5 Reasons Why Entourage is Actually Pretty Good This Season
When the news broke last week that next summer would mark the end of Entourage, not many tears were shed. As one Movieline commenter put it: "[It] looks like the free ride is over for these losers." But a funny thing about that: While everyone has been busy writing Entourage off as crap, the show as risen like a phoenix from the ashes and become... well, pretty good! Shocking, right? Ahead, four reasons why you should think about re-adding the show to your DVR list.
1. There's a relevance to what happens on-screen
During the season six premiere last July, Vince appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (even though Leno left the show May) and Ari was pumped about getting Greg Garcia -- of My Name is Earl fame -- on board at the agency (My Name is Earl had long since been canceled). A better illustration of the fact that Entourage had become a dusty time capsule was not needed. This season though, things feel a bit more timely. Tonight's episode will not only feature Puff Daddy hocking his Ciroc vodka (something he does often), but also an entire subplot about Movieline sister site, Deadline, and how it's used as Hollywood's de facto homepage (Carrie Fisher guest stars as a Deadline reporter). Hey, it's better than Earl references.
2. There are strong female characters
Entourage has always flirted with having members of the opposite sex butt heads with its merry band of man-children -- Debi Mazar's Shauna, Carla Gugino's superagent, Amanda -- but the show has rarely followed through on any pyrotechnics. But thanks to a reappearance from Amanda, the ball-breaking brilliance of Autumn Reeser's Lizzie, Perrey Reeves' always welcome Mrs. Ari and porn star Sasha Grey (as "herself"), season seven of Entourage is kinda balanced. If only Emanuelle Chriqui's Sloan was more than an excuse for anal sex jokes.
3. Scott Caan struts around the show like a peacock with an erection
Is there an Emmy category for Best Walking? If so, here's your winner.
4. This line from Rhys Coiro's now-sobered up Billy Walsh
"I have four [kids]. A set of Irish twins. A set of actual twins. And another one on the way. I thought we could live on love, but tiny kids can't eat love."
5. Stuff actually happens to Vince
For too long, Entourage has skated by on the fact that nothing ever bad happens to Vince. Even when Medellin bottomed out there was never a sense that the star of Entourage would not rebound. Now? Who knows! He's a pill-popping mess who doesn't seem to care. That alone makes Entourage worth watching again. It isn't Mad Men, but it's certainly better than Hung. Do with that information what you will.
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Comments
Yeah, too bad it isn't funny anymore.
God what a wretched, piece of dung of a show. Are you guys on the HBO payroll?
What year is it in your world? An appearance by Puff Daddy is relevant? That guy wishes he was relevant. Turtle "surprised" by waxed female genitalia? It's 1995 all over again.
The show is tired, and it's strangely diminutive cast have become even more cartoonish. Scenes with "E" and Scott Caan resemble one of those all-midget movies from the '30s (And I noticed the little peacock drives a truck the size of a battleship--okay, maybe not a stretch in overcompensating Hollywood). Chriqui or her character (I'm still not sure which) is achingly boring, there is zero chemistry in her relationship with "E" and the rationale behind their marriage is baffling. Vince screwing a porn star? All well and good, but the fact that his crew treat her with such respect and don't insist Vince wear a body condom is just unreal--the lack of easy punchlines suggest Grey's agent had a certain amount of decorum written into her contract.
I could go on, but why bother? The dust began collecting on this show long ago.
Well, though the Interweb whiners have hated this show for about 3 years now, I dont' get the sense it's "nuked the fridge" yet.
Familiarity breeds contempt and while it'll never equal the novelty of "peeking behind the curtain" that the first 2 seasons had, and some of the seasons have kinda sucked, this season is fairly strong. Giving "E" and actual job and not just a "one client gig" was smart, (though the "management firm" and Ari's "agency" don't seem to do much differently to anyone not in the business). The return of miserable, can't get a job Drama is welcome (his arc of being on a hit show was mostly boring until he pissed off the network head). Turtle seems, once again, to be the odd man out...the writer's cant seem to find a reasonable subplot for him that doesn't STRETCH believability (really an average joe like him, with no fame/money constantly getting uberhot girls??? In HOLLYWOOD???? c'mon...).
The biggest downside is Ari's agency troubles seem to be almost a different show. It's took what, 6 episodes to get Ari re-involved in Vinnie and the boys storyline. Need better integration or a spin off called "Ari Gold".
I'll watch the show until it wraps and hope for a (good) movie after (Not a "Sux in the City" monstrosity).
The problem Entourage has had for the last two seasons is that it deviated from the formula that made it successful for it's first five seasons. Vince was always the character the season was built around, with the rest of his entourage supporting him. Now, the rest of the characters get as much (sometimes more) air time as Vince, and it isn't working. Turtle, E, and Drama should never have had their won storylines, and Ari should have been kept involved in Vince's career, instead of going off on his own to build a super agency and an NFL team.
You're right about the peek behind the curtains appeal of the first couple of seasons. Once that wore off the show went downhill a bit, but even now it's better than 99% of the crap on network TV. I wish HBO had given Entourage a full season to go out on instead of a six episode mini-season.
Well said. They've also referenced Nikki Finke in seasons past, too.
You have to wonder, with the series ending soon, if they're not testing the waters for an Ari spin-off. It could work.
Great commentary and 100% right. When it comes to tv, what else is there?
This show is still great. The people that are whining that the show isn't exactly like the first two seasons, would be all the same ones crying that the show hasn't changed since the first two seasons! Gimme a break. Go watch your Friends DVDs.
This show is still funnier and better written than most Hollywood "comedy" movies.
To be fair, a test pattern is better than Hung. Seriously, I don't know why I watch it; I guess I need to decompress after another insane-awesome True Blood.