Entourage – The Complete 5th Season (HBO DVD)
Picture:
B- Sound: B Extras: C Episodes: B
Well the
gang is back for a 5th go-around and not much has changed. Sex, alcohol, and attitudes are still
overflowing; but that is not to say that the series is not fresh. Vincent Chase and his crew are still on the
quest for money and power; having fun the whole time along the way. Entourage
(though maybe not as eloquently written) is like the Odyssey; one big
journey where the end and goal is not certain, but it is there to strive for.
While
Vincent digs himself into and climbs out of hole after hole, his friends are
there by his side to add to the chaos.
The gang seems to be caricatures of their original positions, but it is
fun nevertheless. Like the saying goes;
if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it; and this formula works. From power-trip to power-trip each episode is
amazingly well done and this star studded, cameo filled season seems to get it
all right once again. The series remains
well written and intelligently satirical; all while not taking itself too
seriously. The characters may have egos,
but the series certainly does not. If
you despise Hollywood and the Stars than this show probably would not float you
boat; but for the rest of us who indulge in Entertainment
Weekly, US, and the other guilty
areas celebri-tainment this show just works all too well.
Vincent
has a series of ups and downs throughout the 5 seasons of Entourage as he does his best to cling to fame. His seemingly numerous rises and falls from
stardom keeps the series fresh and breathes new life into a concept that could
have easily died after two seasons.
While each character may be a bit goofy; giving them the opportunity to
branch out with more intricate stories helps them to develop more depth.
It is
truly surprising how entertaining this series remains after 5 seasons. All 12 episodes are well performed, well
written, and have a solid rewatchable quality.
This journey into Hollywood debauchery gets a standing ovation for its
ability to use of all the most wrong things about Hollywood in the best way. Long live Aquaman!
The
technical features on this newest DVD set fall in line with the previous
seasons. The picture is once again
presented in a clean anamorphically enhanced 1.78 X 1 Widescreen that has solid
colors and an overall crisp image. Even
with the mostly sharp image, it is about time this series got a Blu-ray upgrade
as throughout the season there are instances where the lighting is off and
distorts the image; giving it a murky quality that degrades the clarity. The sound is a Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround
Sound that gets the job done, but is not overly impressive. What is impressive is the series’ ability to
emphasize a solid soundtrack at the most opportune moments; enhancing the
viewing experience and making even the most lackluster song seem to be a
masterpiece.
The
extras include a Celebrity Factor featurette
that is short but has the cast and crew discussing the celebrity cameos for
this season; nice, but nothing super special.
There are three commentary tracks this season that were mildly
entertaining and informative; though the dead silence that occurs throughout in
these (all too few) tracks is equally annoying.
Great
show and I hope it can last a few more seasons.
- Michael P. Dougherty II
