Shane Life

I don’t know how many readers out there are watchers of HBO’s Big Love, but Alli and I can’t stop watching the train wreck that is the Bill Henrickson polygamist family.

Warning: if you don’t want to know what happens in the season finale, don’t read any further.

Sunday night was the Season 2 finale and left a bad taste in our mouths. It seemed to be building up to a rather big climax and then just fell flat completely. Despite Bill Paxton’s absolutely wooden acting (seriously…that dude makes Hayden Christensen look like Leonardo di Caprio), the show has been completely entertaining this season. Barb (wife #1) has been questioning her ties to her polygamist family, Margene is getting more confident in her role as wife #3, Nikki is dealing with her creepy brother and prophet father, and Bill is just trying to hold it all together while scheming to insure the welfare of his growing family.

I expected it all to come to a head in the season finale, but all that really happened was a lot of resolution. While there was one glaring thing left up in the air (Roman’s return to the compound and subsequent arrest), it almost seemed like the writers were tying things as if they’ll be going a new direction for the already greenlit season three.

I can’t figure out why I’m so drawn to this show. It’s not particularly well-written or well-acted (except perhaps the sister-wives, who are all pretty good), but it’s quite entertaining in its insanity. I’m already looking forward to season three…

One of my favorite shows on TV is finally back for the second half of its 3rd season.

Last we left them, the following things had happened:

• Ari had screwed Vince out of the Joey Ramone project because he mistreated the producer who had the project
• Turtle got screwed by Saigon, his first music client
• Drama got cast in an Ed Burns TV pilot (classic scene was Drama almost psyching himself out of the role)
• And Vince and Eric fired Ari

It was a dramatic mini-cliffhanger, but one we’ve seen before. I’ve been anxious for the show to return because it is great and I’m anxious to see what is going to happen now.

So last night’s episode had the following:

• Vince’s new agent (Carla “Son-in-Law” Gugino) taking him to a Laker game and seeing Ari, and also trying to convince her client to take a period film for his next project
• Vince’s birthday party (which Turtle ingeniously had sponsored by Skyy Vodka, Victoria’s Secret and a bunch of other corporate sponsors aboard the Queen Mary…Turtle is awesome)
• Ari delivering the Medellin script, claiming that Benicio del Toro is backing out, thus giving Vinnie the film he’s been wanting to do since the beginning of season one
• Johnny Drama being on a billboard (seriously, how pathetic is that dude? He stands in front of his own billboard and has Turtle take pictures of him until people recognize him)
• Ari and Lloyd (any episode that has a 2-minute scene with these two is worth the other 24 minutes of the episode)

I thought that overall, it was a decent episode…a good start to the second half of the season. I’m hoping that the next episode builds on it…I imagine that Carla Gugino will be around at least 5 episodes, but I foresee Vince returning to Ari by the end of the season. I’m just glad the show is back.

I love having HBO because it means that I am able to watch Entourage during the summer. Totally sweet. It is probably my favorite show on TV right now (that is currently showing new episodes…anything in summer re-runs doesn’t count).

The 3rd season started a little show, but it has picked up a lot of steam lately and the last few episodes have been excellent.

SEASON 3 SPOILERS AHEAD!

OK…so, I love that Ari is starting his agency with Barbara Miller…I think it is hilarious, despite Beverly D’Angelo’s absolutely awful acting (and really…could she have a little more work done on her face?). I think that if I had to rank the main characters on the show as my favorites, it would look a little like this:

1. Ari
2. Drama
3. E
4. Turtle
5. Lloyd
6. Vince

The show really isn’t about Vince, it’s about his Entourage. They are the most important characters…they are the ones that are the most crucial to the show. OK…maybe that’s a bit of a stretch…they wouldn’t be there without Vince, but you get what I’m saying. Adrian Grenier is only a mediocre actor…the show is carried by Jeremy Piven (PIVS!).

I’m anxious to see what happens the rest of this season. I was happy to see Walsh back for the last episode. He personifies the indie director who hates everything but his work (although I have to agree…QB looked like crap colorized). Vince is the idealistic actor who doesn’t really understand “the system” yet, but also has yet to come to grips with the fact that he is responsible for the lives of all his housemates as well as a bunch of other people who hang on his coattails. He’s kind of a punk.

But he has a great show.