OK...
Getting better. Was bthat Sascha Baron Cohen in the previews for next week? The guy from "Da Ali G Show?"

Starting to dig the Eric/Ari dynamic. Loved Ari's "Storm that beach like it's fucking Normandy" line. And hwo great is it to see what a hen pecked husband he is? Finally the characters are being fleshed out a bit.


And they seem to be tempering down The Turtle fusion. He barely had any lines this episode.

Piven is the only exceptional thing about this show, but he's SO fucking great....

What's with all the "lite" HBO episode lenghts tonight...isn't this supposed to be 30 min.?

Best part of this series so far is the smackdown that Ari gave his former assistant, whose name I can't remember. The Piven makes this show. Although I must say that I liked Kevin Dillon once again in this eppy.

I thought it was pretty good. Eric and Ari conflict is always good, especially when Eric gets to have the upper hand sometimes. Plus Turtle wasn't unbearable.

Tonight was an all Adrian night with "Drive me crazy" on family channel at 8, then i just flipped to HBO to watch more prettiness.

On a totally shallow note, I find it freaky when Emily is shown in profile because she has NO BOOBS. I think she's pretty, its just kinda weird.

Can we please rename the show--ARI and the four idiots? Love Piven! Also felt bad for Drama. They are the show. Not enough Debi Mazur. It is getting better overall.

Finally a good episode. Piven rocks. As usual. I actually felt sorry for Drama tonight - he is so desperate.

Judios, the agent's name was Josh Weinstein. They only said it like 50 times. Why is Emily so freaked out about Ari finding out about her relationship, or lack there of with Eric? We have to find out her backstory. Piven again had some great lines tonight, although, "Let's hug it out, bitch" will ALWAYS be my favorite.

I agree. My fav Piven line was: "Put mini-Vince on the phone."

I don't know, I couldn't get into this episode. It just didn't have... anything. And Gary Busey??? Jesus Christ....

Holy cow, was that a *gasp* good episode? There were so many moments I really really loved this week.

Drama trying to make a dramatic exit from that agent’s “office” and Turtle spoiling it by hanging back one second too long to shove another Frito in his mouth – priceless.

“Fuck fucking art, man” – had me actually liking Turtle. And I sort of dug the “art,” though it didn’t remind me in any way of running naked through a cornfield backwards at midnight.

Ari love moment #1: Ari being all scared of the boys going to that party.
Ari love moment #2: his wife ordering him to be back for the birthday cake, and his face screwing up getting ready to make some smartass remark, and him visibly thinking better of it and pulling himself back under control to meekly say “Okay.”
Ari love moment #3: his brutal takedown of Josh Weinstein. ITA that that was the best scene of the series so far.

Final impression of the ep? WOW, Gary Busey’s a crazy motherfucker. Not sure why we had to see so much of him, but whatever.

Wall-to-wall Piven in this ep! Yay! Ari IS the show. I see that the season finale is coming up already. Let's hope the producers are taking notes this year, and next season revolves around Ari. With lots of appearances by Debi Mazur. That's a show to look forward to.

OMG. When Piven stormed through the house looking for Josh and then ripped him a new orifice? I think I had an orgasm.

Gary Busey playing himself as a raving lunatic was fucking hilarious, man.

Loved the Dillon this episode. I don't know if it's because he's playing himself or what, but he kicks ass in this role.

Loved this epi! I'll admit that while I was digging "the Piven" before now I didn't really get all the hype, but now? Oh yea, I'm loving the Piven so much that I might want to have his assholish babies. The verbal smackdown of Ken Weinstein? Priceless. LOVED it. Man, I actually want to watch this episode again just to see it.

Then when Mrs. Ari gave him "the look" and the ultimatum and he did nothing but meekly say "ok". Priceless yet again.

I know I'm preaching to the choir here, but The Piven is da MAN. Oh how I wish there would be a whole series built around this character. Terrific performance last night by da MAN.

Like everyone here, I thought the scene with Josh and Ari was excellent. Such a concentration of thinly-veiled sarcasm, but I couldn't get enough. After that little treat, I was thinking, the only thing left to make a perfect episode is have Ari talk to Gary Busey. And then they threw that in. Basically everyone in this show needs to have a conversation with Piven.

I also loved how she preceded "the look" by calling him "Agent Boy." Good to know that Mrs. Ari knows how to give as good as she gets.

Agree, also, that Johnny and Eric were both good this episode. And Vince was pretty, which is really all I expect from him.

I love me some Piven!!!!!!! I really liked this episode, glad to see the show is getting better. I think one of the reasons I liked it so much is because Vince didn't really say anything and he sure is pretty. I had to giggle when they were watching the sunset at the end, as some one who moved from one side of Lake Michigan to the other I totally understood how Vince would say they were facing East. When a big body of water is on the "wrong" side it really messes with your sense of direction.

Tell me about it. I grew up in CT, where even though your on the "East Coast", the water is always to the south. When I lived in the Bay Area, I could never quite get my head around the fact that roads parallel to the water were north/south...

It really shows how bad this show is when the only positive thing anyone can say about it is that the non main character is the only thing that makes it remotely watchable. If there ever was a show that needed to be shut down and retooled it would be this POS. They need to have all four of these morons killed in some kind of "on location" plane crash and make a show about agent and a publicist that go into business together.

Who would have thought that the worst show on Sunday nights would

A. Be on HBO

and

B. Not be The Casino

I disagree. I think the show is fun and each episode keeps getting better as the characters begin to show more of their true colors.

This episode was hilarious watching The Piv go into panic zone and get brow beaten by his wife. And I am developing a surprising fondness for Drama.

In agreement with *everybody* upthread: the Piven smackdown was fantastic.

With that said, I really like how they're pulling together the Eric and Ari relationship. You can actually see Eric learning from his own mistakes, trying out new approaches, and paying attention to what works and what doesn't. It's almost as if he's learning from Ari how to play hardball. This is the most fascinating aspect of the show to me.

And I also liked that when Emily gave Eric an ultimatium ("Call Ari and I'm leaving."), Eric didn't even pause for breath. He just flipped that phone open and she was gone. Go Eric!

This was the best episode so far. Much less stupid boy shit. Much less outdated insider trendy talk. Slightly more character development. The Piven was so MONEY. I know, it's a 90s-Swingers phrase, but it seems appropriate.

Agent Boy needs his own show. Anyone else a big fan of Cupid, despite its completely ridiculous premise and plots? Yes, because it had extra long doses of The Piven.

Nodding in absolute agreement with:

- the Piven love
- the Josh Weinstein smackdown
- the birthday party scene/Mrs. Ari
- Eric becoming wise to the wicked ways of the west (yay alliteration!)

My other favorite scene was the Turtle/Gary Busey at the beach, especially when Busey pours water on Turtle's head: "Now I'm cleansing you." Don't know why, but that made me giggle uncontrollably.

And a personal fave? I'm in Akron, so the LeBron James love and the "we'd-rather-see-the-Cavs-game" from Turtle. Yay NE Ohio!

I had to replay that moment 2-3 times, it was so awesome.

I also got a chuckle out of Drama's mini art history lecture on "Jason Pollock" and Pointillism. (And E correcting him ... and Drama trying to dis E for his community college education ...)

I gotta agree with those who want Ari the focus of the story. Vince is total eye candy but boring as hell. Make Ari the primary focus, keep E in the main storyline somehow, and have Vince (and Drama) be part of a rotating storyline of hot young Hollywood things. And they can lose Turtle -- I totally wouldn't miss him.

I wasn't sure what exactly happened that went by so fast. I got that Emily didn't want Eric to call Ari. Did Eric say that "whatever they had was/should be more important to her than her job?"

I *sense* the show is going to go somewhere with this Emily/Ari/Eric triangle but I also suspect its going to be very predictable. Emily will get fired/be threatened to be fired and Eric/Ari will make some dumb "him or me" stand and Emily will be like 'Ari because he's paying my bills and clearly I'm some kind of career-minded bitch instead of being a totally devoted to Eric girlfriend.'

catrina, I think the deal was Emily didn't want to be caught in the middle, delivering messages and having to take sides. Which, to her credit, I completely understand. But since Eric is my pretend boyfriend, I'm glad he kicked that girl to the curb while taking care of his boy, Vince, first. I don't think it's remotely over between them (Rats!), but I *do* like that he's got his priorities straight.

Don't know where it's going with the three of them, but am curious to find out. One minor detail... of the three of them, only two are in the front credits...

Ari rocked.

Eric was a little asshole. First his treatment of Emily was shitty and then he treats Ari like crap. I am really looking forward to a time when Eric gets what is coming to him. His self proclaimed knowledge of good scripts and correct tactics in bargaining will hopefully slap him in his smug little face. Oh, I don't like Eric. Have you noticed?

I think Drama was really good in this one as well. I think it's Ironic that they used Joey "Got fired from Boston Public for crying out loud" Slotnik as the "didn't make it" actor. Cuz, you know, he hasn't made it.

Turtle. Meh.

Vince was just the backdrop in this episode. Maybe one day he will realize what a mistake it is having Eric around. Maybe. Or he'll end up working in Eric's pizza place.

Last thing, when was this supposed to take place? They were celebrating the $18.5 mill opening. How slow is time moving?
If so, isn't everyone still out of pot? (L.A. I mean) Since this wasn't so much an issue for everyone in the city.

Gary Busey scares me but it was nice to see Joey Slotnik again!

I will jump on the bandwagon here and say how much I liked the scene with Ari and Josh.

I also loved every scene with Busey too. He has totally lost it.

Coming out of lurkdom (*waves*) ITA -- I really thought they meant just the Friday grosses, not weekend cume last week when they said $18m. However, having said that, the craptastic Exorcist: The Beginning won this past weekend at a weekend cume of $18m. So I guess not totally out of the realm of believability, especially for this time of year (post-summer, pre-fall).

Yes! That's when I first became aware of Jeremy Piven. He was so charming on that show. Aw, I miss that show.

Agent Boy and Drama made this episode. I'm enjoying the Eric/Ari exchanges, but seeing Ari with his wife and Johnny trying to psych himself into taking a waiter's job in one show was just too good to be true. Jeremy Piven and Kevin Dillon are two of the best and most underrated actors around.

(Man oh man, those two have me gushing like a teenager. Any more of this, and I'll start to sound like one of those crazed Clay Aiken fans. Uh-oh ...)

Lord help us, the plot actually moved forward!! Lurching and creaking and with a strange Busey interlude (whoops, redundent phrase there), but it moved!

I predict the last scene this season will be the one in which we learn the fate of Queens Boulevard. It might involve a Manna vs. Art decision for Vince, or the same for Eric or Ari.

Pretty good work from everybody last night; even Turtle was tolerable, as he spent half the show squirming in fear. Eric instantly snapping open his phone, Ari and the clown, Ari and Mrs. Ari, Drama and all the waiters, Drama and the groupies, Drama and Adam...good stuff all around.

Thanks a bunch,kiki. I think I was thinking of his bare ass too much to pay attention to the many times his name was mentioned.

I'll be the one off the 'wagon and say that a show about Ari would be fun for an episode or two, max. Then he'd just be annoying. His hi-tempo personality and flashiness work great in the context the show has him in now. I fear a show about Ari would wear out his uniquenes and remind me of Arli$$. Likewise, I like that Vince is the guys' Center of Their Universe but the show actually doesn't revolve around him.

They struck a pretty good balance on this show, and I'll raise the ALERT: PLOT MOVEMENT sign now. This was the best ep so far, again I agree that there was no silly pot stuff, boys-in-wonderland pleasures, and needless name-dropping. I loved everyone's scenes, especially Ari's reconsideration with his wife, Drama's melodramatic exit from the office, and Eric's gradual transformation into mini-Ari. Also nice of Vince to have a lil' backbone about the Queens Boulevard script.

I'm likin' the show.

With the new Ph'ed status does that mean that Entourage is a sitcom or just yukky? I never knew how to classify it before other than that new show with the Piven.

wow -- that was quick. The axe of PH falls mighty swift.

Rats! That's the second time in recent history one of my shows was Ph'd (the first was Kingdom Hospital). It makes me feel like I watch loser shows.

Let's just talk about the show please. Topic topic! Thanks.

He's the whole reason I watch..when will people get wise and realize we need a "Jeremy Piven Show" of some kind???

PH'd. Damn. The Piven Is Dead. Long Live The Piven.

I really enjoyed this episode, for all of the same reasons everyone else did. Piven bitch-slapping the Little Agent That Could, and Gary Busey just being Gary Busey.

Hopefully Jacob will get a new show this fall worthy of his recapping talents.

Piven's package was really distracting me the other night.

Debi Mazur needs to stop talking out of the side of her mouth. I'll never understand why some people do that.

And I agree with the poster upthread that a little bit of Piven goes a long way in this show. His act would get old if he was the main character.

Man, I wish my local blockbuster video carried old episodes of Viking Quest. Maybe I can go to Amazon.com?

Not a big fan of the bit at the end where the crappy agent that Piven turned him on to turned out to be good after all. Surprise!

There are certain people who look alike in bizarre ways. In one grouping I put: Jay Leno, Debi Mazur, Jimmy Baio (Billy Campbell on Soap) and Paris Themmen (Mike Teevee in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory). I could be the only person in the univese who sees the similarity between Debi and these guys, but that's what makes me unique, I guess.

Have to agree. I think they've screwed up the timeline. Last week the marijuana cop was talking about he saw the "previews". It's like WTF?

Granted, this last weekend was a slow one, movei-wise, but the Exorcist prequel was #1 at the box office, and it only brought in $18 million.

So it's not impossible for Head On to have done the same.

Aww! No more recaps by Jacob! They made me weep with the laughter. I may have to abandon this show without Jacob to make it all make sense.

Sigh. I'm not suprised, but oddly sad to see this show PH'd -- it's such low-hanging snark-fruit, I was hoping to ride it up to Couch Potato, at least.

I thought Vince's movie didn't win the weekend, only the "live action" winner. The $18 million makes sense if it opened against a Disney-esque family flick, I think?

agreed. Not only does $18 mil make sense to me, it also gives us a good idea of where Vince sits on the Celebrity Food Chain. Not at the top (Tom Cruise/Tom Hanks) but at a respectable, rising star middle.

This episode really did crack me up. And we're seeing some fantastic character developments -- Vince totally stood up for his career. Eric is getting into the swing of playing hardball and clearly made his priority his (or Vince's) career over the girl. Ari is a browbeaten husband but actually not THAT much of an asshole. Drama, poor Drama, is at the crossroads and doesn't know if he will make it as an actor. Of course, I was practically cheering when we found out that Drama got 3 auditions next week!

Also - to the person asking if Johnny Drama was his stage name - I noticed that the 3 bikini fan girls called him Johhny Chase. So I guess Drama is a nickname?