Entourage: Season 2

I tried to explain this show to somebody the other day, and the most appropriate description that I could come up with was "Entourage is like the male version of 'Sex & The City', but based in Hollywood and with a more clearly defined plot." So, yeah... that's pretty much it.

If you watch one episode and enjoy it, then you MUST try to watch the whole series in its' entirety. Sure, you could jump in and start watching at any time, but the only way that you'll appreciate the inside jokes and past references is to see it from front to back. The show's writers really get into a great rhythm around the middle of season two.

In my opinion, the REAL stars of this series are Johnny Drama, Turtle, and Ari. Sure, the relationship between Eric (aka 'E') and movie star Vince is the engine that drives the show, but the funniest moments in the show involve the other members of the entourage. 'E' tends to take himself a little too seriously, and his girl problems are rather contrived at times. Vince is certainly the center of attention in his little universe because everything hinges on his career, but he couldn't function without his support group - which is the point of the show, I think.

My favorite facet of the show is how everybody that they interact with on a regular basis are all stereotypical entertainment industry people; from the sycophantic personal assistants and ubiquitous groupies, to the slick and smarmy super-agents and power mad producers. Also, the nature of the show's Hollywood locale results in the inclusion of tons of great Star Cameos.

Entourage was one of the few shows in recent memory that had me laughing out loud and actually giving a crap about what happened to the characters as the story developed. I can't wait to see what goes down in Season Three. If you'd like a solid TV drama/comedy that's got a shot of testosterone, or if you're tired of your girl forcing you to sit through re-runs of 'Sex & The City' and want to make her watch something you BOTH might enjoy for a change, then you should check out Entourage.

The gang is back and this time around Vinny is going to be in the newest hit movie "Aquaman" directed by James Cameron. Vinny's co-star for Aquaman will be Mandy Moore. Come to find out, Vinny's heart was crushed by Mandy on the movie `A Walk to Remember'. Yep... our woman hungry movie star Vinny at one time actually had his heart broken. He was in love. Mandy is now happily engaged to someone else and all she wants to be with Vinny is friends. Or does she. Ah, gotta love some good drama. Speaking of drama, Johnny Drama is headed to Comic Con to dress up as his old character from Viking Quest (think of the old TV show Hercules) and sign autographs and make a few bucks. Vince is going to promote his movie so of course Turtle and Eric go also. But here at Comic Con, the tides have changed and Johnny is the big star. He's got hot women all over him and everyone wants to talk to him. Turtle later on finds an up and coming music star and wants to manage him, even though the guy stole Vince's car. E finds new love in Ari Gold's boss's daughter.

Now even though the gang is a good group of guys and actors, I think if someone else would have played their characters (from the beginning of the show), we would still be laughing (maybe not Drama though). I have one exception though and that is Ari Gold who is played by Jeremy Piven. The guy is a genius. Just about all of his lines are a godsend to the show whether they are crude, witty, loving, mad, scared, sarcastic, or genuine, they are all great lines. Most of the time funny as hell lines. His actions are another thing that's great about him because he seems to be a big ball of energy that's about to explode. I've always liked him in just about everything he's been in, but he has really found himself in this show.

One other guy I'd like to mention is the newcomer Lloyd. Ari's new assistant. I didn't think I was going to like him that much, but he has brought a LOT of comedy to this show. Main reason for that is because he's Asian and he's gay. So now Ari has even more ammunition for his onslaught of mean sarcasm. And because Lloyd is a man, Ari is a little harder on him than if he was a woman. But Lloyd is VERY feminine and will cry and get hurt and will just ignore Ari if he wants to which aggravates Ari even more. You can't help but root for Lloyd almost all of the time. Such a great new character.

When it comes to the jokes and glamour, not much has changed, but that's good. The writing is still hilarious and very witty. The show is full of guest cameos which are great if you are a big movie fan like I am. I believe season 2 is better than season 1 and I really liked season 1. This show honestly gets better as it get older.

Highly recommended.

The HBO hit series, Entourage, starring Adrien Grenier, Kevin Connally, Kevin Dillon, Jerry Ferrara, and Jeremy Piven, is back for its Second Season on DVD. The series follows the lives of hot celebrity actor Vince Chase and his posse of friends from the old neighborhood as they maneuver and strut through the glitz and glamour of Hollywood. Beautiful models, bright clubs, and celebrity cameos fill every episode. The boys are styling and living large, the women are drop dead beautiful and available, and the night life and premieres fill their days and nights.

The 14-episode Second Season is a season of drama and instability for Vince and his crew. After coming back from the making of Queens Boulevard, Vince finds out that offers are drying up as fast as his bank account, and his dream of playing Pablo Escobar in Medellin is about as realistic as Drama's need for new calves. Aquaman, a big budget James Cameron movie, is the big money payday that Ari needs for Vince to take, but his reluctance is making life difficult. Eric is torn between his friendship with Vince and his desire to be a real manager making sound decisions for his client, while Turtle learns that Eric's old job isn't as glam as it seemed.

Between Laker games, beach parties at Jamie Pressly's house, and Sundance, Vince is finally convinced to take the Aquaman gig, much to the relief of his buddies and Ari. Behind the scenes though, things are getting tense: Ari is making a play to start his own agency, Eric meets Sloane, the beautiful daughter of Ari's boss, and Vince gets bowled over by the love of his life and new Aquaman co-star Mandy Moore. Will Vince bail on Aquaman? Will Ari make it? Will Eric cut Vince loose? The fun, tension, and of course the drama make for an entertaining second season of television. The box set extras could be better, but the episodes alone make up for it, and at under $30, its worth it. The only drawback is that this show should really be a 1 hour show, but I'll take what I can get. Highly Recommended.

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