Entourage 8.6 – The Big Bang

Is it just me or does Vince’s career seem like the least of his concerns at the moment? I thought for sure that his big story arc this season would revolve around yet another comeback, but instead, it appears to be more about him becoming a better person – first in his unselfish decision to write a starring vehicle for Drama, and now in trying to find a meaningful relationship with a woman that isn’t just about sex. So what spurred this sudden moment of self-reflection?

Believe it or not, it was that GQ reporter from last week (as if anyone thought that was the last we were going to see of her), whose interview with Vince pegs him as a bit of a womanizer. You can understand why he would want to do everything in his power to prevent a piece like that from ever running, but I’m a little surprised at his overall reaction. Vince seemed genuinely shocked at her portrayal of him, which makes me think that they either erased his memory “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”-style at the rehab center or he’s even dumber than he looks. Of course, at the rate this season is going, I’m sure that Sophia will eventually fall for Vince’s movie star charm, domesticate his inner wild child, and they’ll go on to live happily ever after.

It might seem crazy to think that Vince could ever adapt to that kind of future, but we’ve certainly seen crazier things happen – like Eric’s recent run of form. In fact, it’s almost as if the two friends have swapped bodies. Eric has been acting completely out of character lately, and after learning that Johnny Galecki might be sleeping with Sloan (isn’t she supposed to be in New York?), he gives Scotty the ultimatum to either dump Galecki as a client or say goodbye to their partnership. I get that Eric is still upset about his break-up with Sloan, but what kind of grown man acts that way? This definitely isn’t Eric’s finest hour, and only the writers are to blame, who have practically ruined one of the show’s most complex characters over the course of only six short episodes.

And while Eric’s business sense has seemingly gone down the drain, Ari has begun planning for the future by meeting with his lawyer about the possible financial ramifications of his impending divorce. Though he was noticeably disturbed by the idea that Mrs. Ari would be entitled to half of his earnings for the rest of his life (she is, after all, the wealthy one in the relationship), he positively balked at the idea that she might get a share of the company if he doesn’t pay back the $11 million that she invested.

Babs is more than willing to give him the money in exchange for a majority stake in the agency, which Ari simply isn’t willing to give up, so he instead decides to talk to Mrs. Ari about it face to face. Fortunately, Ari didn’t have a complete breakdown when he discovered that Bobby Flay was in his house, but he did manage to make Mrs. Ari feel really awful about the situation before leaving, claiming that she had changed for the worse. And though it was only for a fleeting moment, you could see that his comment hit her pretty hard. Who knows? Maybe those crazy kids really will work things out after all.

Other thoughts from the episode:

* The “Johnny’s Bananas” drama is finally over, and although I always expected it to end this way, it was nice to watch Drama stand by his values for once instead of selling out for money and fame. He could have easily given in after Phil threatened to derail production on the TV movie, but he stuck to his guns and proved that he believed in the show so much that he would rather walk away than make something of bad quality.

* Speaking of Phil, William Fichtner has been nothing short of great in the role, and tonight’s scene (especially the parts about replacing Drama in the TV movie with a look-a-like just to spite him) was one of his best.

* Just when it seemed like Turtle’s storyline might finally being going somewhere, the whole subplot turned out to be a bust, as the representatives from Don Peppe’s were more interested about seeing movie stars and receiving the four-star treatment than getting down to business. You have to feel bad for Turtle at this point, but quite frankly, I feel even worse for Jerry Ferrara.

  

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