In television these days there are very few constants; the news changes by the minute, commercial breaks get longer and longer, and shows are created and canceled in what seems like a matter of days. In this ever-changing world of television there is one show fans can still count on, HBO's critically acclaimed "Entourage". The show has been a regular at awards shows and consistently garnered positive ratings and reviews alike. This HBO staple recently ended it's fifth season, and confirmed they were working on the sixth.
The shelf life of television shows has seen a dramatic change in the last few years. With the advent of the internet, piracy has forced networks to re-strategize the way they make, release and market shows. Online streaming of programs and flat out theft has left networks with no choice but to put programs into syndication after only a couple of seasons. This is much faster than they would have several years ago, when shows had to last between 60 and 100 episodes before they would be shopped for syndication. Today, shows like "Seinfeld" that ran several episodes before they caught on won't live long enough for the chance to grow on people. Just ask Rosie O'Donnell.
"Entourage", however, seems to be immune to this trend. It appears to have struck a major chord with viewers, and remained not only in production, but high up on the ratings list. Season five was no exception, and it was the show's boldest season yet.
Keeping Up with the Times
One of the reasons "Entourage" has managed to remain so successful is that it refuses to become predictable or mundane. The only way to survive in a world that is constantly changing is to keep the people guessing. In season five we saw Vince's career seriously on the rocks, and for the first time it looked like the show might have been on it's farewell tour. However, Vince, like the show, would not go down without a fight.
This season saw a lot of changes for the rest of the characters as well. Ari is forced to make a decision between keeping his job as head of the agency or becoming the head of a production studio, Eric tries to get his career as an agent going by focusing more time on other clients, Drama's role on a television show revitalizes his career and affords him a series of interesting PR opportunities, and Turtle begins to branch out from the group and finds love in the most unlikely of places. With this, more even distribution of story time, the show proves that it is not simply a one trick, Vincent Chase-dependent pony.
The plot line was basically a series of ups and downs for all of the characters. Ari's storyline was much more detached from those of the other four characters than it had been in the past, and it worked to the show's advantage. Each episode was almost split completely into two storylines; the Ari plot and the group plot. Every once in a while the two would overlap just enough to keep them relevant to each other, but then go their separate ways again, leaving the viewer in suspense as to how it will come back around. They saved the strongest conflicts and resolutions for the very end, which made for a roller coaster ride of a season finale.
It was also the first season where big chances were taken with the writing. The show is notorious for being edgy from a content standpoint, but not always from a story standpoint. Vince has traditionally been the superstar who eventually gets everything he wants, and Ari is the super agent always there to reassure him and take care of the details. In season five, though, we see Vince humbled a bit by a stagnant career, and Ari unable or unwilling to tell him everything will be fine. These types of major curve balls in the script prevent the viewer from getting too comfortable.
Why It Worked
The most difficult thing for a television show is to keep the superficial aspects of the characters' lives (jobs, dating lives, finances, opportunities,etc.) fresh while maintaining an ever-evolving emotional connection with the audience. Season five did both, and did so in a way that should make other television shows take note. The uncertainty of the characters' respective careers was trumped by their equally uncertain future as friends. Fans had to tune in, not just to see if Vince gets another movie role, or if Ari changes jobs, but also to see if at the end of the day the guys are all still the close-knit group from Queens they've come to know and love. This type of connection with the audience is the straw that stirs a television show's proverbial drink, and "Entourage" has proven itself a force to be reckoned with in this regard.
"Entourage" has always been a progressive show that refuses to let up, and season five lived up to the show's high standards. With the announcement that season six is already in production, the future of the program is looking bright and limitless. Tune in next season to see if "Entourage" can continue to remain one step ahead of the rest.
