Entourage has been described as the male Sex and the City.
Strange, considering that Entourage has more wit, talent and imagination in one line of dialogue than Sex and the City had in its entirely overlong, over-hyped, self-indulgent, commercialised, horse-faced, mass-menopausal film.
If you’re not up to speed, the plot basically centres around Hollywood A-lister Vincent Chase (Adrian Grenier) and his tag-alongs. ‘E’ (Kevin Connolly) is Vincent’s manager, Turtle (Jerry Ferrara) is his driver and Drama (Kevin Dillon) is his less successful acting brother. Together, along with the always-modest Ari (Vince’s agent - Jeremy Piven), they try to bag movie roles, women and a good time on a weekly basis.
It sounds pretty basic and certainly doesn’t instantly reek of longevity. Five seasons in, though, and it is still as strong as it was when it first started. It’s a programme from the brain of Doug Ellin (and based on Mark Wahlberg‘s early Hollywood exploits), that has evolved into one of the most enjoyable comedy-dramas on television.
It is hard to pinpoint exactly what makes it so compelling. Each season covers a specific part of Vincent’s career, with this season showing his struggle after a mega-flop and being seemingly uncastable. This situation makes for an interesting series, with plenty of cameos – from Gus Van Sant to Martin Scorsese – it is constantly enthralling to watch.
Maybe it is the fact that so many Hollywood major players want a part in it. This season alone packs in all manner of stars and familiar faces in different-sized roles, either playing themselves or a character, and it makes the programme feel genuine.
It’s not even that the characters continue to grow. They all end up back where they were, eventually – mostly fun-loving, foul-mouthed and filthy rich. The characters are so likeable and the curiosity of how the famous live is indulged with the filthy, upbeat tone that makes the Hollywood dream look as appealing as we all hoped it would be.
Whatever the reason, Entourage‘s fifth season is fast-paced, must-see television and one of the best shows around at the moment. The only thing that lets the DVD release down is the lack of extras: a couple of commentaries and behind the scenes featurettes don’t add much to the package. It doesn’t really matter, though – if you’re a fan or have yet to see the series, then this boxset is worth the RRP for the show alone. You’d never guess that a hecklerspray reviewer would recommend a show about all the behind the scenes, filthy goings-on in Hollywood!
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