Liking "Entourage"

I have a love-hate relationship with a few shows, most notably with awards shows, which I love, and hate, and love to hate but hate myself for loving.

But I have more of a like-like relationship with "Entourage," which returns to HBO on Sunday night. I watched five episodes of the new season yesterday, and I liked each one. My marathon was a pleasant experience. The characters are amusing; Jeremy Piven is a powerhouse who throws his whole body into his performance; and the feverish Hollywood insider deal-making is dynamic. In the best of the five episodes, Piven's Ari tries to cut a deal while attending Yom Kippur services. It's classic.

Most of all, I like the non-moralizing atmosphere of the show. "Entourage" distinguishes itself by not turning Hollywood into an evil place; Vince and the boys are indeed living out a young man's fantasy.

At the same time, I'm disappointed with the character development on the show. As far as Vince and his buddies are concerned, there is no development. The guys are always the same. They're too much like ABC-style sitcom characters: mechanical. I keep waiting for the show to add on some layers, the kind that made "Sex and the City" so rich, the kind that HBO welcomes, but it never happens. I keep waiting for the writers to step up to the plate, after having set up such an appealing little world. (There is an effort to explore Ari this season, however, and, although it is awkwardly done, it's nice to see.)

Also, I miss plot. There needs to be some forward movement to the series, the kind that has been missing since the second season. Believe it or not, "Entourage" is still tossing around the possibility of Vince starring in "Medellin." Maybe it's true that actors can drift for long periods between projects, but that doesn't always make for strong storytelling.

I like "Entourage," but I want to love it.