Entourage is a show for the ages, one that has expired, but never left our minds. Entourage is a comedy-drama HBO television series about four boys from Queens, New York trying to make it in Hollywood. It follows the everyday life of a movie star and displays the ups and the downs he goes through daily (not everything is fun and games for celebrities).
Vincent Chase, played by Adrian Grenier, is the movie star we follow throughout the series along with his entourage, consisting of his best friends, Eric Murphy and Turtle, his older brother, Johnny Chase, and his agent, Ari Gold. Vincent, formally known as Vinny or Vince, is a charming, compassionate, classy, sometimes hard-headed, pretty boy actor. He usually gets out of control and does not listen to his representatives, which sometimes gets him in trouble. However, as stubborn as Vinny could be, he knows what’s best for him and tends to ultimately come through and deliver for his agents.
Eric Murphy, played by Kevin Connolly, is not only Vince’s childhood friend, but also his manager. Eric, also known as E, is a kind, respectful person, who tends to easily fall in love with women and is often times teased for his romantic life by his friends. Eric is also mocked for his softness and short height. Though, deep down, Eric is tough because he is able to handle the harsh treatment he sometimes receives from his movie star friend and client, Vinny.
Turtle, played by Jerry Ferrara, is the group’s driver. Throughout most of the series, he is unemployed and lives off of Vince. He is usually teased for being a “freeloader,” not having a job, and his inability to charm ladies without Vince’s help. Even though Turtle is usually jobless, he tries hard to find ways to make his own income. He is a hardworking, loyal guy, but is usually deceived by his employers.
Johnny Chase, also known as Johnny Drama, is the dramatic brother of Vince. He is a television star who has passed his prime and finds it hard to get back into the game. Throughout the series, Johnny, played by Kevin Dillon, is dumped by many agents because of his incapability to act. He typically creates enormously chaotic scenes everywhere he goes and gets himself in big trouble. Drama is normally ridiculed for his old age and inability to act at a high level. He is one of the funniest characters on the show due to his foolish antics and fun-loving characteristic.
Lastly there is Vinny’s arrogant, self-centered, pain in the butt super-agent, Ari Gold. Ari, played by Jeremy Piven, is one of the best agents in the business. He is frequently working everybody in Hollywood to find his prized client, Vincent Chase, a job. He is known for lying and deceiving people to get what he wants for his boy Vinny. Ari also tends to put his work ahead of his family, which leads him to couples therapy with his wife. Even though he is depicted as this selfish, bigheaded agent, he is truly a caring and hardworking person. Ari carries the comedic portion of this show with his smart mouth, hysterical remarks and hilarious actions when he is outraged. Piven masters the role of Ari Gold.
Entourage shows the adversity an actor has to go through daily, whether it’s being fired by a studio, getting addicted to drugs, not being able to find his passion project, having problems with directors, and losing out on movies due to poor timing. Sure, Entourage still displays all the excitement in a movie star’s life, such as purchasing expensive houses and vehicles, hooking up with the ladies, and being able to get special treatment wherever he goes, but its main purpose is to show the audience that movie stars are everyday people like us with daily issues.
Moreover, Entourage has one of the best cast members ever. Unlike other TV shows, right from its pilot episode, the cast is in tuned with each other and has excellent chemistry. Each member of the cast brings enthusiasm and energy to the set and is consistent throughout each episode of the eight season series. The jokes are never tiring. They are always fresh and entertaining in each episode. The four friends, Vincent, Johnny, Eric, and Turtle, are portrayed as typical guy friends would be. They make fun of each other for their flaws and shortcomings, which is exactly how guys pass their time with their friends in real life.
What’s more, Entourage has the best guest stars featured in all of their episodes. Each guest star, just like the lead cast members, brings their own burst of liveliness and enthusiasm to the episodes. Guest stars feature the likes of Jessica Alba, Jimmy Kimmel, Luke Wilson, Sara Foster, Gary Busey, Hugh Hefner, Lamar Odom, Scarlett Johansson, Bob Saget, James Cameron, Mandy Moore, James Woods, Seth Green, Chuck Liddell, Anna Faris, Kanye West, T.I., Mark Cuban, 50 Cent, Steve Nash, Amar’e Stoudemire, LeBron James, Matt Damon, John Stamos, Sasha Grey, Kevin Love, Jordan Farmar, Eminem, Mike Tyson, and many, many more. The guest stars are another enjoyable part of the show.
Lastly, Entourage doesn’t only focus on a movie star’s life. It expands further than that. Entourage shows the value of friendship and family. It teaches that friends and family are more important than work. It also reminds us that not all celebrities are in the business for the money. Many, just like Vincent Chase, are in it for the passion. That’s the beauty of Entourage. Each episode leaves the viewer with a warm, fuzzy feeling, a feeling that makes you beg for more. All the episodes are satisfying, thanks to the wonderful cast and writers. The storylines are always unique and flawless. The comedy is on point and sharp, and the drama is realistic and believable.
So if you have never seen Entourage or haven’t heard about it, you should go on Netflix or to the store and rent all the seasons, whatever you have to do to look this show. You will not regret it. Entourage is a fun, exciting, dramatic, comedic show that will not waste your time. All the people who have already viewed this perfectly distinctive show are currently impatiently waiting for the release of its movie, which should come out in the near future.
This has been a special tribute to a brilliant show, produced by Mark Wahlberg, which unfortunately ended in 2011.
