I can’t speak to the fate of Entourage without Ari, but the fate of Lloyd without him is a total and complete mess. I really enjoy Rex Lee, but apparently not as a solo artist. Without his abusive and berating boss, Lloyd was a huge drag on the entirety of last night’s episode. Hopefully this schism is temporary.
It did, however, allow us to see a very different side of Drama. He’s always been needy and self-centered, but I think his plea to Ari was pure and sincere; this is his life, and he needs to be represented by someone who truly feels that he’s talented.
Of course, he’s also an idiot, and the “plum” role on Melrose that he gave up his steady gig for is probably some five-minute spot on a random episode that’ll net him nothing. Did he not see the grin on producer Phil Yagoda’s (William Fichtner) face when he mentioned it? I guess we know where Drama’s arc is headed — back to where he was when the series started.
College Turtle has traded in his baseball hats for sweater vests. A little too preppy for him, but I like that we visibly see a transformation in him. I’m not really sure where his struggle with the weird boxer-thief is coming from … she’s not my cup of tea, but he’s dating Jamie-Lynn Sigler. Hello!!! Also, he’s dating Jamie-Lynn Sigler … did they never envision a scenario where she’d have to travel for work?
I dislike when Vince gets shoved into the background, acting as little more than scenery in an episode. The “entourage” here is his, so where is he? Why is it that their lives take center stage, and his only comes into play in so far as it affects theirs? I know that a lot of people won’t agree with me, but I think Adrian Grenier is a great actor, and I really enjoy when he has something good going on. But it seems like, when his career’s flying high, he’s MIA from the show. Maybe he needs a love interest? Nah, not Vinnie. But something.
Eric had the meat this week. And he may end up being someone’s meat next week … Ashley is going to cut him in his sleep, I kid you not. What in the world is “let me read your e-mails”? Are you serious? It was funny when she said that “something about us is off” — um, you? — but what planet is Eric on that it took his assistant, Brittany (Kate Mara), to be the first to offer “I think she’s crazy”?
Speaking of, I really hope an Eric/Brittany (or Vince/Brittany) connection isn’t in the works. I don’t think it would do anything for the show, the characters, or for us. It would just end up in way too many cliches about dating your assistant, or your friend dating her, and then the inevitable awkwardness, embarrassing scene, firing, lawsuit…. Like I said, not good for anyone.
This episode did remind me of a question that had been lingering somewhere in the farthest recesses of my mind. Namely, Eric is still Vince’s manager (I believe), but is Vince now a client at Eric’s new firm? Meaning, is Eric now required to turn over his Vince commissions to his new bosses? If so, did we ever see Vince agreeing to be represented by them? It’s not important, just a hole I feel is still gaping.
And, in case you think I missed a golden opportunity to say good riddance to Ashley … I can’t imagine a scenario where she’s not back as a stalker. Continuously for the foreseeable future. Nice.
Clacked by Aryeh S.
on Sep 21, 2009 @ 13:00 EST5EDT
You can’t possibly believe that Adrian Grenier is a good actor.
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I’ve never seen him in anything else, but he is fantastic in this part, if you’re not overlooking him for the background role that he usually ends up playing. He is the perfect Vincent Chase, which could result in a “chicken or the egg” discussion, but here I believe it’s because of Adrian Grenier’s talent. So yes, I can and I do. :-)
I’m on the fence with Grenier as an actor. he’s okay, I guess, but great seems to be stretching it a bit. Also, the show is “Entourage” (not “Vince”) so it makes sense that it’s revolving around them and not him. It’s always seemed to be E’s story more than anything else. Vince is pretty vapid as a character overall anyway, so i always prefer the guys to him. Especially Drama.
I’m not entirely sure how the agent/manager deal works. Maybe part of the deal to bring Eric on board was that he could keep his side gig managing Vince – it probably would have been a pretty major plotline if Ari was losing Vince as a client, no? Although getting Efron would lessen the sting, so maybe that’s in the future…
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Yes, but it’s his entourage. Meaning, if he wasn’t the center around which they all rotated, there wouldn’t be an entourage. So, while I am all for each individual having a story, I think Vince needs to have one too. When his career was struggling last season, he had a central arc, which did nothing to minimize everyone else (Drama on Five Towns, Turtle and Jamie-Lynn, Eric’s burgeoning career), but rather just gave him more to do than learn to drive, or opine on crazy Ashley.
Also, I think you see him as vapid not because Grenier does him poorly, but because he’s nailing the character. But just because he’s vapid (which I don’t 100% agree with) doesn’t mean he shouldn’t play a larger role in what is really a story that wouldn’t exist without him.
Sorry about that; I wasn’t suggesting that Vince left Ari. Rather, of course Miller Gold (Ari) is still his agent … my question is whether Eric (and his new firm) is still his manager. I wasn’t talking about anyone being replaced, just whether the new firm is handling Vince’s business (to the extent that Eric does) and collecting his checks.
Nah, i wasn’t saying that Grenier does him poorly, i think he’s good in the role, just don’t think that means he’s a great actor.
I feel the character is written and played as a kind of vapid movie star (“say hi to your mother for me”). He has his moments, some of the Smokejumpers plot was good for him as far as stretching a bit, but I do still think he’s kind of the guy the others play off of and that’s generally the direction the show goes in. But you’re right, he hasn’t really had much of an arc this season… i thought there would be more payoff with the Scorcese flick.
But as for the manager/agent stuff, I’d just guess it’s the same as it ever was or it woulda been addressed in some way. Not sure if that’s unrealistic or not.
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Right? They made such a huge deal about Scorsese, that I was sure Vince would be shooting all season long on the film. Instead, it was his turning point, but we didn’t get to see it at all. That sucked.
Yeah, like I said, it’s not so important. I just wonder if Eric gets to pocket his Vince commission plus his salary, or if he turns it over, in which case, like I said, shouldn’t we have seen Vince “interview” this new firm?Just general musings. ;)
I could be wrong, but I believe when Eric was interviewing for his job, he asked the boss how he should know if they wanted E for E, or since he brought Vince along with him. I think the response was that of course they were thrilled to get Vince in the deal, but they wanted E for E. And there is no conflict with regard to Ari, since E is Vince’s manager (as he was before), only instead of working for himself, he is working for a big firm.
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Right, I thought I remembered that. But then it’s strange that there’d be no mention of Vince at least going through the motions of finding out what the new firm can do for him. Something.
Yay for Drama and E for sticking up for themselves. Neither of them have ever had much spine. This episode offered one of the best lines that I’ve ever heard from Eric:
“You say you’re not crazy but all signs point to the contrary.”
Booya! How did you not see it sooner, but thank you for showing some balls. It’s still bothersome that his assistant had to point the craziness out. He’s never been that bright when it comes to relationships and seems to have trouble thinking for himself in this context.
I expected Ashley to follow him after the break up and flip out over the fact that he immediately went to meet Brittany, who, by the way, won’t be a relationship for any of the guys. I think she was merely the innocuous female character that the writers needed to add to the characterization of Ashley’s craziness. Really, is there anything more cliche than the hot female assistant?
Drama giving up the Melrose role wasn’t fiscally smart, but he recognized that Ari was using him as a pawn in his game with Lloyd and that was. Furthermore, he called Ari on it. For that, he gets my respect.
Finally – and I say this as a woman – Mrs. Ari is hot. Ari walked away from that for business? Ari Gold, lovable douchebag. TV shows need one.
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Except with Vince; I think Eric has always been straightforward with him. I actually think that what it says about him is that Vince has been the only person he’s truly cared about up until this point in his life.
I hope you’re right about Brittany; it would be way too dumb a plot.
Well, I don’t know that Ari walked away from it as much as he just could only find the time for himself…. ;)