After an interminably long absence from my television, "Project Runway" is back with a vengeance!

Diane Mizota: Lifetime debuted a veritable "Project Runway" extravaganza, with 3 ½ hours of new programming, so like a pig in mud, I finally got my "PR" fix and then some.

Premiere night began with the "Project Runway All Star Challenge", with eight of PR's most memorable and talented designers returning for a shot at winning $100K. After an appearance from Nicole Kidman, Santino's trademark Tim Gunn impressions and a lot of hard work, the competition came down to Korto and Daniel. Although Daniel is undeniably talented, how could you not root for Korto? She designs beautiful clothes that real women want to wear, and set out to prove to her daughter that you can accomplish anything if you follow your dreams. So talented and so inspiring, Korto was robbed when she ended up the "number two girl of 'Project Runway'" again with Daniel taking home the $100K.

But on to the premiere... After being trapped in television lawsuit limbo for months, we finally got to partake of the famed Los Angeles "Project Runway" season, and it did not disappoint.

First of all, the appeal of this show is witnessing the passion the designers bring to their work. Watching master craftspeople make garments from simple bolts of fabric and their own imagination completely inspires. They aren't trying to be famous or get their own reality show, they just love what they do. We should all live with such passion for our work.

Then, there's the inimitable Tim Gunn. No one on television exudes the kind, caring mentor role better than this man. Whether he's giving constructive criticism in the workroom, or encouraging a recovering drug addict designer to not give up, he harkens back to TV's old-fashioned father figures; stern and honest, yet supportive and loving. Tim Gunn is sublime television.

Truth be told, it's just as much fun to see the train wrecks come down the runway as it is to see the successes. This week's disasters were Mitchell's hideously unwearable and entirely see-through caftan/nightgown, and Ari's amateurish "disco soccer ball" art project. In the end, Mitchell squeaked by and Ari was booted out after her spacey concepts proved a little too out there for the judges to embrace.

But there only seemed to be one contestant with kids, Epperson, a 50-year-old man from New York. What? Not one mother in the entire cast? That's disheartening. Maybe they should just bring Korto back to win it all this time. Now, that's what I'm talking about.

And as if that wasn't enough "Project Runway" for you, there was the behind the scenes show "Models of the Runway" telling the whole story from the models' perspective. After making us PR fans wait this long, premiere night certainly delivered. Bravo, Lifetime for keeping everything we love about "Project Runway" and giving us more. I know I'll be watching, will you?

Diane Mizota is an accomplished TV host, actor, writer and producer who began her career as a professional dancer. She is a first-time mom who currently lives in Los Angeles with her husband and toddler son.