By David Valdes
Three seasons in, ENTOURAGE has the process of turning over-the-top Hollywood glitz into the everyday down to a science. The Season 3 finale starts with the four guys sharing a final joint on the balcony of their multimillion dollar home. They nonchalantly talk about how Vince did not, in fact, have sex for $60 million the night before. So, that gives closure to the previous episode’s cliff-hanger, but now how is he going to finance his dream project, “MEDELLIN”?
Because this is ENTOURAGE we’re talking about, the answer to that question (or any, for that matter) is no more than 22 minutes away. We find out that Billy Walsh will helm the picture. You might remember him as the eccentric, pain-in-the-ass director of “QUEENS BOULEVARD.” Well, as it turns out, he’s now making porn films out of his house. During a dinner with Nicky Rubenstein — ENTOURAGE doesn’t shy away from making the frugal movie producer Jewish in every imaginable way — Walsh convinces Rubenstein he can make MEDELLIN for $30 million. Best part of that dinner: Walsh calling Eric by the least favorite nickname ever (“Suit”) and calling Rubenstein “Trust Fund Baby” (he doesn’t like his nickname either).
Drama and Turtle spend the better half of the episode house-hunting for Drama’s new place. Vowing to not overextend himself financially with this purchase, Drama rents a bona fide crap hole. The apartment is so shabby that even his landlord knows it’s worth notifying
Us Weekly that a mid-level TV star could live there. By the way, how great was Debi Mazar during her minute-long, raving phone call with Drama? It’s nice to see a lady rip a grown man a new one while handling a newborn, isn’t it? It’s even nicer to see Drama haggle his way into a much more luxurious condo after Shauna tells him he is not allowed to stay at the crap hole apartment. (And by haggle, I mean that the asking price was $1.4 million and Drama ended up offering $1.5 million.)
Ari is noticeably absent from the episode, save for a few scenes. You have got to hand it to Jeremy Piven, who, despite having little to do during the dinner scene with Vince, Suit, Trust Fund Baby and Billy Walsh, makes his presence known. He is so squirmy and fidgety throughout — rubbing his face with his palms — that you have to wonder if Ari ever really sits still. He is barely in the episode, yet he still elicits a reaction. I guess he deserves that Emmy.
In less-fun-but-still-important E news (the character on ENTOURAGE, not the cable channel), Eric has found his way into a
new kind of love triangle. One would think moving in with Sloan would force Eric to really consider his future with her, but apparently it doesn't. Instead, all of his energy and excitement is focused on the more important relationship in his life — the one he has with Vince. From the viewer standpoint, I think it’s clear that Eric loves Sloan but he is also punch-drunk from his newfound success as a producer. He just handled the business deal behind what might be Vince’s crowning achievement. Sloan isn’t yet “that” girlfriend — the type that is overbearing and unwilling to compromise — but it looks like she soon will be if this story line doesn’t change its course.
Who saw the previews for Season 4 (premiering June 17)? How badass does it look? Exotic locales, foreign costars, pyrotechnic explosions and an even an actual movie set? The fluidity of Season 3 proves that ENTOURAGE has definitely hit a stride, but something tells me the best is yet to come in Season 4.