Entourage Season 2 Review

Entourage (2004-2011)
Season 2 - 14 episodes (2005)

Entourage Season 2

Buy Entourage Season 2
Created by: Doug Ellin
Starring: Kevin Connolly, Adrian Grenier, Kevin Dillon, Jerry Ferrara, Jeremy Piven
Rating: TV-MA 

Plot: 
Movie star Vince Chase navigates the road to stardom with his agent and group of friends.
In season two Vince has just wrapped a successful indie movie and has his sights on Aquaman with James Cameron.

Verdict
This season has a bit more purpose. Part of that is this season has double the episodes of the first, providing longer arcs. This season's big arc is Aquaman, the movie that could make Vince a legitimate A list celebrity. Of course the season is peppered with celebrity cameos and smaller arcs involving his crew. Johnny is still looking for a job, and Eric is still figuring out being a manager.
Even if it's not true, it's fun to think this is how Hollywood functions. I like just hanging out with these guys and getting a glimpse of this world. With half hour episodes it's an easy and fun watch.
Watch it.

Review
Read my previous Entourage reviews.

This season is about Aquaman. Vince has wrapped filming on indie drama Queens Boulevard, and Ari wants him to do a commercially viable project.
It's fun to hang out with Vince and his entourage a half hour at a time. This season more than the first, we see how kind Vince can be. He wants to take care of his boys, and he sees their roles as vital. Eric is tasked with being the one to manage and thus worry about everything Vince does. He gets teased about it constantly, even from Ari who is constantly worried himself. Johnny Drama and Turtle are the target and cause of many jokes. Johnny Drama is still looking for work, coasting off the success of Viking Quest. These guys constantly make fun of each other and that's what makes their relationship work. It feels real. These are guys that don't have to grow up because Vince is rich.

This season possesses more agency with Aquaman. This plot line is more relevant today than it was upon first airing. The movie seeks to usurp Spider-Man as the top comic book movie, but since then Marvel has overtaken the comic book movie title, making them ubiquitous.
Vince wrestles with selling out and doing Aquaman just for the money. The season begins to dip into how reckless Vince is with money. When he buys an expensive house, he's forced to do Aquaman for the paycheck or default on the house. Johnny and Turtle who have no issue spending Vince's money, curtail their purchases too.

The crew is back from New York.

Celebrity cameos are short and sweet but used to great effect. Johnny Drama's banned from the Playboy mansion, and episode three has great cameos from Ralph Macchio and Pauly Shore who gets booted from the mansion. We even see Heffner.
Episode five features Bob Saget as Vince's new neighbor.

Vince agrees to do Aquaman, but the offer is delayed, affecting Vince's house redecorating and the calf implants Johnny wants. James Cameron is now on board, but Vince's part is now in question as  Leo DiCaprio is being considered for the part. Ari and Eric are both working to get Vince signed. It's difficult not to envy Vince, but Hollywood is a tumultuous industry. Anyone would feel the pressure when your paycheck doesn't come in, regardless of the amount. To pay the bills, Vince does an overseas commercial. The director is hyped by Tarantino, who "only steals from the best."

The crew attends the Sundance film festival where Queens Boulevard is set to premiere. Peter Dinklage cameos, fresh off The Station Agent. James Cameron comments on Titanic, "I just wanted to make little girls cry."

In episode eight Vince finally gets the check for Aquaman. His financial strain is over. He gets the role and director he wanted, but Aquagirl is being offered to Mandy Moore, Vince's former girlfriend. Eric is stunned to realize how hard Vince fell for Mandy, even proposing to here. Vince wants her off the movie since she is now engaged. He was hoping to rekindle the romance.

Johnny Chase, star of Viking Quest.

In episode nine the boys attend Comic Con, and there Johnny is still a star, coasting off of Viking Quest. Comic Con also proves why interviews are important when Vince cuts an interview short with a popular online blogger played by Rainn Wilson. Eric has to figure out how to pacify the blogger and avoid a negative review for Vince.

It's all about appearances in Hollywood. Eric, Ari, and Vince's publicist are constantly pushing image over substance. Then again, that must be a nice problem to have that enough people even care what you do.

Mandy ends her engagement and begins dating Vince. While he didn't break them up, it looks that way. Everyone is concerned it will affect Aquaman with Vince looking like a homewrecker or the potential breakup. Eric begins dating Ari's boss's daughter.

The final episode contains a lot of drama and upheaval, that is reconciled by the time the credits roll.

Entourage feels like a parody at times, but then you can't help but imagine some of the shenanigans actually happen. With an excess of money and a lack of responsibility, the petty childishness seems completely believable. The cameos ground it, with the guests playing into their perceived public nature. It's up to the viewer to decide if that's how the actors are or if it's just for show. Well written leads make this a show worth coming back for.