HBO Sunday Night - 7/12/09

Entourage: Season 6, Episode 1: Drive

The last couple of seasons have worn thin with stories of Vince struggling over and over and over again. So it was a nice turn at the end of last season when Vince was cast in Martin Scorsese’s version of The Great Gatsby. This season picks up several months later with the premiere of that film coming up. Vince’s hot streak continues as he gets his driver’s license to prepare for an Enzo Ferrari movie. Eric is having the most success of his life with women, Turtle is still dating Jamie-Lynn Sigler (yeah-right), and Drama is still successful on his TV show. The show is called “Entourage” but everyone seems to be going their own ways . . .
It’s nice to see Vince succeeding again – the show works much better as a comedy with flashes of drama than vice versa. Vince returning home to an empty house at the end with The Verve’s “Lucky Man” was the best ending of any episode in recent memory. After his troubles last fall with mercury and what-not, you’d think Jeremy Piven would show some shame or retreat, but thankfully does neither - his Ari Gold is still one of the best supporting characters in all of TV – maybe best of the decade since he gives a jolt of electricity every time he’s on screen. His relationship with his gay assistant Lloyd has made the show watchable the past couple of seasons. In this episode, his deal to promote Lloyd (providing Lloyd does everything he says for 100 days) sets up the season for possible greatness. With the economy the way it is (and shout-outs to Leno’s Tonight Show and the cancelled My Name is Earl), the show feels dated. It’s strange to see the guys behaving as if it’s 2005, spending money they don’t have on stuff they don’t need. But they are growing up and going their separate ways, which is an improvement over the redundancy over the past couple of seasons. B+

Unlike the guys in Entourage, the writers of Hung (Episode 2 – “Great Sausage or Can I Call You Dick”) know the economy is a wreck. Teachers are getting fired and our hero Ray (Thomas Jane) needs money so badly, he’s turned to prostitution (He need Bret McKenzie to sing him a song). The second episode has Ray taking on (screwing) his first real client – to mixed success. Jane’s reactions and awkwardness dealing with the situations are great but Anne Heche’s reach-out to their kids is boring. The relationship between Ray and Tanya (Jane Adams), his pimp, is working in spades – for now. Phallic jokes never last – and this show needs another character or more inspired storylines if it’s gonna make it. So far, not even actors as terrifically talented Jane and Adams can save writing that has all the subtlety of a sledgehammer to the balls. B