Entourage Recap (One Day in the Valley)

Episode: “One Day in the Valley”
Original Aridate: June 18, 2006

Previously on Entourage…
Vince’s mom came to town for the premiere of Aquaman. And yeah…nothing else really happened. Let’s hope tonight has a little something more for those of us who have been patiently waiting the return of this how for a looooong time.

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Today the boys are expecting the first numbers from the Aquaman premiere. Ari thinks it’s a good idea to wake up Eric at 5:45AM to talk about the big day. E thinks it’s better to sleep. Looks like the studio is expecting the movie to open at $95M, so a dollar under that would be considered less than spectacular. Despite Turtle’s inistence that the movie is going to open bigger than Spiderman, Vince claims not to care. But, if Aquaman does open bigger than Spiderman, the boys are getting some toys.

Vince, Eric, Turtle and Drama head to the Valley to catch showing of the movie. Drama is none to happy about going to the Valley and enduring the heat. Yup, the Left Coast is experiencing a bit of a heat wave, which should bode well for the movie. Heat waves often drive people into the theaters, right? Oh, wait is that just an East Coast thing? I suppose everyone in LA has air conditioning. Anyway, the guys arrive in the Valley and watch the flick with a packed house. We finally get to see a glimpse of Aquaman, which includes Vinnie walking down a boardwalk towards the water just as all the people around him are running in terror away from the it. Looking FINE in a tux, and with better shorter hair, Vince takes a running leap off the dock and is about to enter the water when…darkness.

The heat is causing random blackouts all over Cali. With no movie, and no air conditioning, the theater asks everyone to head out to the lobby to get their money back. Not a good thing for those counting the pennies. On their way out of the theater, two dorky high school kids (one of which was that former adorable redheaded kid who used to be on Picket Fences) recognize Vince. It’s not long before the rest of the crowd sees him, and the guys make a quick exit just as the TRL-esque screeching ensues.

Unable to escape the Valley amidst the traffic, Drama continue to bitch about the heat – the guy is not happy. While in the car, Eric gets a call from Ari who informs him that the early numbers are looking good….really good…like Superman good. Eric is a bit worried that the blackouts are going to be an issue, but Ari tells him that the blackouts aren’t widespread so he has nothing to worry about. But Ari doesn’t want Vince to know about the projections until it’s official. With a sh*t-eating grin plastered all over his face, a light wind would have been enough to twist Eric’s arm into telling Vince about the early predicitions. The boys are stoked, and as promised, they go shopping for some new toys.

Turtle just happens to know of a Ducati dealership in the Valley…of course he does. Despite Eric and Drama not wanting new motorcycles, Vince goes ahead and buys four anyway. Well, he tries to buy them. Just as hands over his credit card – another damn blackout.

Back in LA, Ari’s degree of egomania is rising along with the temperature. He reached his boiling point (no pun intended) during a marriage counseling session with his wife. Um, seriously, Ari has some major communication issues, and I constantly wonder why his wife stays with him. Oh right, because he’s The Pives, and The Pives is the sh*t.

As the guys hang outside the Ducati dealership, contemplating their next move, the two dorky kids from the theater show up and invite them to a high school graduation party. The guys try to blow them off but are quickly swayed when they find out there’s a pool. Hey, it’s 105 degrees..they were desperate. And besides, Vince is kind of looking forward to his Almost Famous moment.

At the party, Vince saves the day when the kid throwing the shindig gives the two dorks a hard time for showing up uninvited. But just as they hoped, being with Vince gets them a quick welcome. Everyone is excited that Vince is there, but none more so than the geeks. Vince has told everyone at the party that the two kids are his cousins. He even manages to get them hooked up with out-of-their league chicks…wow, these geeks really aren’t all that different than Drama and Turtle.

Ari checks in with Eric again, but this time tells him that the earlier box office predictions are plumeting now that the blackouts are more rampant. The revised predictions have the movie opening at $85M, which would suck. Eric decides that it’s best to tell Vince about the numbers. Vince decides that he never cared about money before, and he’s not going to start stressing about it now. He just want to booze it up – and that he does.

Ari’s wife (damn, give this woman a name already) is about to finally get some when Ari gets yet another phone call about the box office. God, I hope Ari has one of those unlimited calling plans. I guess the call was pretty important because he drives all the way to the Valley to tell Vince and Eric in person. Ok, can I just say that every time they mention they are going to the valley, I half expect them to run into Cher, Elton and Tai…you know making an appearance at the Val party. Ok, it’s late – let me just have that bad joke and we’ll move on.

Vince is really endugling in his Almost Famous moment. He addresses the crowd, drunk of his ass, standing on the roof. He sees Ari down below and asks if Aquaman had managed to scrape up $45M. But hot damn, Ari tells him that the latest prediction has them hovering in Spidey territory once again, AND, unless there is some major disaster, it looks like Aquaman will surpass Spiderman as the biggest movie opening…eva! Drink up high school kids….drink up!!!!

Vince is pretty damn excited. So much so that he gives his Masarati to the two dorks, and tells them it’s theirs until the lease is up in August. Vincent Chase – coolest movie star out there today!!

The guys continue to celebrate and Ari gets tossed in the pool…classic!!!  Now THIS is the Entourage I know and love.  Welcome back boys…welcome back!