A lot of people were surprised to learn that the reality competition Top Design had been renewed for a second season by Bravo. When it comes to Bravo's cashcow of homocentric reality shows, Top Design was the runt of the litter. Unlike Project Runway, Top Chef, and Shear Genius, it suffered from tepid ratings and even worse reviews. We even stopped recapping it before the finale, because all of the gay competitors had been eliminated, and because the show was, well ... suckish.

Things are looking up for the second season, though (currently filming for a late summer debut). The show has switched production companies, with Magical Elves (who produce Project Runway) stepping in to add their high gloss expertise, and model and designer India Hicks serving as the new host. Out design legend Todd Oldham will return as the contestant's mentor, as well as judges Margaret Russell, Kelly Wearstler, and gay designer Jonathan Adler (no word on whether he'll unveil a new line of funky ties).

Personally, I think they should start the season with some REAL challenges, like fixing up my bedroom. (I've tried, but there's only so much you can do with spackle, beanbag chairs, a poster of Color Me Badd, and a phallic-shaped lava lamp.)

It's been a while since we last heard about Top Design or Shear Genius, two of Bravo's quartet of reality competition shows that focus on talent and skill. Today, Bravo announced that both series will be returning for a second season.

Shear Genius turned out to be a pretty entertaining show, mining drama out of talent and personality clashes with the same skill as Bravo's Project Runway and Top Chef. On the other hand, Top Design faced poor reviews and prompted a sigh of relief when it finally ended.

If the first season of Top Design turned you off, the show's second season may still be worth sampling. The second season will be produced by Magical Elves, the company behind Project Runway. (The first season was produced by a different company.) It's not clear if host Todd Oldham or lead judge Jonathan Adler will be returning or not. There are no major changes announced so far for Shear Genius, which will see Jaclyn Smith will return as host.

Is a makeover enough to get you to check out the second season of Top Design? Would you like to see Oldham get another chance as host? What changes would you like to see on the show? Let's hear your thoughts in the comments!

• Out designer (and former Top Design judge) Jonathan Adler will appear on tonight's episode of Welcome to the Parker. Here's to hoping he refers to someone on the staff as "the concierge of the Excuses Hotel."
• Transgender filmmakers and artists are being excluded from LGBT events like Frameline for not being "queer enough" in their work. In related news, some porridge "too hot," other porridge "too cold."
• On the other end of the spectrum, there's a debate going on at Queersighted over the gay short film Two Big Fags. Thoughts?
• NewNowNext has former pornstar (and current castmember of The Lair) Colton Ford's video for his first single, "The Way You Love Me".
• If, like me, you thought that the funniest thing about Chuck & Larry was the idea that Adam Sandler was the hottest guy in the firehouse, this Today Show clip of the pinups from the 2008 FDNY Heroes Calendar is a nice reminder that it was all just Hollywood magic.

Wednesdays don't generally offer too much in the way of gay characters on TV, so you may as well just submit to the Bravo reality competition juggernaut for your drama fix. Although there may be a reason to stay up past your bedtime tonight -- read on for more.

Top Design (Bravo) 10:00PM EDT
The most shocking thing about the big finale of tonight's reality competition is that the final two combatants in a show about interior design are both straight. Yes, the four gay guys (John, Goil, Michael, and Erik) have all been eliminated, leaving Carisa and Matt as the Designsketeers still gunning for the title. But I'll watch anyway, if only for the endearing Robotron presence of Todd Oldham (remember him way back on House of Style? What a change!) and Jonathan Adler's clown-school neckties.

Shear Genius (Bravo) 11:00PM EDT
Following the end of Top Design we have the beginning of hairdresser competition Shear Genius rising from the gay reality competition ashes like some sort of fabulous, well-coiffed phoenix. I haven't really done much research on the new show, but I do know that there are both gay and lesbian competitors in the mix, and I'd tune in just to see how great Jaclyn Smith looks. Let's hope this one's a little more Project Runway, a little less Top Design. For a preview of the first challenge (in which one of the straight guys jokes about how everyone always thinks he's gay), head on over here.

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (NBC) 11:35PM EDT
I know -- Jay Leno, AGAIN? Trust me, I don't like that car-collecting ham any more than you do. But tonight he's got comedienne/actor Wanda Sykes on the couch. And aside from being an incredibly funny lady, Sykes was one of the celebrities that Out Magazine unceremoniously shoved out of the closet last week -- I would be surprised if the topic didn't come up and if the always-outspoken Sykes didn't have a thing or two to say about it.

So it's time we got back to discussing Top Design, as something significant happened this week.

It's **SPOILERED**, so I'm going to warn those of you who haven't seen it...

Top Design had actually been pretty weak in the middle of its run, but in the last two episodes things actually started to look up: the challenges were more ... well, challenging, and the designs themselves were starting to look like actual rooms and less like something that one of the lesser decorators on Trading Spaces would unleash on some poors saps from Peducah.

But this upturn is bittersweet. Because even though the designs themselves have been much easier to look at, the last two weeks has also seen the exit of the show's only remaining gay contestants, Michael and Goil. Michael pretty much got on everyone's nerves and had spotty design skills anyway, but Goil was a fresh thinker whose creativity often outpaced his time-management issues and lack of practicality (sometimes -- not enough, but sometimes). This last challenge asked him to design a luxury hotel room based around fire, a combination that even the judges admitted was next-to-impossible.

The most interesting thing about this is that the Final Three in an interior design show features no gay men. That's like having a Final Three in a show about step-dancing that doesn't include any Irish people. It's clear that the gay contestants simply weren't up to snuff, but it challenges one's perceptions and prejudices about decorating, don't it? And that's a good thing?

Television -- like love -- can be a battlefield. Here are our tips to help you get across enemy lines in one piece for Wednesday, March 28th.

America's Next Top Model (CW) 8:00PM EDT
Gender-bender extravaganza! In yet another of the show's increasingly bizarre photo challenges, the girls must pose as men with male models who pose as women. Looks like we're not the only ones who like Victor/Victoria.

Bones (Fox) 9:00PM EDT
Gay British actor/comedian/writer Stephen Fry (seen at left with Dr. House himself, Hugh Laurie, in the awesome Jeeves and Wooster series) returns as Dr. Wyatt, Boone's therapist. They also dig up some dead people and try to figure out what happened to them. The series also features gay actor Eric Millegan as Zach.

Top Design (Bravo) 10:00PM EDT
Last week's challenge sent gay contestant Michael packing (not a minute to soon, for many of us), so we're left with one lone gay man in the running, Goil. This week the Designsketeers must whip up an upscale hotel room at the Viceroy based on one of the four elements, so all you hotel fetishists out there should enjoy it. Last week's dining room challenge was a definite upswing for the competition, which until that point hadn't featured much impressive design.

Let's hope the remaining designers deliver again this week -- here's a preview if you want to see more.

Halfway Home (Comedy Central) 10:30PM EDT
When we first learned about the new Comedy Central rehabilitation comedy (kind of like "restoration comedy", but with more cold sweats), we weren't quite sure if prostitute Eulogio (played by Oscar Nunez, who plays "gay Oscar" on The Office) was gay or not. But it looks as though he is. In tonight's episode, one of the female home-mates develops a crush on him.

Tonight the remaining Designsketeers are asked to work their magic for head Top Chef judge Tom Colicchio. From the looks of the preview he's asked for an Arts and Crafts dining room -- and while I'm personally not crazy about dining rooms, I am crazy about Frank Lloyd Wright, so this could be interesting.

In last week's episode we said "see ya later, decorator!" to Erik (whom we interviewed recently), so that leaves us with two gay contestants: Goil and Michael. At the right we've added a handy illustration ("redesigned" contestants are replaced with tacky furniture).

For some reason the YouTube clips previewing this week's episode and reviewing the last aren't embeddable, so I'll give you the links to them here and send you on your merry way until we can figure out a work around. Here's last week's recap, and here's a clip from this week's dining room dilemma.

So what do you folks think? Did Erik deserve to get the boot last week? Who's the most annoying character? Will anyone design anything that doesn't look like it was thrown together in a day (which, in total fairness, these projects are -- but we want magic, people!)? Head on over to our newly-minted Top Design forum to discuss!

The View (ABC) 10:00AM EDT
The gals celebrate Rosie's birthday, which will feature the casts of Les Miserable and A Chorus Line, pictured above. You know, I just had a birthday and no one lined up a row of beautiful buns for me. I guess it pays to be Rosie.

America's Next Top Model (The CW) 8:00PM EDT
The girls are taught to vogue, and then are forced to use their new skills to make it through a laser maze. Or something. Benny Ninja is their vogueing guru, and Miss and Mister Jay continue their reign of styling terror over the girls.

Top Design (Bravo) 10:00PM EDT
I feel like Bravo's interior design show is losing steam, but there are still a few episodes left and the remaining designers may still surprise us. On tonight's episode, the Designsketeers must draw up a space for Top Chef judge Tom Colicchio. Expect tears.