody will be thy end.” We’d expect no less from one of the most violent shows on television.

More than just drama queens catfighting

My other hate watch is a horse of a different color. I’ve been watching Project Runway since Season 2. I knew nothing about fashion but was stuck in the hospital unexpectedly for several days with nothing to do, and there was an all-day marathon on TV. The creativity and skill on display hooked me. Since then, I’ve learned a lot about both fashion and style, and I’ve been a faithful watcher of the show, persevering through its switch from Bravo to Lifetime, All Stars seasons, everything.

I am not a fan of reality TV or competition shows, but until recently, Project Runway was different. Tim Gunn is one of the most likeable TV personalities ever, and the judges are bona fide fashion insiders. Actual clothing is made and worn, some of it ridiculous, some innovative and beautiful. It wasn’t just drama queens catfighting.

In the last few years, though, the show has degenerated from a display of genuine creativity and craftsmanship to just another circus, more about contrived narratives and artificial drama. Of the last three seasons’ winners, two of them clearly did not deserve it. People with greater skill who do not engage in drama are eliminated; some designers are overpraised because their personal narratives make for good advertising. The product placement and corporate shilling isn’t even subtle anymore — it’s shameless. It’s been a sad decline, and I’ve sworn it off several times now, only to return.

Faint echoes of wonderment

My reasons for continuing to watch are very different from those for Sons of Anarchy. There’s no catharsis when I watch someone win a bunch of money and prizes for being a better TV character than fashion designer. In fact, I often feel irrational anger at the outcomes of challenges or finales. No, I watch Project Runway because of the culture that surrounds the show. I have several close friends who watch, and we enjoy ruefully dishing about the ridiculous judging and insane winning outfits. I also am an avid reader of Tom and Lorenzo’s blog, which started as a fan site and has evolved into so much more. Their hilarious commentary, along with those of their regular cadre of commenters, is often more enjoyable than the show itself.

And, to be fair, occasionally someone makes an amazing look on a tiny budget in a minuscule amount of time, and I once again feel the wonderment that so impressed me in earlier seasons.

I’m grateful that Sons of Anarchy is almost over — it’s like a bad habit I just can’t shake. Depending on who wins this season, I may or may not be back for the next season of Project Runway. At least, that’s what I keep telling myself.

Above right: Tim Gunn and designer Irina Shabayeva in the workroom during the sixth season of Project Runway