Entourage

Entourage: The Complete Fifth Season
$39.98
If you don't love Ari's abrasive manner, Vince's game, E's honesty, Drama's drama, and Turtle's hip-hoposity, then this is not the show for you.

Entourage - Season Three, Part 1
$39.98
I got rid of HBO after "The Sopranos", a brilliant show that went into a gradual decline after the third season, dwindled out to its controversial finale, so I've been watching each season of "Entourage" on DVD. Which I'm glad I did because I don't think I'd want to wait a week or so for a new episode.

Actually, I've watched five seasons in two weeks. Usually one show right after the other.

I've been completely drawn in by the entire production.

As much fun as the series is to watch, I can feel a day of reckoning coming for Vincent Chase: so far he's been a pretty boy who's been handed everything...but, hopefully, his character will develop along the lines of many, many Hollywood actors--some merely flash-in-the-pans, some the real deal--who hit the wall and have to really give themselves to what they do. It seems to me like his older brother, Johnny Drama, was once on that path--and he's blown it over and over again. Vince will need to do something to either achieve superstar status, crash-and-burn like his brother, or just end up as the "frivolous" Chase brother.

The laugh-out-loud scenes still belong to Ari Gold with a wonderful assist from Lloyd, his gay Asian secretary. I hear Jeremy Piven has won several Emmys from this role and he richly deserves them. His foul-mouthed tirades are as shocking and inappropriate as they are hilarious.

This is a show that sounds like it knows exactly what it's talking about.

Entourage - Season 3, Part 2
$39.98
Interesting for a show that follows the entourage of a Hollywood actor, and makes much of the dichotomy between "the artists" (who lean towards prestige projects with actual acting, writing, etc.) and "the suits" (who ALWAYS have an eye on the money-making potential of a project) that HBO decided to break this admittedly SLIGHTLY longer season into two pieces - and charge the same for this 8 episode set as for the other 12 episode sets. The show that glorifies the artist and derides the suits is presented here in a COMPLETELY "suit" decision. Sad.

Do you feel a little jerked around? I do.

This is not at all an indictment on these 8 delicious episodes. Vinny has a professional breakup with Ari, but Ari still hovers just over Vince's horizon, trying to woo him back. Johnny Drama's show "Five Towns" debuts and the wonderful insecure bravado almost melts down when the reviews start. In one wonderful episode Drama is the targeted for a "Punk'd" type show hosted by Pauly Shore. After stealing a parking spot from UFC Champion Chuck Liddell Johnny is convinced that the professional brawler will be coming for revenge. They go home and tee up UFC footage - showing Liddell pounding another professional into smithereens. It is really a tribute to Kevin Dillon's acting ability that I simultaneously felt sympathy for Drama and was laughing my head off as he whimpered to his buds "sweet, merciful Jesus", imagining Liddell doing some similar damage to his insecure face.

Vince has a new agent, played by Carla Gugino, after firing Ari, and the tension between the three of them is palpable. There are several excellent Ari moments - such as Ari's sudden acquisition of a little humanity making him unable to fire an agent who is losing money. Ari's shrink tries telling him that his new compassion is a GOOD thing, but he is desperate to get his "edge" back. Another brilliant episode has Ari and another of his Jewish clients (Nick Rubenstein, played in matching apoplectic fashion by Adam Goldberg) trying to close a deal on Yom Kippor - while surrounded by their families and other worshipers who think that doing business, using any transportation other than foot, even using a phone, is a sin against God. Ari has never been more torn.

Turtle gets a hot romantic interest - the daughter of the custom car shop where he has Drama's cruiser fixed up. Eric is mainly a sidekick to Vince, although in one humorous episode he is hoping for a weekend retreat to Napa with girlfriend Sloan. He gets his wish, but as the saying goes - be careful what you wish for...

So - 8 excellent episodes of a superb series - with you the viewer jerked around by exactly the kind of people the creative artists of this series despise. Ironic, huh?

Entourage: The Complete Seasons 1-5
$238.98
I was disappointed with this purchase. When watching the dvd you will notice that the subtitles are always on and you'll have to turn them off manually at the start of each viewing. Also some parts were blacked out or distorted with pixles to cover up any or all nudity from the show, something which is uncensored here on the US show. The Seller should have stated that some of the seasons are not from the US HBO show and censored for other markets. With that being said purchase at your own risk.....