Entourage: The Complete First Season (2005, UMD)

I watched the second and third seasons of Entourage On-Demand, and I enjoyed it so much I bought the first box set. While I already knew I would like it, I was thoroughly impressed. Entourage is a show notorious for cliffhangers, so the fact that you can watch all eight episodes in a row is a huge plus, if not a necessity. I believe the show has a high replay value, so the commentaries are very easy to sit through, (although I advise you wait a while after watching the episodes.)

As far as the plot, the caliber is consistent with the later episodes, and the characters really make you feel a part of the peripherally laid-back L.A. atmosphere. Jeremy Piven is in full form as super-agent Ari Gold, as his lines are hilarious as ever. Adrian Grenier plays movie-star Vincent Chase, and Kevin Connolly plays his manager, Eric Murphy. The interplay between these two is great, and they really come off as life-long best friends.

The best part of Entourage is that it makes you feel like you re there, navigating the pitfalls of Hollywood and enjoying the splendor along with the characters. The music is also killer, with enough diversity to avoid boring people with a specific taste. One caveat though: if you buy season one, you ll want to buy the other two as well.