Entourage: Going Commando – Literally

I wonder if Vince and Turtle ever replaced their underwear after Vince’s stalker stole all of their drawers last week. Either way, they figured out a way to remedy the problem by bringing in Ari’s security guy and his team of militant bad asses on this episode, and suddenly Vinnie Chase is a victim no more…Well, we’ll see about that actually. After wiring his house with security cameras and running a drill where Drama gets thrown in the bathtub (amazing), Alan Cohen (Ari’s go-to guy) finds a license in Vince’s couch and wouldn’t you know it nobody’s heard of the guy. Is this our stalker? My money’s on yes. Not exactly the hot young female fan Vince was hoping invaded his house, but if next week’s preview is any indication, we’ll be seeing more of this guy and it might not be pleasant. Round up the bodyguards, Vince, looks like you’re rolling with a new kind of entourage from now on.

E also finds himself in mixed company, when he toggles between both Sloan and his former flame Ashley. Sloan initially called Eric at his office and after being somewhat rude to her he decides to call her back to apologize. Sloan accepts and suggests they go for some drinks – and now look what you’ve gone and done Eric! There’s no such thing as friendly cocktails with these two, and after getting another call – this time from Ashley – E decides to cut the cord with Sloan and try to salvage things with Ashley. I understand being sick of Sloan’s head games, but did he have to go back to the ferret? Sigh. Maybe E will soon realize that his assistant is gorgeous and turn his attention to other romantic interests. One can only hope.

Last but not least we have the story line which dominated this episode, the “why is Andrew such a disaster” plot. After waking up in his pajamas at the agency, hence becoming the office laughingstock, Andrew realizes that he better get his act together and get it together fast if wants to keep his job. Ari reams him out and reminds him that their most important prospective client, Aaron Sorkin, is coming in to the office soon to hopefully seal the deal. Barbara Miller, who we almost never see even though her name is on the letterhead too, witnesses Andrew’s unraveling and tells Ari that if Andrew doesn’t sign Aaron that day she’s sending Andrew back to the valley to collect unemployment. Andrew then races back to his house to get his Sorkin notes for the meeting and is greeted by the world’s most pissed off housewife, Marlo. After being refused entry into his own house by an insult-hurling Marlo, Andrew gets a call from Ari who tells him to get into his car, throw it into gear and head straight back to the office. Andrew nearly gets it right, except for the whole “head straight back into work” part, because when Marlo sets his notes on fire to taunt Andrew, he aims the steering wheel directly at his house and drives into his own living room in a fit of rage. And here we have what is most commonly referred to as “total life meltdown”, as Andrew gets tossed in jail, misses the meeting and his whole life basically goes up in smoke.

It turns out Aaron Sorkin isn’t an Ari or Babs fan and refuses to do business with anyone but Andrew, so in a move reminiscent of Ari’s ‘conducting business in a synagogue’ days, he brings Sorkin to the clink to see the jailbird agent. Miraculously, Sorkin is not only still anxiously awaiting hearing Andrew’s much-hyped ideas for his career, but he himself has also weathered a messy divorce and forgives Andrew, thus the Miller Gold Agency gains one more client (from behind Plexi-glass, no less) and Andrew keeps his job. Looks like Barbara will have to call off the dogs, at least temporarily. I know Entourage is known for dropping little industry phrases and sometimes operating on an obnoxiously “insider” level, but the fact that they made such a big deal about Aaron Sorkin was pretty crazy. Am I the only one out there who had to Google him? Apparently next to his credits for The West Wing and A Few Good Men it should also say “the second coming of Jesus”, damn.

Even with all of the action with Vince’s beefed up security and Ari bringing clients to the county jail, I still didn’t feel like this episode was up to par with Entourage’s recent quality. True, it wasn’t a total bomb, but I felt like they were running in place a little – which considering the first half of the season I guess I should just be happy that they’re not backsliding! For now, I’m interested to see what next week’s Lloyd-centric episode has in store for us and hoping that Vince’s stalker decides to target Ashley instead.

For another take on this week’s episode, read The Sorkin Notes by Tanya Lane.

Season 6, Episode 8: The Sorkin Notes (originally aired August 30, 2009)

For more Entourage, click here.

Sundays at 10pm ET/PT on HBO

Photographs courtesy of HBO and IMDbPro