Tuesday, September 23, 2008

"Entourage" Has Jumped The Shark



(image via bloomberg)

Nikki Finke reported yesterday that HBO is renewing "Entourage" for a sixth season. Why? Yes, Jeremy "The Piv" Piven won a third Emmy for his over-the-top portrayal of Ari Gold/Ari Emmanuel. And, yes, Lloyd as comedic counterweight to Piven still has the magic. But the growing buzz -- the conventional wisdom, even -- around the blogosphere is that the show has Jumped the Shark, or, more accurately "Screened Medellin". In this week's episode, for example, we are treated to an actual time-devouring drag race between Ari and a rival shark/agent, feces jokes, a robust bitchslap, and the Chase Brothers singing at a Sweet 16, culminating in "Drama" vomiting on the birthday cake. Charmed, I'm sure.

The episode was aimless and thoroughly unfunny. Where can they take this show for another, sixth season when they can't seem to even find a direction in Season 5?Sure, the argument can be made: the meandering directionlessness of the "Entourage" script mirrors the aimlessness of the guys at this point in time. But the problem with that argument is that the aimlessness began as far back as the filming of "Medellin," not this season. Medellin has loads of comedic possibilities, but they were squandered.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I say they should move the show to Baltimore and sell dope. And, maybe, just maybe, Omar isn't dead, and Avon figures out a way out of the joint.

Man, that would be awesome.