Entourage draws its name from the literal entourage that surrounds Vinnie Chase (Adrian Grenier) and rounds out the series' central cast. The titular group includes manager Eric Murphy, aka E (Kevin Connolly); Vinnie's brother and fellow actor Johnny, aka Drama (Kevin Dillon); and their driver Turtle (Jerry Ferrara), who's actually called Salvatore, though that name is virtually never spoken.
Together, they all grew up in Queens, New York, forming a childhood bond that persists into their adult lives as they support Vinnie's acting career. Also integral to the series is Ari Gold (Jeremy Piven), Vinnie's agent. He's not technically part of the Entourage, but numerous Golden Globe and Emmy nominations ensured the fan-favorite character remained a constant presence, especially into the series' later seasons.
Tonally, Entourage shifts between a roughly equal number of comedic and dramatic moments. Oftentimes its comedy is derived from real-life celebrities appearing as themselves but behaving in unexpected ways. Bob Saget, for example, plays a vulgar and standoffish version of himself, essentially the polar opposite of his career-defining turn as Danny Tanner in Full House. Other times, the series' attempts at humor are stuck firmly in a bygone era, like frequent jokes Ari Gold makes at the expense of his assistant Lloyd's (Rex Lee) sexuality.
Those and other, similar moments might understandably be a dealbreaker for some. Viewers willing to put a fair amount of questionable content aside can still find in Entourage a fun and lighthearted exploration — that's equal parts glamorization and satirization — of the life of a burgeoning Hollywood star.
Entourage is available to stream on HBO Max now.
