5.01 -- Fantasy Island - Review

“Sending a message that Aqauman is back!”

And boy is he ever.

As we all know, Vince’s career is in the can after the fall out over Medellin. During the first few minutes of the opening for Fantasy Island, we learn that it’s a direct-to-DVD release. That doesn’t stop Eric -- now newly improved with an assistant and fresh client, the much talked about Bow Wow in a surprisingly less-than-moronic turn as Charlie -- from building his clientele.

I was literally shaking after the blackness came up, signaling the end of an episode I’ve waited a little less than a year for. The show has a new look, a new style, a new heart. Everything feels well written and well plotted, something lost last season.

We truly begin the episode at the ten-minute mark -- Carl Ertz, a producer who’s looking for a star for his latest film - Danger Beach - after Emile Hirsch dropped out, wants to take a meeting with Vince. Since Vince is on hiatus from his career, Eric, Ari and Drama must band together to save him.

Where is Drama in all of this? Rich, successful, famous. Some words that would now describe his brooding lifestyle as the popular star of Five Towns. Drama is still dating Jacqueline, his French girlfriend from the finale of season four. Their only problem? It’s a long distance relationship. A couple can only survive so long over a web cam.

Drama does run into some trouble on the set of his show. Apparently his right side is his -- *cough* -- bad side -- so everyone must shoot him from the left. This causes a disruption for the shoot and further develops into a catastrophe when Ben Silverman (the actual NBC head) has to trot down to the lot to remedy the situation. Fortunately for Drama, since Eric and Ari have hatched a plan to bring Vince back to California for his meeting, and he obviously has to go, he complies to shoot on his right side -- making Ben Silverman reconsider his life: “Waste of my fucking time!”

Piven is wonderful to see again, and naturally he does steal all of his scenes, but it’s truly Grenier who takes the limelight. Packed with a beard and beautiful women, Vince, along with his trusted comrade Turtle, live their life away… until Ari, Drama and Eric arrive to capture him and bring him back.

“Life isn’t all about making money and movies.”

Ari and Eric seem to disagree. They try their best to convince Vince, but he won’t have it. He’s obsessed with relaxing and waking up with a “big fat smile” on his face. Eric has to pull him aside and in usual Entourage style, it’s all resolved very quickly.

This episode was my favorite out of the entire series. I truly mean that. The writing, acting, directing were all terrific. And my God, the gorgeous shots of the forest and ocean.

All my praise doesn’t mean I didn’t dislike a little bit of the episode. Where is Walsh? If his film went straight-to-DVD, he’d surely have something to say of it. I’m anxiously awaiting the explanation. It’s the issue no one is talking about.

The episode was a little rushed, but since they’re working on a timeframe of thirty-minutes, how could they not rush it? And has everyone soon forgotten that they only have twelve episodes to tell their entire story this season? It’s familiar format for the show.

The twist in the episode was one I did not expect. Who could have? It was simple, but also a little heartbreaking.

In the end, Entourage has proven that it hasn’t gone downhill. That maybe, just maybe, it could be winner we’re all hoping for.
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Next week will mark the return of Justine Chapin, the committed “virgin until marriage”. Something about the preview, which also led nicely into Eric finding a new duo of writers, tells me this could trump the premiere.

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