Tag: Entourage blog (Page 9 of 13)

Movin’ right along

August 5, 2007 /

I’m rarely ever successful when trying to predict the future of my favorite television shows, but I sure am glad I was right about this week’s episode of “Entourage.” Dumping the Eric-Walsh feud for something a little more interesting earned both my respect and my attention, and it looks like the series is building to something before the end of the season. Plus, everyone likes celebrity cameos, and tonight’s show had three pretty big names, including Mary J. Blige, Peter Jackson and the return of Gary Busey.

With the decision to act solely as Vince’s manager, Eric has decided to expand his horizons by renting an office, putting out an advertisement in Variety magazine, and going after some deals of his own. The new digs aren’t meant exclusively for landing more jobs for Vince, but his first order of business is finding his best pal a way to make some quick cash. For those who don’t keep track of the video game industry, Academy Award-winning director Peter Jackson (along with a few other bigwigs like Steven Spielberg) is making the best of his talents by working on a new video game based on the popular “Halo” franchise.

In the world of “Entourage,” however, he’s simply working on a new video game, but Eric wants to get Vinnie involved. Unfortunately, no one has a clue who the fuck Eric Murphy is, but he gets some much needed help from Shauna (yeah, you remember her?) when she directs him to a friend at Variety who will do a profile of him for free. The article doesn’t end up quite how Eric had expected – she basically calls him out for using Vince as a launching pad for his own career – but it lands him an interview with Jackson nonetheless. Could this be an exciting new time for Eric, or is this just another Saigon detour that will be eventually left in the dust?

Meanwhile, Ari is prepping for one of the biggest days of the year – Mary J. Blige’s annual visit to the agency – when he’s forced to deal with feuding co-workers at the office. Actually, they’re twin brothers, which makes the situation that much stranger when Ari hears all the details. Jeff has just discovered that his brother Jim slept with his wife, and wants Ari to fire him. Unfortunately, Jim just so happens to bring in six times as much money as brother, and so Jeff is the one that’s let go. Not exactly how Ari would have handled things had the tables been turned (despite constantly making comments about cheating on his wife, Ari is one faithful dude), but when it comes to business, numbers are numbers. It’s unlucky for him, then, that Mary J. Blige just so happens to like the guy he fired, and as a result of her leaving the agency, Ari promptly fires Jim as well. Not exactly gripping material, but still one of the better subplots that have been shoved his way since the beginning of the fourth season.

Hopefully that’s all about to change, because if I have to watch Johnny Drama make an ass of himself one more week, I may just go crazy. First, it was getting high in his trailer. Then, it was having sex in a pink bunny suit. And now? How about letting Gary Busey paint on his body in trade for an office desk? Sure, it was meant as a gift for Eric, and yeah, it’s cool that it once belonged to Robert DeNiro, but who in there right mind spends $42,000 on a freaking office desk, antique or not?

Busey has cameoed before, but this was certainly his weakest appearance. I do love the fact that he intimidates Turtle so much (“It’s the reflection in the mirror that scares you”), but the subplot seemed much too forced for his personality. Plus, we’ve already seen the whole crazy artist persona before. It’s not that I don’t like the guy, but when you’ve got Gary Busey at your disposal, and the dude is so batshit crazy that you could practically ask him to do anything, well, you ask him to do anything. Maybe he can guest star on an episode of “Five Towns,” or maybe get stranded somewhere with Turtle. I’m having thoughts of a “Brokeback Mountain” parody as we speak, but that’s for the writers to figure out and for us to enjoy.

Entourage, External TV, TV

It ain’t over til the short Irish guy sings

July 22, 2007 /

It seems I was getting a little ahead of myself when I declared the fourth season of “Entourage” as one of the best yet. It’s true, the season has been amazing after that overly long (and ultimately eventless) junior year, but enough already with the whole Eric/Walsh blowout. I get that Walsh is a giant prick and Eric is sick of putting up with his crap, but it’s Hollywood – you’re making shit tons of money for doing very little (especially Eric), and yet you still can’t grin and bear it like everyone else? Has Eric ever thought that maybe Walsh doesn’t enjoy working with him? Of course not, because he’s too busy bitching and whining about why he doesn’t like Walsh, how Walsh has screwed up “Medellin,” and how he’s already peaked as a director.

As a favor to Vince, however, Eric has bailed out of his producing duties (which he’ll still get paid for, though) on the new Chase/Walsh collaboration, and will simply operate as Vince’s manager. This is probably a good move for all three of them, but if Eric ends up being right about Walsh, the audience is going to be forced to side with him in every future decision he makes and, well, that wouldn’t be good.

Hopefully, this won’t get in the way of Ari signing Walsh, but I doubt it will since Vince has still agreed to star in the film. Ari, meanwhile, has more important things to worry about when Lloyd up and leaves the agency in the middle of the workday. His reasoning? His boyfriend, Tom, just broke up with him, and he’s simply too depressed to carry on. After a clueless replacement screws up a call from Eric, Ari goes looking for Lloyd in an attempt to get his all-star assistant back in the game. It doesn’t work, however, and Ari is forced to make a visit to the ex to patch things up. What he discovers when he gets there, however, is that the reason Tom broke up with Lloyd isn’t just because of his long work hours (as Ari was told), but because he cheated on him. Ari, always prepared to lie to get what he needs, convinces Tom that Lloyd was with him the night in question, and presto, Tom takes back Lloyd, and Lloyd comes back to work. You gotta love Ari Gold sometimes; the guy knows how to get things done.

And in a very unsurprising turn of events, Drama and Turtle stayed as far away from the main action this week in order to go off and do their own thing. Turtle’s cousin, Ronnie, is in town with a possible investment opportunity involving a Sandy Koufax baseball jersey up for auction. He doesn’t have enough money to seal the deal, though, and so he goes to Turtle for the other half. With rumors swirling that Koufax could kick it any day, it’s the perfect time to swoop up some rare personals to turn around and sell for some serious profit. Unfortunately, after Ronnie bails and Drama steps in to pick up the financial slack, the pair wins the jersey only to discover that the rumors are false. Big surprise, there, and yet another complete waste of time for the comedic duo.

Entourage, External TV, TV

The Kobe and Shaq of Hollywood

July 15, 2007 /

And the streak continues, not only with one of the best episodes of the season, but of the series thus far. Honestly, I don’t know how these guys do it, but they’ve managed to up the ante with each successive episode this season. The whole “Medellin” debacle was taken a step further this week when Snoop Dogg informs Vince and Eric that the “Medellin” trailer has been leaked on to YouTube. Walsh is quick to accuse Eric of sabotaging the film, and in return, Eric tackles Walsh right in the middle of the Barney’s café. What I want to know is why no one even thought to consider that Harvey was the one behind the leak. He certainly has his motives after being screwed over for the second time in as many years, but it was probably just one of the editors.

Nevertheless, the leak proves to be a rare positive moment in the film’s disastrous production, and now that every studio exec has had the chance to see footage from the film, everyone that’s anyone is ready to offer Vince a job. Of course, Ari is already on top of his client’s new passion project: “Lost in the Clouds,” some mountain climber memoir that already has Curtis Hanson (“L.A. Confidential”) signed on to direct. And that’s not even the good news. Dana Gordon – Ari’s ex-flame/blossoming movie exec – is in charge of the project, and so Ari swings by to schmooze her with Cristal and cupcakes. Unfortunately, Heath Ledger is already in final negotiations to nab the lead role, but when Ari convinces his agent (Josh Weinstein) that the character is gay (an obvious, but completely necessary, lie), the deal suddenly drops through.

Meanwhile, Eric and Walsh make amends (kinda) and join Vince for an interview with film critic Elvis Mitchell to discuss the making of “Medellin,” but it soon turns into a battle of egos, leading Mitchell to comment on how great of a rapport they have. Not quite the word I would have used, but Eric bites his tongue nonetheless, only speaking his mind afterwards on his feelings about Walsh. Of course, that’s when Ari calls to inform them of the good news: the studio wants to offer the “‘Medellin’ dream team” the chance to work together again on the new project. Vince will star, Eric will produce… and Walsh will direct. Eric’s response? “Fuck me.” I couldn’t have put it any better myself. It’ll be curious to see what happens from here, but methinks the two will kiss and make up once “Medellin” sweeps Cannes and award buzz begins to swell.

I’d be remiss (and probably ostracized by the “Entourage” viewership) if I didn’t mention the latest chapter in the Adventures of Drama and Turtle, but aside from offering some much needed comic relief, it didn’t serve much purpose to the story. Drama, desperate to embrace a younger image before the start of the new season of “Five Towns,” spots a black trucker hat (featuring the image of a marijuana leaf) while shopping around Barney’s, and suddenly, he’s obsessed with getting one himself. This leads the pair to a medical marijuana club and a visit to the doctor to fake the necessary symptoms needed for the all-important note, but when Drama arrives on set wearing his new hat, he soon discovers that all the cast really care about is getting their hands (or more specifically, their lungs) on some of that medical marijuana. This turns into a game of strip/smoke weed blackjack where Drama becomes the life of the party.

I’m glad to see Drama finally getting what he wants (work and fame), but how about giving the fans a little something as well; namely, actual footage of Drama working on the show. Oh yeah, and how about the return of that fine girl Turtle was dating?

Entourage, External TV, TV

Famous last words

July 8, 2007 /

It’s probably been said more than a few times on this blog, but I can’t help myself: “Entourage” is having one of its best seasons ever. While last week’s episode was a little lacking in the story department, it still managed to entertain with hilarious subplots highlighting Drama’s shitty luck and his brother’s comparably better fortune. This week delivered a much more balanced half hour, including continued progress on the whole “Medellin” arc, a comedic night out with the guys, and one of the most over-the-top guest spots in the history of the series.

I’d like to begin by saying that Harvey is fucking crazy. The parallels to the Weinstein brother of the same name were obvious enough when his character was introduced in the second season’s Sundance episode, but it’s become all the more evident in these past few shows. After discovering that “Medellin” was accepted into Cannes, Eric schedules a dinner with Harvey to inform him that they’ll no loner be selling him the movie. Suffice to say, Eric is mighty scared, but he refuses to show it in front of the guys. Nevertheless, that impression of Turtle’s was dead-on.

In fact, Eric’s debating whether or not he should even tell him the news when he arrives at the restaurant to find Harvey already freaking about something. First, it’s the sight of a former employee who screwed him over, and then (after joining Vince and the rest of the guys for drinks) it’s a waiter who refuses to deny that he ordered a cranberry vodka. In the end, as a red-faced Harvey is literally dragged out of the joint, Drama decides to break the news. Harvey’s response? “I’ll eat you alive!”

Before all hell broke loose, the vibe at the bar was pretty laid back. In an attempt to schmooze the Mayor of Beverly Hills (Stephen Tobolowsky) into annexing his building so that he may lay claim to the posh zip code, Drama takes him out with Vince and Turtle to help the guy get laid… without paying for it, of course. When they arrive, Drama manages to find a girl for the Mayor without Vince’s help, but when one of the bodyguard’s informs him that the beautiful she is actually a he, Drama does his best to persuade the Mayor into stepping away. The Mayor won’t have it, though, and decides that transsexual or not, he’s taking her back to his house for a little fun. Of course, part of the date is caught on tape and posted on the internet by morning (which features the Mayor and his gal pal getting into his car), and though the Mayor openly claims that he has nothing to hide, the girl reveals that she most certainly does.

And though Harvey’s hilarious outburst and the aforementioned disturbing scene would have taken the cake any other week, the sheer fact that Ari hasn’t had much to do this season made his appearance tonight all that more memorable. After meeting with M. Night Shyamalan at a cemetery to pick up his latest script (which, by the way, Ari mentions is weird, even for him), he promises to have it read by the next morning with plenty of feedback. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work out quite as planned, and after attending an engagement dinner with Mrs. Ari, temporarily losing the script when the valet returns the wrong car, retrieving said car from a man whose marriage he probably ruined along the way, and then getting pulled over by the police for going 140 mph, Ari finishes the script before his scheduled meeting with M. Night only to discover that the obsessive nut changed the whole third act… and wants him to read it (right then and there) all over again. Shyamalan’s caricature of himself was classic, but the look on Ari’s sleep-depraved face was the single best shot of the night.

Entourage, External TV, TV

Snap, crackle and sizzle

July 1, 2007 /

If there’s one thing “Entourage” is notorious for, it’s setting up potentially earth-shattering events and then brushing them off as if they never happened. The latest offender occurred as a result of last week’s episode, when Eric and Vince came to a standstill on their decisions about Walsh’s early cut of “Medellin.” Everyone (including myself and pinch blogger Jamey Codding) seemed to think this meant the two friends would finally clash, but it never quite came to fruition.

It’s the day after, and Eric’s opinions on Walsh’s cut haven’t changed one bit. He’s got a few changes he’d like to discuss with the director, but when he goes to see him at his post-production hideout, Walsh doesn’t take too kindly to Eric’s notes. It’s not that Eric thinks the film is bad (he does think it’s too long), but rather that it still needs some serious molding, especially after an editor shows him a slick trailer for the film that would surely get people to theaters. When Walsh informs Eric that he’s already submitted the film to Cannes (the French Sundance), however, Eric gets paranoid about the possibility of it getting rejected and turns to Ari for help.

Ari suggests he go see big-time producer Harvey about the possibility of buying the rights to the film (who would refuse to release Walsh’s cut of the film in theaters and re-edit the film to their liking), and despite their differences in the past, Harvey offers Eric $25 million for the film. When Eric tells Vince the good news, he gets a little of his own: the film was accepted into Cannes, and Vince thinks they’ve got a shot at s much better deal if they bring the film to the festival on their own. Boy is Harvey going to be pissed.

Speaking of Vince, he spent of the episode doing what he does best: being a celebrity. After a happenchance run-in with some hot chick on the road, Vince joins her to go chill at Dennis Hopper’s place where the man himself chats about his time on the set of “Apocalypse Now” and turns on Vince to betting on soccer matches. After nearly losing $100,000 to an 11th-hour missed penalty kick by Rudd van Nistelrooy (a match which couldn’t have conceivably aired any later than 2006, since van Nistelrooy no longer plays for Manchester United), Vince dodges a bullet when the guy who was supposed to place the bets fails to do so in favor of some much needed rest.

And while Eric is busy trying to save his ass, and Vince is off betting money he doesn’t have, Turtle joins Drama for a promising double date with two older (but supposedly sexy) women friends of his. When they arrive at Donna Davine’s place, however, Turtle discovers that the friend in question is Marjorie, a chubby and overly spunky gal who he most certainly doesn’t want to bang. He agrees to take one for the team, though, and comes out on top in the end. Just as the quartet prepares to split up and have a little fun, Donna (the good-looking one) decides she’d rather be with Turtle, leaving Drama to fend for himself against “the best rimjob in town.” Everybody now: “Ewwwwww!”

Entourage, External TV, TV

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