I wish I had better news to report. I really do. But last night’s disaster of an Entourage episode was so bad that I would really prefer to not even mention the stuff I’d only end up complaining about. It’s not fun for you, and it’s not fun for me. If you really want some insight into my thoughts on Vince’s downward spiral, Sasha Grey, Turtle’s tequila, Turtle and Alex, Scott’s being on the show, or Ari and Lizzie, by all means read one of my other pieces on this season of Entourage. My opinions haven’t changed.
Leaving us with only one story — and only one man — whose recent turns on shows aplenty (Burn Notice, Dark Blue) have thrilled us all: Rhys Coiro … better known here as Billy Walsh.
I’ve always found Billy to be highly entertaining. Whether he was calling Eric “Suit” (long before Mozzie and Peter), reaming out Ari, shooting a porno, riding off on a motorcycle with the “Medellin” film, hating Drama, or telling Vince that he’d be the second guy in Vince’s “guy-on-guy sex scene,” Billy’s always been a fantastic supporting character. And I’ve wondered, since his last appearance in season four, why he would’ve dropped off the face of the earth — the Yair Marx/Harvey Weingard/Nicky Rubinstein debacle aside.
Well, now we know. For the last 30 months Billy’s been getting sober, becoming an ordained minister, and having way too many kids for that short a time-span. And now he’s back, and he “needs” Eric. Oh how the tables have turned.
And I liked his idea for a project for Drama, an animated show that Drama could star in. It’s interesting to consider that Drama’s one path to success might lie in hiding his face, something he considers to be one of his greatest attributes. And it’s not like those people don’t still act in live action — we’ve seen Dan Castellaneta, the voice of Homer Simpson, in plenty of stuff, from Greek to Castle … to Entourage itself, as Andrew Preston, the headmaster Ari makes a deal with to get his kid into school. And voice acting’s not a bad way to make a buck.
Whether or not Drama will consider it is another story, as is whether or not it was Billy’s intention to imply that he’d play a role in the project. What I did find to be curious timing was Vince’s alcoholic crash coupled with newly-clean Billy’s return. Is Billy back to lift Vince up from the ashes? Do we want to experience a celebrity rehab-like trajectory for Vince? I feel like that’s something a newly-minted celeb might fall prey to, not one who’s been up and been down, and has always ridden that rollercoaster with a more-than-healthy amount of indifference.
Granted this is just Vince being dumb, exacerbated by his general lack of awareness, but that difference in motivation won’t stop him from ending up in the hospital or a holding cell. And it’s just so not what I want for him, what any of us should want for him. Love him or hate him, we get far too much of that in the real news. Vince’s ability to sink or swim shouldn’t be determined by how much tequila is weighing him down.
But welcome back Mr. Walsh!
Clacked by Aryeh S.
on Aug 09, 2010 @ 12:00 EST5EDT
Yeah this was a horrible episode. I know I harp on this a lot, so I will again: how the hell is Turtle landing these girls? What is attractive about him? And I’m not just talking about looks here. He’s insecure, a loser in business, has no money other than what he takes from Vince, and now he can’t even look a shaved poon in the eye without freaking?
I also don’t like the Vince drunk story at all. Came from really nowhere. And Billy being an ordained minister … I will bet any money he marries one of the guys, possibly — but unlikely at this point — E.
And at this point, why should Ari really care so much about Vinnie’s career and what roles he lands? He barely hangs with them anymore and he has WAY bigger clients at his agency now. So seeing him give personal time to Vinnie and allowing E to walk right into his office is starting to be a stretch.
I am SO glad this show is over after next season so I can just stop watching. I know, I should be able to stop now, but now with an end in sight, I just want to see it through.
*POST AUTHOR*
I’d collected all the episode details in advance, so it wasn’t until I was inputting the episode title (“Hair”) into the post after writing my piece that I made the connection … and audibly said “Ugh.”
The only girl I ever accepted as NOT being out of Turles league was that auto-repair girl while Turtle was sponsoring that rapper…
Whoa… just reading that sentence right now is again so ridiculous… Entourage has always been so over the top and weird. Right now it feels like they are grasping at straws. It’s so laughable but I can’t stay away. “As the sun was coming up, shining right on it” *snicker* You gotta love this b/s :-)
*POST AUTHOR*
Funny, because I think she (Lauren London) was both the best looking of his supposed matches, as well as the one he worked best with on a personal level. If anyone should have been his long term girlfriend it should have been her, not Jamie-Lynn Sigler.
They should’ve given Vince a drug problem instead of this tequila b/s (though this could be about perscription drugs). And this is about the least interesting substance-abuse problem I’ve seen. I know its not a subject to take lightly, but they could’ve at least shown some progression. Now it just feels like a watered-down version of tabloid stories we’ve seen too many times.
Competely agree about the other standeard issues. Turtle is graveling, sack-less leech. Sasha and Scott get way too much screen time, all of which they are attached to Vince or Eric’s hip. Ari’s a disconnected from the main group as he’s ever been, but hopefully he’ll come down to Earth after this Lizzie thing is done with.
The only thing interesting right now has been Drama. Ironically, it’s the only thing that’s completely disconnected from Vince
. . . . .
With the show in the midst of being lackluster, distasteful or otherwise, you have to admit: There’s a lot going on within Entourage right now.
I, too, caught the irony of a clean and sober Billy entering back into the mix while the final scene of the episode was a bare-assed Vince passed out cold at the side of the pool. For me, Vince’s downfall manifested itself a little too quickly and conveniently. That “Avion” … pretty addictive stuff. Or Vince is a light-weight, overly sensitive to tequila.
Drama? As a voice over actor … ?!? Give me a break. He’s the original prima donna. You see how he acted and reacted (“Oh, woe is me!”) all through this episode? Now … picture him being given direction as an animated character. His ego would be crushed beyond repair at take #4 for “just a bit more emphasis.” I picture him storming out, in the midst of a tiraid, not able to cut the mustard. Voice over would crush him. Mercilessly.
Good idea … supposed nice direction for him … but there is no possible way the Drama we all know and loathe could possibly stand up to those rigors.
*POST AUTHOR*
Obviously it’s different because he’s also the creator, but even Drama couldn’t dismiss the vast success Seth MacFarlane enjoys doing voices. And how about all those A-listers who’ve done animated movies, like Tom Hanks, Will Smith, Robert De Niro, etc? I think he won’t warm to it easily, but I see that being Drama’s end-game … maybe … or getting arrested for something illegal the bar in NY he co-owns (he did buy that in the end, right?) does.
Part of me wonders if the animated voice storyline is a brilliant move by Dillon for what he can be cast into once Entourage is through.
That’s actually pretty ironic in a way, that all of these guys will have to start looking for work once this show is through. Can you see any of these guys making it elsewhere? Dillon as a voice actor, definitely. I also hear that voice work is like the Holy Grail in Holywood because of the lack of dress code, etc.
*POST AUTHOR*
I don’t know … I think Jeremy Piven is fine, as should be Kevin Connolly. Adrian Grenier didn’t want to do “mainstream” projects in the first place, while Kevin Dillon deserves to be cast no less than his brother. Jerry Ferrara? Yeah, I’ll grant you he’ll probably recede into the night. :)
. . . . .
Keith:
While at The Con, I attended two different voice over panels that were nothing less than mesmerizing and funny as all get out. You would have enjoyed them.
Your ‘like’ of animated shows (am I reading into this wrong?) lends credence you might like to hit those panels next year.
Take note …..
I will say that I’m surprised the shaved storyline is surprising you with this show. If that kind of thing offends you, then what are you doing watching this?! ;)
*POST AUTHOR*
Something about it (and last week’s anal plot) had a different vibe than even Vince on a floating bed having sex while on the phone. It’s hard to explain, but I guess it’s the difference between sex being a part of the show, and sex being the show. Does that make sense?