In my ever-present quest to avoid all of my responsibilities, I have watched many TV series in my day. I have spent a large chunk of my life over the years watching television. And through all of the "Orange is the New Black," "How I Met Your Mother," and "Sons of Anarchy" (I still love you, Jax Teller), there is one show that stands above them all: "Entourage." Seriously, if you've never watched "Entourage," you better acquire an HBOGo account immediately, get comfortable and buckle up for the best show of your life. "Entourage" follows the life of actor Vincent Chase as he ascends through the ranks of Hollywood with his three hometown best friends, E, Turtle and Drama by his side, and the wild predicaments that inevitability ensue. Here are seven cold, hard facts (or biased opinions; what's the difference?) on why "Entourage" is the best show to ever grace television.
1. "Entourage" is loosely based on the life of Mark Wahlberg.
You may know that Mark Wahlberg served as executive producer to the series, but what you may not know is that Entourage is actually based on Wahlberg's young-Hollywood adventures with his real life entourage. It's super interesting to imagine what life might have been for Wahlberg and his real life entourage, and if their antics were nearly as crazy as the show. I often find myself comparing Vincent Chase to Mark Wahlberg, wondering if he got just as many girls or was just as chill and nonchalant about everything. If you're like me and like to Google everything, here's this intriguing article on how Wahlberg's real life entourage matches up to the characters in the show:
2. You get an inside look at the inner workings of Hollywood.
When "Entourage" began in 2004, it was the first show of its kind. Never before had a show given you a look inside what it's like to be on the A-list: all the schmoozing and back-stabbing that comes along with stardom. Getting to see the cut-throat world of Hollywood and how deals are made, movies are scripted and agents battle it out is something no other show can really offer. It makes you wonder if Hollywood is really like that, but I believe it's probably worse.
3. The lifestyle.
I both cringe at and am in awe of the way Vincent Chase and his entourage blow money. Always buying new houses and outrageously expensive cars, the crew rarely stops to think about the price until they've already made the purchase. You'd be surprised at how luxuriously four men under the same roof could live. Not to mention the constantly rotating cast of girls coming through the four womanizers' doors. I both wanted to high five the characters of the show (another girl!) and reprimand them (another girl?!).
4. Ari Gold.
Ari Gold is by far one of the best, most dynamic characters in TV history. As Vince's agent who discovered him off a Mentos ad, Ari was extremely instrumental in helping him reach stardom. Ari started off the show as a complete slimeball, yet soon grew into one of the most adored characters of the series. His bold, no-holds-barred demeanor and often crude choice of words is at times cringeworthy, yet is more times than not oddly endearing. Watching Ari's many meltdowns and the way he deals with Vince's intruding entourage is by far one of the best parts of the show.
5. The celebrity cameos.
There has never been a show that has had more celebrity cameos than "Entourage." Playing themselves, Kanye West, Mark Cuban, Christina Aguilera, Jessica Alba, Lebron James, Eminem and many, many more have appeared on one of the show's five seasons. Entourage is known for its high-profile celebrity cameos, raising the bar with each episode. I often found myself wondering, "How did they even get that person?!" when yet another A-List celebrity appeared in the show.
6. The movie.
In my humble opinion, the "Entourage" movie was by far the best ending the series could have had. It answers some very pressing questions from the series finale (Vince got married?!) and included heartwarming endings for many of our favorite characters (hint: Johnny Drama).
7. The friendship.
The friendship between Vince, Eric, Turtle and Drama is by far the best part of the show. I know that while watching this series, I was extremely envious of the everlasting friendship Vinny Chase and his entourage had. They always had each other's back no matter what, and were willing to do anything to help one another. You just knew that nothing, no girl, amount of money or success would ever break up their crew, and every person longs for that sense of security in their own friendships. The way Vince generously supports his friends without thinking twice, sharing the fruits of his labors with his day one pals, is extremely honorable. "Entourage" has me hoping that one of my friends will strike it rich in Hollywood and support me rent-free.
