After almost 8 months, the boys of Entourage are back and I couldn't be more excited. When last we left Vinny Chase's crew, E finally started to see independent success as a manager, Turtle had started a relationship with the beautiful Jamie Lynn Sigler, and Drama had, well, stayed the same. The biggest development to come out of season five was Vince landing the starring role in Martin Scorcesse's re imagination of The Great Gatsby. While it seemed overly convenient plot device, this premiere episode shows that it was a necessary kick in the ass for Vince, the entourage, and the show as a whole. The premiere made it apparent that everything we knew about Entourage finally seems to be evolving. One of my complaints with the show in recent years was that it followed a formula that was getting stale. It was always a back and forth over Vince not being able to do a project for various reasons and then eventually getting what he wanted in the end. (This reoccuring phenomenon was hilariously lampooned in this video) Although Vince being pulled from the doldrums to star in a movie by one of cinemas greatest directors seemed like a stretch, it is going to allow the show to explore new and exciting territory. What better way to spice up the show than getting to see what life is like for the boys when they actually have their own lives?
A lot of the premiere was typical Entourage, but with a stronger focus on certain plot aspects. E's love life has always been easy to poke fun at for the guys, but it is always a thrill to watch him deal with the plethora of hotties in his life. However, with Sloan back in the picture it doesn't seem that E will be playing the field for long. **Side Note: How hot is Emmanuelle Chriqui (Sloan)? She was stunning in this episode, and I officially want to marry her.** I wonder what her motives are with E at this point? Is she just trying to be a good friend or is she trying to turn him into the man she always wanted him to be by separating him from the pack? I get the feeling she will definitely be around for a good deal of this season and that is far from a bad thing. Not only is she great eye candy, but her and E have great chemistry and their dynamic makes for great intrigue.
Turtle seems to have plans for the future but it was clear that he felt a little guilty about being away from Vince. These guys are so used to being together as a group that they all have some sense of separation anxiety when they're not together. Jamie Lynn seems to be the catalyst this time around for Turtle. With her being around I feel like he'll be pushed to be more active and make something of himself. We know he won't have to be Vince's driver anymore after Vince "passed" his driver's test. The test scene was particularly hilarious, with Vince hitting a ton of cones and then subsequently bribing the instructor with premiere tickets. I loved the scene on Leno where Vince told the story as well. Although him being on Leno's show seemed surprisingly non topical for this show, it had a very natural feel and seemed like a real Tonight Show interview. We also learned during that segment that Vince's next project will be a bio-pic about Enzo Ferrari, which I'm sure will factor strongly into this season's plot.
Drama and Loyd represented polar opposite characters in this episode. While Drama is perfectly content with his job and lifestyle on Five Towns, Lloyd pushed Ari for a promotion after three years of intense harassment and bitch work. Ari, in typical dick fashion, made Lloyd sit out on his stoop for three and half hours before proposing that Lloyd be made a Junior Agent if he serves Ari's every need for 100 days. This should lead to some great scenes in the future and I'm confident that Lloyd will come through. Seeing Lloyd as an agent will be great. The few times he has taken charge have proven to be great entertainment, and anybody who can stand up to Ari has got to have what it takes to get the job done.
A couple of funny/interesting things that stood out in this episode:
- Lloyd's comment about the Mad Men characters having liver disease and lung cancer by Season 4 was comical
- Despite the great commeradery and interaction between Ari and Andrew (Gary Cole), I get the feeling that the partnership is going to hit a rough patch this season. I think Andrew has a drinking problem and it could come back to bite Ari
- Turtle seems to have lost a lot of weight. He looked much slimmer this episode than seasons past. I guess being with Jamie Lynn on screen and off will get you to pull your shit together
- That last scene set to "Lucky Man" by The Verve was a great touch and shows that there will be a little more depth to the show this season. I wonder how Vince will handle a more independent life.
- Finally, what's up with Lloyd's new haircut?
Overall, I though this was a great premiere episode. It set up a lot and gave us a taste of what we'll be experiencing this season while still providing a good number of laughs and typical Entourage moments. I'm very interested to see how the dynamic of the crew will change (if at all) by the personal growth of each member. Either way, I'm sure it will be entertaining, and it represents a great step in the right direction for the show.
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