--- title: "Entourage: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/tv/entourage/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/tv/entourage" critics_score: 77 critics_reviews: 7 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Entourage (2004): what the critics said Critics' score 77 from 7 reviews: 6 positive, 1 mixed, 0 negative. Most critics like Entourage, and for the same reasons. The reviews find a quick, snappy comedy that gets Hollywood’s hangers-on and its superficiality about right, and forgive the shallowness of the friends at its centre because the ensemble is easy company. The praise clusters on one performance: Jeremy Piven as the agent Ari Gold, whose foul mouth and one-liners several critics name as the main reason to keep watching. The insider satire, the star cameos and the name-dropping are counted as pleasures rather than vices. The reservations are mild and mostly early. Variety, reviewing the first episodes in 2004, finds them short on laughs and subtext, with characters proudly shallow, though it notes the writing sharpens by the third episode. A twentieth-anniversary retrospective in The Ringer judges the show durable and aware of its characters’ ridiculousness, while treating it as wish-fulfilment. The spread is narrow: one mixed notice, no negative ones, and broad agreement that this is escapism done with charm. ## The Hollywood Reporter — THR Staff Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 2 June 2015. The original 2004 review praises the series as a kicky, crackling HBO comedy with savagely realistic veneer, brutal showbiz truths, and snappy dialogue that spotlights celebrity emptiness. It highlights the pilot's energetic direction and realistic portrayal of hangers-on and Hollywood superficiality. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/entourage-first-episode-thrs-2004-799737/) ## The Times — Sean Macaulay Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 30 June 2005. The critic praises the sharp comedy and standout performance of Jeremy Piven as the foul-mouthed agent Ari Gold in the HBO series about a young Hollywood star and his friends. It highlights the show's insider Hollywood satire, star cameos and unashamed name-dropping as making it delicious viewing. [Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/la-story-8d09hq93vf3) ## Empire — William Thomas Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 29 September 2006. The series proves entertaining rather than vacuous thanks to its charm and likeable characters. Jeremy Piven's performance as the agent Ari stands out as particularly mesmerising. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/tv/reviews/entourage-season-1-review/) ## The AV Club — Scott Tobias Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 17 May 2005. The critic finds the show surprisingly funny and lovable despite its shallow Hollywood characters, praising the ensemble's charm and the balanced pacing of the first season's episodes. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/entourage-the-complete-first-season-1798200683) ## Variety Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 15 July 2004. The review finds the early episodes lacking subtext and laughs, with characters who are proudly shallow, though the agent Ari Gold stands out as the strongest element. It notes improvement by the third episode with sharper writing, a self-contained arc, and more developed characters. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2004/film/awards/entourage-5-1200532194/) ## NME — NME Blog Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 21 September 2009. The reviewer finds the series appealing for its escapist fantasy of Hollywood life and tight-knit male friendships. They single out the vicious wit and memorable one-liners of agent Ari Gold as the main draw. [Read the review](https://www.nme.com/blogs/nme-blogs/entourage-season-5-a-review-42716) ## The Ringer — Paul Thompson Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 18 July 2024. The critic offers a detailed retrospective ranking of all episodes to mark the series' 20th anniversary, concluding that Entourage remains a durable comedy that understands its characters' ridiculousness and delivers wish-fulfillment. One element singled out for praise is the pilot's unique tonal balance as the friends navigate wealthy L.A. while maintaining deep friendships. [Read the review](https://www.theringer.com/2024/07/18/tv/best-entourage-episodes-ranked-hbo-20th-anniversary) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/tv/entourage.md