Entourage, Episodes 5.8: “First Class Jerk”

Ari as a studio head. A match made in heaven? Or just a bad fit.

This is Ari’s dilemma in Episode 5.8, “First Class Jerk.”

The studio wants Ari bad, bad enough that it’s him offering $10 million. But Ari likes being an agent, he likes his clients, he likes being his own boss. And the folks at Miller-Gold, especially Lloyd, want Ari to stay.

Complicating matters: If Ari turns the job down, it goes to Vince’s old agent and current nemesis, Amanda (Carla Gugino). If Amanda gets the job, both Ari and Vince can forget about getting any work at this particular studio, the one that has optioned “Smoke Jumpers.”

By the end of the episode, Ari has made his decision, and it’s one that impacts Vince and everyone in his orbit. Will Vince’s career be back on track, or will he be seeking out the services of another agent, such as Josh Weinstein, who earlier in the episode set Vince up with an uncomfortable meeting with director Frank Darabont?

If you haven’t caught this episode yet, I’d suggest you do. It’s good to see Ari front and center, doing some soul searching, and taking charge of a crisis once again.

By the way, the title is a clever reference to an encounter Turtle claims he had while flying first class next to Jamie-Lynn Sigler in a great, self-joking cameo.