Yeah not a rousing episode by a long shot. I think Ari's reaction to his wife's news was the most interesting and honest part of the whole episode. I must have totally missed the part where E and Sloan broke it off? Did that happen last season? If there is a movie bet on Emmanuelle Chriqui being in it, which means a whole season of E/Sloan bullshit.
Jesus, I did not like that one bit. How fun of a final season is it going to be with sober comradere? That party was fucking gay, though I'm glad "New Billy Walsh" is around still, he always adds panache. As well as Scott Caan, who I admire still appears on this show even though it seems his other show is doing well. The look on Ari's face when Whatshername told him she's seeing someone else made the episode awesome. That entire plot of the show flashed before his eyes in five seconds. Piven played that so perfectly. Then, he gets drunk on fake booze. WHATDEEFUCK?!! Way to blow it, assholes.
I actually enjoyed this episode, not so much because it was a great episode by itself, but it seems like they could be setting up for a decent final season. I'm hoping they're trying to move out of the relationship drama and back to the "guys being guys" theme that originally made the show so good. Of course, they could follow this with seven episodes of E being a bitch and Ari trying to get his wife back which would ruin the season. Also, I had to laugh when the credits rolled to an Eminem song.
I felt a bit smug following the episode as my friends were calling me a douche and a snob because I was not frothing at the mouth for new Entourage. My roommate decided to watch last season over the last month and it just reignited the reasons why I wasn't expecting much. I still can't wrap my head around E's success. His only client is in rehab and hasn't made a hit in a long time and yet he pushed out the head of a large agency and took over a new one? What? Also, in a city so obsessed with image, he dressed like fucking mid 90s Jerry Seinfeld in that last episode. What the fuck. Positive about the episode were the aforementioned reaction by Ari. Piven really is this show's saving grace. Scott Caan also continues to be on point, I really love his character.
I actually enjoyed that episode, though part of it has to be because my expectations are so low after last season. Even still, I found it got back to its roots, in that nothing important really happened, it was just silliness among guy friends. Big fan of the E-Sloan break-up plot line, minus the fact she will probably have less screen time (and, not that I care, but from what I remember, her father wanted the pre-nup and she was completely against it last season...?). Ari is by far the best actor/character, and seeing him dating other women would be great, but holy shit, they're really just making Mrs. Ari into a vapid, spoiled bitch-face at this point, hey? Eric and Scott Caan just getting an agency out of nowhere is absurd, but I bet there'll be some good stuff with Johnny Bananas/Andrew Dice Clay/Billy Walsh. Whatever though, this is my third 'Sunday night show' behind Breaking Bad and Curb Your Enthusiasm. If it makes me chuckle or shows tits a couple times per episode, I'm satisfied.
Decent episode tonight. We find out Mrs. Ari is Spoiler hooking up with Bobby Flay...I really hope we don't have to see him on the show, that would be awful; I just don't like how he talks. Plus, he's a genetic mistake. Hahaha. And goddamn, I am so sick of this whole E/Sloan bullshit, yes she's hot, but it's really fucking annoying. Plus Drama gets his one liner in on E at the very end, perfect timing and hilarious. Oh, also, I heard from my friend that they are trying to get Obama on the show playing whatever guest character he wants...? Any truth to this?
Meh. Ar vs. Bobby Flay? That's it? MEH. Also, hopefully Sloan actually leaves and we won't have to deal with E and his fucking feelings for her every episode. I think the Dice man's fuck them before they fuck us has the best hope for anything this season. Vince and the lab/miner movie is fucking MEH and Turtle and his Avion girl isn't even worth giving a MEH to.
Is anyone else having a hard time believing the Ari we've seen over the previous seasons would stand for his wife kicking him out over basically nothing, fucking another guy within 2 months, and then telling him if he behaves maybe they can get back together once she has herself some more strange? Maybe it's because I don't have kids, but I can't see any universe where this is something I personally could get past. Even if my wife wanted to get back together eventually I don't think I could forgive her for fucking around on me. Shit like "we need a break" or "I need to find myself" are just bullshit copouts. I know I'm arguing for realism in a show that has never been connected to reality, but this just seems a bridge too far. Sloan is crazy hot though, so there's that at least.
Few things: First, in some ways this season is better than others, but also worse. Reducing Ari's storyline to a simple love triangle is a waste of a good character whose arc should be more interesting. However, reducing the focus on Vince is a good move. Drama has a quirky side arc like always, which his ego and narcissism is going to fuck up, like always (all of which I'm ok with). Turtle's arc is pretty much nonexistant, which is a shame. His character is supposed to provide light amusement, and so far he's only there to serve as the butt of jokes made by others. And it seems once again E's arc is going to be about him being forlorn and unloved. Boring. Also, it seems like the movie is all but officially happening now. Scripts are being written and yada yada yada. Why do they need a movie? I have no idea. Do we really need some kind of closure with these characters at this point? I don't feel THAT invested in it. I hope they give everyone a huge middle finger by having it end with us learning that they're all still in New York and it was all just a dream... of Arnold the Rottweiler.
I'm not gonna lie, last night's episode made me laugh more than maybe the last 3-4 seasons combined. Christian Slater's random 2 second appearance was hilarious, as well as Ari's Flay rant and Drama's one liner about E at the end. Getting my hopes up it continues like this episode...won't be a bad way to go out.
So that episode was pretty freaking interesting. Who would have guessed Spoiler Ari and Dana Gordon would ever hook up again...and from the preview of next week, start dating? Pretty big shocker if you ask me. My predictions: Drama's show won't work out and he'll get depressed like normal. Vince will find a way around the drug scare and make a random movie despite being a coke head. E is always a little bitch. And Turtle could go two ways, he regrets his decision to sell, as the company skyrockets, or the ATF figures out something illegal and shuts the tequila company down, giving Turtle a boost and making Cuban look bad.
Someone should show the last three episodes from last season and the first three episodes of this season in a seminar entitled "How to Completely Destroy a Character Driven Show." Let's break it down, of the five main characters, there's only one that the producers and writers have remotely stayed true to. E: Yes, he's a little bitch. But breaking up with Sloan over a pre-nup? Isn't this the guy that got pissed that Sloan got him the job with Murray (which he subsequently turned into his own firm)? Isn't this the guy that made $6,000 for "Queen's Boulevard?" And did it because that's what Vince wanted? Isn't E the last one to come out because he was making his own way in New York? I mean seriously, this is the one character that has not been shy about making his own way. Does he do it right? No, he fucks up, but to break up with the girl he's been pining over for years over a pre-nup? Totally out of character. Vince: The whole addiction thing was ridiculous. Vince has smoked sometimes, done some drugs, drank a bit, but at nearing 30, he suddenly becomes a hopeless coke fiend? Yeah, ok, I'm buying that. And the guy that couldn't even be bothered to read scripts is now writing one? Blech. Drama: This whole Dice Clay thing is also ridiculous. If anyone is more concerned than Drama about working, I don't who that would be. Christ, he wouldn't even leave 'Five Towns' (despite pissing of the producer) when he had to wear and acid stained face until he was pretty damn sure he had something lined up. The self proclaimed 'I've been fucked by Hollywood' more than anybody else king is suddenly going to strike at work based on a has-been's say so? Please. Ari: As someone else said, in what fucking world is Ari going to take that shit from Ms. Ari - lest we forget, Ari has always, always, always acted like that. He says some shit at work (not even to his wife!) and now she wants a divorce. Turtle: The writers have remained fairly true to this character arc. For the past several seasons, Turtle's character has attempted to make something of himself. I don't think it's the best storyline, but going back to season three, you can see this one develop, so of any of the characters, this is the only one the writers remained true to. I'll watch the last five episodes, because I've been with it this long, but the end of last season and this season so far have been awful. I am actually looking forward to it ending. And this used to be my favorite show ever.
Spoiler I think the thing that has me pissed off/intrigued is the previews for next week's episode. Vince is asked to do a drug test for a movie, and admits to smoking a joint while still in rehab.
I must admit I admire those of you that can muster the energy to analyze the decline of this show -- by the way I agree with almost everything said in this thread. I have concluded that I am just watching this season to watch it. It is not sufficiently and consistently bad that I have given up. And I've invested several seasons in the show and I might as well slog through to the end. I've never been one to understand the concept of sunk costs. Am I wrong, or have we now had several episodes without a hot, naked girl strolling through the shot? [Maybe at the party scene in the season opener?]
I agree the prenup thing was ridiculous. Being the go between now for Drama and Vince in their careers is kind of meh so far. I have friends who don't even live in the insane Hollywood lifestyle that have been caught up in drugs quicker than Vince. Though the storyline is kind of meandering they could end up doing something alright with it (not that this show ever really shot for the moon as far as quality drama). I like that they acknowledged that Vince's turn into screen writing is ridiculous. A lifetime movie staring his brother seems about right as far as his past exploits have shown. I'd probably be happy if he went out on top falling into some huge role as he basically has done the whole show. I could see them making him into a up and coming producer/star ala say Brad Pitt, not without some soul searching with his drug addiction. The producer suicide seems like an interesting turn... He seems to be sticking to his guns so far and not doing the retard thing he might have done in the past. As much as he's degraded himself for work he's also pulled a lot of egotistical shit in the face of success. I still think this is the best and truest line so far this season. He might very well cave to the Diceman to get him back on the show. Yeah, the split is unrealistic, at least an Ari/Dana Gordon relationship has some potential. Outside of Drama, which I kind of disagree with you on, I think you are spot on here. But Turtle's adventures in entrepreneurship have been less than exciting and a stretch to boot. I'd have liked to have them finish off with a decent end to Avion than just have him chase another semi-meh idea for the season.
I wouldn't be at all surprised if they did this just so that they could end the final season (or the movie) with a re-united Sloan and Eric getting married. The writers really seem to think that the audience is invested in the relationship and don't get that they cannot write relationships for shit and their insistence on focusing on retarded relationship drama is a big reason that the show has gone downhill. The whole stalker chick arc made half a season unwatchable, for example. Why they can't just go out on a high note with guys hanging out ragging on each other, ridiculously hot chicks parading around and excellent music choice is beyond me. They're actually pretty good at those things.
Someone has to die in the last episode, seems like an HBO staple. Who should it be? I think Vince being offed could work. Set up everyone to move on with out him, have him die snorting a hot dose off of Lindsey Lohan's ass.
Once again Drama and Ari's stories have become the best thing the show has going for it. Jamie Kennedy was hilarious as a hack voice actor. Is this supposed to be a two parter season? It doesn't seem like Vince, E's, or Turtles shit is going anywhere.
Am I the only one still watching it because of how much I had invested in previous seasons? This shit sucks.