Project Runway's Austin Scarlett and Santino Rice to Make a New Show Work

No matter how good Project Runway's new 90-minute format is, the fashion design series can't reclaim the characters who made the show revolutionary in its first and second seasons -- including Austin Scarlett and Santino Rice. However, Lifetime is claiming those two vets for a new series, On the Road with Austin & Santino, and that's good enough news to recolor my vision of reality TV this summer (for the better!). The two designers will visit small towns throughout America and provide stylish assistance to the country's downtrodden women. It debuts July 29 after Project Runway's eighth season premiere. I'm obligated to excite you with clips of Austin and Santino's best PR moments after the jump.

Austin's finest hours on Project Runway always involved the season's eventual winner Jay McCarroll. Here, after Austin finds out he won the swimsuit challenge, McCarroll beats him up. (Some of this is extra footage from BravoTV.com.)

And here's Santino impersonating Tim Gunn. Sigh. Your grandkids will watch this footage. If you're viewing this for the millionth time, keep an eye out for how humorless Chloe was. Kind of a downer!

'Project Runway's Austin Scarlett and Santino Rice Team Up for a New Show [People]