Say so long to Entourage … sort of

As I listened to the theme music for the final “first” time, it dawned on me: good shows never really leave us. I’ve bemoaned the loss of countless great series in the past — most recently Men of a Certain Age — but when a show lives a long and healthy life, the only thing we lose out on are new episodes; I’m going to be watching the ninety-six that Entourage has in the can over and over again for a long time.

So where did the series leave our boys?

Vince is getting married to Sophia. After one date. I’ve been much happier on the whole with this season’s Vince, even if at times the show seemed to be pushing an agenda to make him seem like the kind of guy that Sophia would fall for. I don’t mean to suggest that he hasn’t always been there for his friends — save for the times when he was pushing them away — but the last two episodes have pushed that message to a new level. Nevertheless, that’s the Vince I’ve always liked.

But marriage? Forgetting for a moment that I can’t see him being monogamous, the whole thing was too fast … and too “been there, done that.” We’ve seen him shopping for expensive jewelry before; we’ve seen him think a girl “the one”; we’ve seen him — or at least heard him discuss — taking an exotic trip with a new woman. I even wondered, until she stepped off the plane, if Sophia was aware that she and Vince were getting married. I can understand the writers wanting Vince to end up somewhere — just because there are rumors of a movie doesn’t mean the show didn’t need to end — but I’d think getting his career back on track would have been plenty.

Drama and Turtle were there for their friends last night, but neither progressed further in their own life. I’m okay with that; it’s the camaraderie of the group that I’ve enjoyed more than any specific plot. I am disappointed that there seem to be no consequences to Johnny’s ill-advised strike, but what can you do. Besides, Johnny Drama will never cease to fail when it counts.

Eric gets the girl and the baby … okay. I was thinking, as Eric and the boys sat down in that restaurant, that in some respects Eric had yet to grow since the pilot — his life was still being stunted by his desire to never part from his friends, as their mingling seemed to leave him without a hope for being with the love of his life or his baby. That’s exactly the battle we heard him fighting in the first episode: cut the chord. Does it count that he’s cutting it on Vince’s dime? Perhaps.

Yet Turtle’s line to Sloan, “You’re carrying our baby,” was very poignant. These four guys are a family, and it’s pretty rare to find people today who’ve found what they have. I hope it doesn’t cost any of them the other kind of family should they want that too, but it’s something special.

And I’m glad that Vince seemed to have gotten through to Sloan after her “My father hates him” argument. Really? Daddy hates the guy you want to spend your life with, so it’ll never work? I’m glad that Eric seems destined for happiness, but the truth is that Sloan’s always been too much of a daddy’s girl for Eric’s (and her own) good.

Now we come to the best part of the episode, season, and perhaps the show. Ari Gold has entertained us for years and years, but it wasn’t until his marriage fell apart that we finally got to meet the real him. Seeing him destroyed sent a powerful enough message, but the therapy session? His phone conversation with daughter Sarah (Cassidy Lehrman)? As power hungry as Ari is, it’s been his desire to provide for his family that’s driven that. He really just wanted to do his best so that he could give them everything they could ever dream of.

I think it was a bit rash of him to quit his job, but I don’t think that any less of a gesture — plus the romantic plea at the house — would have convinced Mrs. Ari of his sincerity (did you notice that, even with plenty of opportunities, only Lloyd called her by name?). But what of the post-credits phone call Ari received from John Ellis (Alan Dale)? CEO of a company akin to CBS Corporation or NewsCorp? Wow. Will Ari take it? Will Mrs. Ari stay with him if he does?

Fortunately this is probably not THE END, and I think the coda was meant to be the launch pad for the movie, as opposed to “A Paris Wedding” (which, chronologically, must have taken place before the end of the series). But I can do them one better: how about a spinoff featuring the Golds, back in LA and running one of the largest media conglomerates in the world? Vinnie and The Chasers would still make appearances, but the man we all love, Ari Gold, could stay on TV for another decade. Make it an HBO series — as it would have to be — and Jeremy Piven would still have plenty of time to further advance his career … while continuing to collect Emmy gold for his portrayal of Ari Gold.

Sounds good to me.

What did you think of the Entourage “send-off?”

Clacked by Aryeh S.
on Sep 12, 2011 @ 12:15 EST5EDT