Entourage – Imagine the fines Ari would rack up as an NFL owner

As a general rule I find it exceedingly annoying when Entourage takes weeks off from airing new episodes … no matter what anyone else’s position may be, I think Entourage continues to be one of the better shows on television, and I hate losing the thread of a story that I’m enjoying (and the waiting!).

Especially because last night’s episode was awesome.

I was wary of Ari moving into the sports management arena. And I was unimpressed when the topic of the NFL television rights came up (don’t even casual followers of the league know how internalized the entire operation is?). But when Jerry Jones — owner of the Dallas Cowboys and three Super Bowl rings — himself suggested that Ari might be the man to bring an NFL franchise to LA (the LA Golds?), I was sold.

Now, I don’t particularly care either way about Los Angeles having its own NFL franchise (hear me out, people!), but there’s a satisfaction I felt when the words left Jones’ mouth that I hadn’t been feeling this season as far as Ari was concerned. Hearing him rant and rave about “King this” and “King that” is annoying … I don’t need him to reiterate how beneath him it is to act like a normal agent anymore (although I would have blown off the meeting with the Glee producer for other reasons).

But there’s something about this prospect, bringing an NFL team back to LA for the first time in over 15 years which would then usher Ari into the inner sanctum of the already exclusive club of NFL franchise owners, that works for him, the show, and where he’s arrived professionally. The moment was destroyed by Mrs. Ari walking in, but until that second it was oh so sweet. And whether or not it turns out successfully for Ari, I think it will be a great arc for him to follow this season.

Unlike many, I’m a huge Vince fan. But I don’t want to see last episode’s stunt sending him to crazy town while he pursues a “live in the moment” agenda. And pairing him with Scott Lavin (Scott Caan), even for a moment, is insulting. Caan I love; Lavin I hate.

It’s funny that Eric somehow got suckered into being Drama’s manager (loved Drama’s “if Lloyd got me something before the hug I’m not paying commission” line), but I hope this isn’t it for Eric. Maybe taking on a prima donna client like Johnny, plus Vince and Bob Saget (welcome any second he wants to appear on the show), coupled with Scott moving in on Vince, will drive Eric to open his own company again. One can hope.

And then there’s Turtle. I had hoped that Alex (Dania Ramirez) was gone, never to be heard from again. Just what he needs, right? To finally venture out on his own, only to have his entire plot focus on this ex-employee he drove to quit who may or may not have stolen from him (she didn’t). Because that tells me that once again Turtle’s story isn’t really going to be about him. I mean, his last attempt to find himself was really about “Oh look, there’s Jamie-Lynn Sigler.” Now it’ll be about “Oh look, Turtle can’t stop getting in his own way with this girl.” Wonderful.

Was that the first time we really saw Vince being chased by paparazzi on the street? That was a funny sight, especially given the fact that he and Drama were leaving a strip club in the middle of the day. Classy.

Clacked by Aryeh S.
on Jul 12, 2010 @ 13:30 EST5EDT