Growing Pains…

Season 6 of the HBO® hit Entourage premiered last night in a surprisingly (and uncharacteristically) low-key manner. Unlike the start of Season 5 that had audiences waiting with baited breath to discover if there was a silver lining on the dark cloud that was the utter failure of project “Medellin,” fans are most likely expecting to see Vincent Chase return to mega stardom after seeing the boy with the Midas touch re-instated to his former glory as he landed the lead role in Martin Scorsese’s remake of “The Great Gatsby” at the close of last season.

As a season that finally focused more intently on the things that could go wrong for an actor in Hollywood (critical and box office failure, impending financial ruin, camp in-fighting, deals gone awry, and back pedaling over bridges burned), instead of the unending sophomoric utopia that seems always to encapsulate Team Vinnie (incessant sex, a booze and pot bonanza, lush parties and exchangeable tricked out cars), Season 5 was tension filled right up until the last frame. For once, the gang (and eventually Vince along with them), seemed humbled into realizing that he could easily lose his grip on the proverbial brass ring.

It is conceivable then that the writers, after such an intense season prior, would want to wade into this new season more cautiously and take their time re-building momentum. The problem with that is that while it may be conventional to come down a bit after such an intense high – a season opener is not the time to visit the valley. And at first glance it seems that the show's writers get this as last night's episode was actually entitled "Drive." But from the word go last night I kept waiting for something to rev my engine, to make my adrenaline kick in the way it has at the start of previous seasons. But last night’s kick off felt more like a fumble and more like a third or fourth episode full of exposition rather than an opener designed to hook me.

To their credit, the show’s creative team has said for awhile now that they wanted to begin to show some changes and growth in the guys’ professional and personal lives and that this season in particular would address those changes head on. I for one am glad to hear it. To see Johnny Drama in a legit television career, Eric’s brilliance as a business man being realized, and Turtle starting to grow up enough that a beautiful movie star might want to maintain a committed relationship with him is a welcome direction for the show to move into. Even the possibility of seeing Lloyd turn badass agent rather than remain Ari’s assistant/whipping boy for another season is logical and inviting.

But does showing these characters' growth and evolution have to mean losing the fast pace, cutting edge adrenaline and the inside the industry characteristic that the show has become known for? Why is Ari now moving and talking at a snail’s pace (compared to his normally manic, frenetically energetic one)? Why is Vince appearing on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno when Conan O’Brien took it over more than a month ago? Did no one know that this was happening? Could they not have sent him to Letterman instead? Or better yet how about to Real Time with Bill Maher (he is on HBO also after all – it would have been a great cross promo). What about the mention of “My Name is Earl” as a big deal closed by Ari’s new partner Andrew Klein (Gary Cole)? This show has been cancelled since May (and rumors of its cancellation long before then)! Were the writers sequestered without access to television and the trades so that they did not know what was going on in the industry that they are writing about (and of which they are a part)? And other than him actually applying for a license where is the remainder of this newfound "drive" we keep hearing will now be present in Vince?

There were a couple of other minor details that irritated me about last night’s ep, including the fact that no woman ever turns Vince down (and means it). The guy is gorgeous – (do you hear me Adrian Grenier you’re gorgeous!) but COME ON! I have yet to see a girl decline the advances of this golden boy and hold her ground. That’s not to say that there aren’t some men who are irresistible to most women, but even Hammerin’ Hank Aaron must have struck out a time or two up at bat.

In that same vain, I want to like Eric and Sloane together because I adore the fact that Eric is a romantic and a relationship guy, but Sloane’s timing to pop back into his life just as he was beginning to date and enjoy being single frustrates me. Johnny Drama basically took the words out of my mouth with his sentiment that she wanted him back only because he was starting to date other women and that “p*&$@ can smell other p*&$@!”

Despite the dips in this particular ep, it’s still worth taking a gander at if only to see Debi Mazar saunter in (the writers are missing out on potentially great banter like they had in the beginning of the series with such a big mouthed-driven broad amongst a pack of “men’s men” some of which we got to see between Shauna and Ari for just a second last night) and to see Turtle turn into a heartthrob via his romance with Jamie Lynn Sigler. (Is it just me or has Jerry Ferrara been working out on his time off – perhaps in prep for scenes like last night’s rub a dub in the tub)? And despite feeling overall like the ep didn’t move fast enough or have enough kick to it, I will admit to holding my breath during Vince’s Jay Leno interview a bit for fear that something would go wrong and then being relieved when it didn’t.

I'm still hopeful that this season will give the characters room to grow a lot and open them up for more interesting storylines – particularly Vince. Since the show began one of my biggest complaints has been that Vinnie is apathetic to his career and his work ethic is minimal. Perhaps last season's emotional rollercoaster and the haunting image of him being left on his own at the height of his renewed fame and success last night are an indication that he will begin to take himself and his work more seriously. Wouldn’t that be interesting – to see an actor actually care about acting.

Not my top pick of the week this week, but I give it 3 out of 5 stars.