I wonder, as I type the episode title, “Running On E,” if it will be a clever joke about Eric being really tired, or if the whole cast will take a bunch of ecstasy. It’s lose-lose, really, isn’t it? Nah, just kidding. The last two episodes have been marginally better than pretty much all of last year, and there’s no reason to think this week’s won’t be okay as well. (That’s high hopes, ain’t it?)
But first, Seth Rogen “shot back” at Entourage creator Doug Ellin last week, according to Entertainment Weekly. What does “shot back” mean? Did he call them a bunch of retarded douchebags who star in a show that satirizes Hollywood by being as empty as Hollywood? Nah, he just said he never watches the show. Oh, and he also starred in a movie that, despite its semi-disappointing gross, is better than anything Adrian Grenier will ever star in. Living well is the best revenge, Seth.
Anyway, a bunch of shit from this week’s Entourge that I didn’t need to see at all: Eric hanging out bored in his office, then inviting his girl over for some afternoon delight. Turtle shopping for clothes with his girlfriend. Drama lip-raping a bunch of girls. Vince so bored he fucks a waitress. The only thing that could’ve made these four things worse was if they were all happening in the same room, and we could see Eric’s post-coital treasure trail. All of these subplots: Fail. And it was a good chunk of the episode. The only redeeming part was when Ed Burns told Drama that his big ordeal was “one scene in an episode of a middling NBC drama.” Amen, brother.
Anyway, Scorsese’s The Great Gatsby is a big hit, and Vince is supposed to head off to play Enzo Ferrari, but production is delayed, and so he’s got 12 weeks off. And all the money in the world. And we get another episode in which a guy who has more money than he knows what to do with can’t think of anything to do except hang around his childhood friends. Seriously, Vince, get a life. You’re a movie star; you’ve got friends in every corner of the globe. Stop telling us how bored you are, because it just makes you look even dumber.
On top of that: Wow, could those scenes of the four friends get any more forced and horrible than they did this week? Man, they’re not even trying anymore. Drama says he’s going to get a significant other on the show, E says, “What, a mail-order bride?” and everybody else laughs like that’s a hilarious fucking joke? And then the final scene of this episode, which ended in a pile-on and some noogies? Sheesh. Lazy.
On the plus side: Gary Cole is getting some more screen time, and Ari is in crisis mode, which is always good. After Andrew Klein (Cole) breaks things off with Lizzie, a junior agent, some fun shit hit the fan. An awkward meeting with David Schwimmer—playing the Hollywood asshole really well—led to a couple of solid scenes: one with Schwimmer by himself, so upset that he couldn’t eat dessert because he didn’t get to fuck Lizzie, and one with Ari and Andrew in the car, having a man-to-man.
But overall, there was more filler than meat in this week’s episode. Next week promises a little more action, with Jeffrey Tambor playing in a golf tournament with the boys. (That’s good because of Tambor, not the boys.) But man, this show is barely 30 minutes long. Let’s not spend any more time shopping with Turtle, okay guys?
Grade: C
— “My cock doesn’t wear a watch.”
— Yeah, I forgot to mention 50 Cent’s stupid-ass cameo last week.
— “I don’t want the stress of an affair without the fun of the pussy.”
— Okay, Eric’s girlfriend can’t act. She had her chance this week.
— Vince joining Facebook was a little funny.