1713 - Californication: season five

When discussing television series I often resort to food metaphors.  Something like Breaking Bad, The Wire, or Louie are, for me, like main course meals.  They absolutely fill you up with their goodness - they nourish you.  Then there are shows like Entourage, which no offense, but is more like a dessert.  It's not essential, and it's nothing you want every day (or need really) - however when you get it it's usually pretty good, but you might regret wasting your calories on it soon after.
Californication is somewhere in between for me.  It's always been a slightly uneven show, somewhere being poignant and just plain silly.  I think this season they were finally able to find the balance and work a more consistent tone. 
My one complaint about this season was how they took a lot of really strong and layered supporting characters from the top of the season and really reduced them to stereotypes by the end.  Even poor Becca felt like her character was downgraded by the end of this season.  I don't want to say that this was the best season of the show, but it's the season where I feel like they finally really found the show's voice.
This season ended on a pretty solid cliffhanger and I can only hope that they do it justice by playing it out when the show returns next year.  I think Hank Moody is easily one of the most charismatic and fun characters on television and I for one am gain to follow him a little while longer.  If you haven't started yet this season isn't actually a bad one to start at, since the previous ones all kind of lead up to the fourth season and Hank dealing with his misdeeds.  This is almost a reset.  Although I recommend going back and starting from scratch - fair warning though - it's a bit of a bumpy ride here and there.

1703 - Teenage Paparazzo

This film was on the festival circuit around the same time as TUWOPS was, but I never got a chance to see it when I was touring with my own film, so I was glad to see it on netflix now. 
Celebrity culture is an interesting thing, and so when Adrien Grener discovers a fourteen year old kid amongst the paparazzi it makes him wonder if it's gotten to an extra stage of 'yuck'. 
I'm friends with some people who you could classify as celebrities and so it's interesting to witness this now from their point of view.  I work behind the camera, and I'm a pretty lame family type guy, so I'm never going to have to worry about this kind of thing but it's an interesting and sad thing how some people end up having to exchange their privacy for fame and fortune.  And for this kid who starts to become popular, he's faced with the very problem head on.  He has no issues being in celebrities faces all the time, but when it turns around that people want to watch him 24/7 he starts to realize just the kind of world he's gotten into.
This is a fair documentary that looks at various angles of a interesting topic.  It doesn't try to cast the blame on any one person in particular.  If anything Adrien is just trying to make sense of the madness (as if there is sense to be made).
It's interesting and entertaining for those who are interested in celebrity lifestyle and how the paparazzi work and think, so if that's your thing it's totally worth a view.  If not... you'll find something else that's lovely and watch that.

1615 - Entourage: season eight

And so it ends.  Entourage gets a lot of flack for being a comedy without jokes.  I always describe the show as being something akin to a doughnut, it's not something you ever need to watch.  It's not going to satisfy you in a way that a proper meal or dessert would - but every now and then you just kind of want it, and you don't need someone giving you shit for that.  That's like watching Entourage. 
This season has been... okay.  In an effort to wrap things up it just felt a little too clean for my liking.  There will be SPOILERS coming, so don't read on unless you've seen it.

They essentially decided to wrap everything up nice and tidy - everyone's relationships got repaired, Drama is on his way to becoming a star, Turtle is finally a successful business man in his own right, and Vince... in the biggest WTF of the finale, is getting married to the woman who, mere episodes ago, called him a vain ladies man, and somehow a twenty-four hour date with him (that we didn't get to see) made her want to marry him right away.  Alice Eve was a phenomenal character and this episode just turned her into another bimbo for Vince.  The show avoids SHOWING us how perfect for each other these two are and just TELLS us that they are, the same way that the show always let us assume that Vince was a talented actor (the show actually made a poor decision in every now and then showing Vince actually acting, and thus shattering the illusion). 
I always enjoyed watching Entourage, but I can't say I'll miss it.  I'll watch the movie when it comes out, and hopefully they'll really put the characters to task now that they, essentially grown-up. 
The best part of the series finale is after the credits when Ari, who recently gave everything up for his family, is given the job offer of a lifetime.  Now THAT was a perfect note to go out on.
So if you've been watching all along you've probably already seen this season - but if you're just new to the series, proceed knowing that it's just what it is - no more, no less.  And that's okay.

1410 - Entourage: season seven

This is a series that I've often described as being like a pastry, I know it's not going to really satisfy me nutritionally, but I don't care - it tastes good. This season managed to do something that the previous six did not - they made Vince an interesting character. They did, however, also make him a douchebag in the process - but at least now I want to watch him all the time instead of little moments here and there.
This is a show that's gotten better as it went along and now it's HBO's longest running series. Only one more season is planned from what I've read and I just saw something that suggests it'll be a shortened season, only six episodes - and then the promise of a theatrical film.
For a series known for it's crazy ups and downs this season ended on the biggest down of all, and it'll be a lot of fun to see how it comes back up, or if this series has a much darker ending in mind... guess we'll have to wait to find out...

1378 - Breaking Bad: season one

We came late to this series (now in it's fourth season), but we're fully on board. Huzzah! This show really is as good as everyone says it is and we're looking forward to delving into the other available seasons. I love how well they integrate the science into the show and yet keep it grounded in our real world. The set-up and premise to this show is really fantastic and the cast is stellar. They have so much room to play within this world - I'm really excited about where they're going to go with it. So much good summer television on right now with Mad Men starting back up, Entourage and True Blood already in full swing, and new Weeds on its way... oh baby!

1277 - Entourage: season six

What a season this was. First of, this show is amazing in that it's a comedy that doesn't really write a lot of jokes. It's just the characters that are interesting and funny when played up against one another. This season was all about the characters coming into their own, and growing up a little bit. Each of the five staples had a major life event to get through (except maybe Vince) and it played off quite well. This show is not even close to being the best show out there right now, but I still look forward to it. It's a guilty pleasure for sure :) If you're not a fan of the show give it a whirl.

1163 - Entourage: season five

Entourage is a show that has truly evolved during it's run, and I imagine it will continue to do so. It's impossible to write this without spoiling some stuff, so consider yourself warning

SPOILERS AHEAD!!!

Some bitch and moan that this show has lost it's way, I think, like it's characters, it's matured. It's becoming something richer. It hasn't stopped what made the first couple seasons great, but it has delved deeper into it's characters in interesting ways. One problem I've had with the show is that it often forgets about it's main characters for long periods of time. A few seasons ago Turtle was on the verge of a fun relationship, and it ended for no reason whatsoever. Like it never happened. I hope and pray that what stared between Jamie and Sal continues into the next season. Since season six has just been announced maybe we'll hear some rumblings about her being signed on to more. I hope so. Sal deserves a story all his own. Drama was doing well till he screwed himself out of a relationship, and I really didn't care. His character went downhill this season. E was absent for most of it, just on the sidelines, but was great when he came out. Ari, as always way fantastic. The scene with him and Vince at the airport was Entourage's finest moment, and a perfect example of why Piven wins so many Emmys. The biggest surprise was Vince's turn into someone becoming responsible for his own career. I liked it. Can't wait to see what's in store for season six!

1147 - Entourage: season four

The cast about this is one of the best ensembles working in comedy. Their style and subtlety is different from some of the other amazing comedies out there, but when it's working, it's solid as all hell. From Rex Lee, to Piven, Dillion, the list goes on and on. For the most part the writers on this show are golden. When it comes to the side stories in Ari's agency not involving the boys I could take them or leave them, not to mention diversions into his kid's private schools. Maybe they'll make a spin-off about Ari one day, but I doubt it would work. Ari is fantastic in the proper doses. I'm halfway through the 5th season and the show is not slowing down. Very excited to know that we'll be getting a sixth season this summer. This show should continue as long as it can stay fresh. Gold all around.

1142 - Entourage: season three

This season is all about re-building, getting too ahead of oneself and getting back to basics. Lots of old favorites are back and some new faces that will continue to be seen through-out the series. I love this show and it truly does get better with each season. The current fifth season is really great and I can't wait to see how it plays out. There's some lose threads that occur in this season that I'm curious if we'll see play out in the near future. If it doesn't come into play this season... I know what my Entourage Spec script will be about ;-)

1141 - Entourage: season two

This show is addictive as hell, even though I'm right in the midst of the fifth season I can't stop re-watching these old episodes. This season is fantastic when it comes to story ups and downs. Watching Vince climb to the top, but fuck himself up on the way is almost as fun as watching Ari go to hell in a hand basket. And we get introduced to Lloyd in this season. Fantastic cast, fantastic writing, this show could do on forever.

1139 - Entourage: season one

I really just intended to re-watch the pilot but then good hooked on it. It really is a great show that just continues to get better with each season. It's interesting to see that in the current fifth season they're resurrecting some old characters from this season. I'll probably end up re-watching the whole damn series now :)