A new blog, the Boston Sports Oracle, recently posted a story relating the Boston Red Sox to the hit HBO series, Entourage. Perhaps a die hard Boston fan can work the Sox into anything, but this post reminded just how popular and widespread the Entourage phenomenon is.
With the fifth season premiering on September 28, one way to appease my anticipation is to reflect on why everyone loves Entourage so much. I’ve come up with three reasons.
First, Entourage is saturated in pop-culture references to almost a ridiculous degree. It almost creates a new genre—half reality, half drama, half comedy. Whether Vince is dating Mandy Moore or E is managing Anna Farris or they are smoking with Bob Saget, the show is unusually current and modern. It seems like it is happening in real-time. Perhaps my generation is obsessed with Entourage because Entourage is obsessed with my generation. The new trends, music, and slang somehow always make the episodes more than just episodes.
Second, the rags-to-riches story is distinctly American. Vince and his entourage (Eric, Johnny Drama, and Turtle) are a moving illustration of the American dream. From middle class families in Queens, New York, they were all, fortunately, catapulted into the Hollywood high life thanks to Vince’s acting career. America has always been known for those success stories, and every capitalism-educated American knows the possibility of rising that important(?) social ladder. Because of their history, they have the down-to-earth, laid-back upbringing, supplemented by lots of cash and connections.
The monetary success allows them to represent another uniquely American ideal—the pursuit of happiness. This is my last reason why we love Entourage, and the most appealing part to me, personally. Protected alongside our rights to life and liberty, the pursuit of happiness is a notion that is underappreciated yet beneficial. The Entourage understands our rights as Americans and pursues happiness to the extreme. Living in mansions, partying with celebrities, chasing girls, getting girls, buying whatever one desires, smoking, and drinking are among some of the ways they pursue their happiness. And look at what an awesome lifestyle they have by constantly going after their happiness. That is something we all envy, perhaps, a major draw why we keep watching it. We all have those dreams of wealth, luxury, and leisure. They, in contrast, are living that dream.
I almost forgot, one special reason why we love Entourage, especially for the Boston Sports Oracle and his fellow Bostonians. The premise is loosely based on Mark Wahlberg’s experience in Hollywood and who can’t like Marky Mark and his Dorchester to The Departed career?
