I've had several requests to write about this week's "Entourage," including one from a reader who exclaimed it was "the best episode in AGES." I have to say that I'm still not feeling it, but I'll say a few spoiler-y things after the jump, then open it up to the rest of you masochists...A lot of things that could have been interesting have happened over the last few episodes, but they've all been executed in the same lazy, status quo-protecting fashion that keeps the "Entourage" engine running somehow. Ari taking over a major movie studio would have been an intriguing departure for the show, whether he succeeded or did a Mike Ovitz-like crash-and-burn. Or, if they didn't want to do that, they could have given us a glimpse of Ari working his deal-making skills like never before to somehow get Dana Gordon the job when Alan Dale seemed so dead-set on hiring an agent to run the place, but instead the show just waved a magic wand and said that it happened. Boring. As with so many things about "Entourage," they spent a whole lot of time and not much effort on getting us back to where we started from.
As for Turtle getting, um, friendly with Meadow Soprano? Snooze... First, I have some plausibility issues. Yes, in life-imitates-art fashion, Jamie-Lynn Sigler and Jerry Ferrara are reportedly dating, but Ferrara's social standing and, hopefully, personality, are a lot higher up than Turtle's. Beyond that, though, it was the same juvenile (and unfunny) snickering the show often gets into when girlfriends are involved, and predictable as hell. Was there any way that Drama's big mouth wasn't going to get the news back to Sigler?
I'm still watching for unknown reasons, but it's same as it ever was.
What did everybody else think?
I agree this show hasn't been good in awhile, they open the door repeatidly for something different to happen but it always turns into the same story. Vince wants to do a movie, refuses everything until he gets his way. I dont like how Ari didnt take the job, especially since they played it that he didnt want to hurt Vinces feelings. Are any of his other clients treated like Jesus the way that Vince is?
ReplyDeleteI still enjoy the show, if only because it is 20-25 minutes of fluff. I try not to let the issues with the show bother me, but I agree with you on needing something new.
ReplyDeleteAri in the studio job would have been perfect. There might actually have been a reason for Ari and the gang to be together other than to have a meeting.
It would have been interesting to see Ari as studio head, but of course they resolved that in minutes. The writers are just plain lazy now.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know about who Meadow Soprano was dating in real life, but it makes more sense knowing this, because while she is only a tv actress, I still wasn't buying that she would have let Turtle do that. And I was disappointed with what they have been doing with Drama this year. He was more interesting in the past, but now doesn't seem much better than Turtle.
There is no way Piven should win anything next year. This is easily becoming the Boston Legal of comedies.
Entourage was great as always.
ReplyDeleteYes, I would love to see a series about a studio head.
But NOT Ari as a studio head. Ari's a seller. This is his magic: Selling something in a moment, when the market is initially totally against him. Studio executives are in comparison in a buyer market, everybody wants something from them and they have a huge power and influence. The only thing they sell is films to a faceless mass, the citizen who should see a movie in the theatre.
And how should Ari negotiate with this faceless mass?!? See, Ari's the agent and everythings fine...
The episode title of "First Class Jerk" was the most clever thing about it.
ReplyDeleteAnd what did you think about Vinnie thinking he is too big of a movie star to even consider doing a tv series?
ReplyDeleteMaybe he should get a reality check and talk to Laurence Fishburne, Jeff Goldblum, Glenn Close, Holly Hunter, etc.
Maybe he should get a reality check and talk to Laurence Fishburne, Jeff Goldblum, Glenn Close, Holly Hunter, etc.
ReplyDeleteIn fairness to Vince (whom I usually consider an annoying, entitled tool), this whole notion of movie stars coming to television is bogus. Fishburne, Goldblum, Close and Hunter are all years -- in some cases, decades -- removed from being able to headline profitable, big-budget studio movies. They (and other people like Christian Slater and James Woods, Toni Collette and Tim Roth who have either recently done TV shows or are about to) are "movie stars" in name only, where in the "Entourage" universe, Vince headlined the biggest-grossing movie in history only a couple of years ago. Even though Leo and Toby Maguire and Marky Mark have had fallow periods at different points of their careers, they're still a long, long way from doing a TV show.
Vince headlined the biggest-grossing movie in history only a couple of years ago.
ReplyDeleteAh, but in the universe of the show, I've started to believe he doesn't have the real star power any more.
I have been down on the show for a long time, but I thought this episode was great.
ReplyDeleteLloyd has become the best character on the show.
The problem with the show is that there is never any struggle. The boys always get hot women without trying very hard (and rarely get emotionally involved); Ari gets the chance at a plum promotion without even trying (and turns it down for no good reason!); Vince gets to be a movie star again after moping, but without having to work back up again from the bottom; etc., etc.
ReplyDeleteI thought this season would be different -- the first half of the first episode made it seem like Vince might stay in a really dark place for a while -- but that changed real quick.
To make the show worth following, they need to offer viewers some emotional investment -- it worked for Sex and the City when they realized that relationships are more interesting then continual flings.
It's not a great show, but it still entertains the hell out of me. This season is much better than the past couple, which I realize isn't saying much.
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