Pilot (18 Jul. 2004)

Vincent Chase is a young, hot, up-and-coming actor living in Hollywood. Tonight, he must attend the opening of his latest movie "Head On," but first he and his three best friends from back ... See full summary »

Director:

David Frankel

Writers:

Doug Ellin (creator), Doug Ellin

Stars:

Kevin Connolly, Adrian Grenier, Kevin Dillon

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
Kevin Connolly	...	Eric Murphy
Adrian Grenier	...	Vincent Chase
Kevin Dillon	...	Johnny 'Drama' Chase
Jerry Ferrara	...	Turtle
Jeremy Piven	...	Ari Gold
Mark Wahlberg	...	Mark Wahlberg
Ali Larter	...	Herself
Donald Devoux	...	Slimfast
Arielle Kebbel	...	Layla
Angie Patterson	...	Deborah (as Angela Patterson)
Courtney Peldon	...	Jane
Catharine Candelario	...	Fred Segal Woman
Heather LaCombe	...	Fred Segal Woman
Corinn Nomad	...	Fred Segal Woman
Brooke Tobol	...	Fred Segal Woman

Storyline

Vincent Chase is a young, hot, up-and-coming actor living in Hollywood. Tonight, he must attend the opening of his latest movie "Head On," but first he and his three best friends from back home (Queens, NY) have lunch and discuss their upcoming 10-year high school reunion. Vince is reluctant to go but his buddies urge him to go with them. At the post-premiere party, Vince's agent, Ari, hassles Eric about getting Vince to read the script for a possible new project. Over breakfast, Vince says he's not going to do "Matterhorn" on Eric's advice. The foursome goes to meet with the director where Vince impresses him so much that Ari calls later to tell him that they've offered $4 million for the part. While Turtle and Drama celebrate, Vince lets him know that Eric is not too enthused about the script. Later, Ari and Eric share a rather confrontational dinner while discussing the future of their star's career. After Vince decides to take Eric's advice not to do the movie, the boys leave for ...

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Plot Keywords:

guard dog | golf | swimsuit | pool party

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 July 2004 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Home Box Office (HBO), Leverage Management

Technical Specs

Runtime:

30 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Kevin Dillon's character Johnny Drama says to have played a part in Blue, albeit 'only' Pacific Blue, not NYPD Blue (both cop series), while in fact Kevin actually played Officer Neil Baker in three episodes of 'NYPD Blue'.

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Goofs

During E and Ari's dinner there is a mismatch between the conversation and E's actions. Notice the bottle of soy sauce.

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Quotes

Ari Gold: I gotta know what you think, so I can get you to think what I think.

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Connections

References Lost in Translation (2003)

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Soundtracks

"Oooh"
(uncredited)
by De La Soul Featuring Redman
Vince and his boys drive to a meeting at Warner Bros

User Reviews

Some interesting characters and convincing performers, superficial universe but intriguing quest, a few funny scenes

I would hate to be Vincent Chase. It's what I thought after watching Entourage's pilot because when you're rich and famous trusting people is probably a nightmare. However Vince and his gang are long time friends so even if their stories weren't covered I suppose they met before his success. That's why I'm not so sure about the term entourage because they're not his retinue of followers. In fact their relationships are quite complex if you decide to scratch the show's comic surface.

So first we have Vince who is portrayed by Adrian Grenier. His performance was correct but I found his character profile was flat and didn't really care about his career. It's hard to explain but I think the problem was his attitude. The actor lacks charisma and failed to make Vince believable as a rising star. I found Kevin Connolly far much more convincing as Eric Murphy. He's his best friend and Vince relies on him when it comes to make decisions. I was instantly intrigued by his fate and really wonder if the pizza boy will turn into a manager. Third we have Turtle of all trades. I really disliked his behavior because he acted like a jerk most of the time and wasn't even funny. In fact I found him pathetic, annoying and the writers didn't leave us with much hope. It's sad because a weak character has always the potential to turn into a charming prince. As for Drama he is Vince's brother and struggles to affirm himself as a valuable actor. Kevin Dillon's performance was hilarious at times and should definitely make you care for his character. There's just something dumb and funny about him that is irresistible.

But an actor would be nothing without its talent manager and that's why Ari Gold exists. Jeremy Piven is a fantastic actor and the only excuse you need to watch Entourage. Most of his scenes were overwhelmed by his incredible energy and in fact he could be a one man show. Late Night with Ari Gold ? I'm in ! I also enjoyed the tension with Eric and the triangle they design with Vince should definitely intrigue you. As for the other elements we also had some guest stars and among them were two hot and young actresses that can only appeal to the male audience but their roles were anecdotic. However it revealed how the show can be superficial most of the time and it's probably the one issue that could prevent you from following their adventure. Indeed Entourage is not at all about covering the dark side of fame so it's obvious the upcoming episodes won't be about dirty money or loneliness for example. But it's not necessarily a bad thing considering other productions already covered these topics.

Does the sun always shine on Entourage ? The answer is definitely yes but it's obvious some characters are not happy with their lives and things don't have to be all black to make you care about them. Will Drama become as famous as Vince ? Is Turtle just a rabbit or something more ? What about Eric versus Ari ? With so many characters it shouldn't be too hard to find the one you relate to. Becoming a superstar and getting the girls is a smoking fantasy but there's nothing wrong about dreaming as long as you know that happiness can't be bought with money for instance. And if you're a very serious person then Entourage should remind you that sometimes it's nice to entertain yourself and not to think about things too much. Its pilot wasn't mind blowing but it provided some fun and was intriguing enough.