Normally when it comes to reality shows like “Project Runway,” “Top Chef” and “American Idol,” I don’t come in to each episode wishing for someone I don’t like to return.

Normally, I just save that sort of energy for the people I do like because sometimes, as in the case of “Runway’s” Chris March, eliminated folks I love do make a glorious return (and nearly win, thank you very much!).

But Thursday night I sat on my couch doing something a bit unusual: Wishing for the return of Malvin, he of the unisex avant-garde weirdness, who was sent packing for being, well, kind of weird, avant-garde and unisex during a very non-unisex, weird or avant-garde challenge (pregnancy wear). He, like episode one’s Ari Fish of Kansas City, was sent packing in favor of Mitchell, a guy with more one-liners in his pocket than ability in any areas important to a reality fashion competition like focusing and, I don’t know, sewing.

It seemed that the judges saw promise in Mitchell (and maybe Perez Hilton from any off-center angle) and decided to keep him around even though he first sent a model down the runway in a giant pantyhose stocking and then had the audacity to put a pregnant lady in shorts that never should have seen the light of day.

Now, I’m sure that with the first episode, when they were choosing between Mitchell and Ari, they thought, “Well, gee, Mitchell didn’t get a chance because he designed an outfit that was intricate and didn’t fit his model. Not his fault” and gave him another chance. Then last week with Malvin, it was if they thought, “Mitchell had a cute idea and just didn’t execute, Malvin had a horrible idea that he executed too well. Guess we better stick with Mitchell and see if he has any more good ideas.”

OK, fair enough, after several seasons of this show, the judges have been rewarded by giving certain designers another chance. And I’m all for second chances. Even thirds if the situation is right.

The problem here is that Mitchell NEVER should have been on the show in the first place. The guy can’t sew, can’t focus and isn’t creative in the least. Moreover, his confidence was shot in the first episode when he was nearly eliminated instead of Ari, and so he seemed like some poor sap that thinks if he is self-deprecating enough everyone might just leave him alone.

Hmmm, not going to happen, Mitchell. Well, until you get sent home, but then everyone is just going to make fun of how you acted on TV, even if it was eons ago. Haven’t you seen “Project Runway” or were you too busy cooking your portfolio and working on catty one-liners?

If Mitchell had seen “Project Runway” before appearing on it he might have realized that:

A. If you are made the captain of a team, as he was in this episode, you actually have to do work and act in charge.
B. There is always a twist.
C. Riding on someone’s coat tails and admitting it might not be the way to go on a show where you have to stand on your own two feet.
D. The judges are forgiving but not THAT forgiving.
E. I could go on forever. But I’m assuming that anyone reading this has watched the show about four times as much as Mitchell, and doesn’t need me to break down what that dude doesn’t know.

So, yes, Mitchell, by some fluke of fate was named a team leader for a challenge in which the designers had to work in pairs to create a beachwear-inspired look (Welcome to California!). Of course two designers working on one outfit wasn’t enough of a challenge no matter how much said designers clashed, so halfway through the judges threw in a second, avant-garde outfit. And that, my friends, is a recipe for a meltdown.

Doing most of the melting was Ra’mon-Lawrence, who Mitchell picked to be his partner admittedly because he knew Ra’mon-Lawrence had done much better than Mitchell in the first challenge (where he finished second) and had managed to avoid being in the bottom two with Mitchell in the most recent episode (though his bowling ball bag pregnancy dress was BAD). And the last thing anyone wanted to do was be stuck with Mitchell, let alone be “led” by him.

Commence the freaking out. Spooked, Ra’mon-Lawrence ended up taking on way too much, sewing both outfits while leaving Mitchell to sew a bathing suit that wouldn’t even be seen on the runway, which was a good thing because he also admitted that he had no idea how to sew a swimsuit. With 45 minutes to go, Ra’mon-Lawrence, fearing going down with Mitchell’s ship, decided to revamp his entire avant-garde look and ended up making a THIRD outfit and was seen on the floor dyeing fabric with 30 minutes to go and a worried Tim Gunn over his shoulder.

Well, turns out the third outfit was the charm because Ra’mon-Lawrence actually won the runway challenge, earning immunity for the next episode thanks to that hastily made, hand-dyed neoprene beauty. The judges — Heidi Klum, Nina Garcia and guest judges Rachel Bilson (love her!) and Max Azria (BCBG) — absolutely loved the yellow and gray third outfit and were stunned when Ra’mon-Lawrence said he made everything that could be seen (plus an outfit that went unseen) and Mitchell copped to doing just the bathing suit, which was hidden under Ra’mon-Lawrence’s beach look.

I’m actually somewhat amazed that Mitchell didn’t start to nickel-and-dime Ra’mon-Lawrence’s accomplishments but rather just gave his co-designer the real credit for everything. It was actually kind of brave and moral. And it was kind of stupid too, because Ra’mon-Lawrence wasn’t about to be kind to Mitchell just to soften the blow of his revelations of doing nothing and sent Mitchell hurtling under the bus without a second’s hesitation.

So, once again, Mitchell ended up sulking about the bottom two with Qristyl, who had work room shouting matches with the formerly cool-as-a-cucumber Epperson, and it showed in their work.

Many times, “Runway” has sent home designers who couldn’t lead or work together, and Qristyl and Mitchell couldn’t do either. However, Mitchell was on a winning team and was probably thinking of some deprecating one-liner for when he escaped elimination again, as the show had never before sent home a winning team’s designer.

Well, I guess there’s a first time for everything. And may I say, “THANK YOU!”

Finally, Mitchell went home. FINALLY.

However, I’m not really sure if other designers were thrilled because no one would get stuck with him again or bummed because that would just mean someone else would have to be in the bottom two next time.

Some random thoughts:

• Is it just me or does the quality of work this season seem really, really way down on the list?

• I have not found anyone I really LIKE on this show. Usually by now I genuinely like someone.

• Why do Althea and Carol Hannah always look like they just got home from a bar? They really could be pretty if they stopped with the bleach and learned to apply makeup correctly (or wore little at all).

• Heidi’s hair looked really good in this episode, did it not?

• I was excited to see what Rachel Bilson had to say because she’s a celeb that has her own taste, doesn’t have a stylist and actually writes a fashion column for “InStyle.” So much more of an appropriate judge than Lindsay Lohan in the first episode.

• Nicolas needs to get lace/garters/macrame far, far out of that ridiculous Tom Petty-esque head of his.