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Small Post at 8-29-2011 19:26 Author Only
Season 3
1. Aquamom
The night of the Aquaman premiere draws close and the crew is preparing themselves for the biggest event of Vince's career. Drama and Turtle keep finding better looking women to bring to the event, but they find themselves prematurely running out of passes to hand out to the hotties. Vince is less concerned about finding a date. He knows there's only one woman to bring -- his mom. Mrs. Chase is hesistant to make the trip to the West Coast due to a fear of travelling, but E finally convinces her to travel with both his and Turtle's mothers. Meanwhile, Ari adjusts to life in his new office (complete with broken down elevator) and finds that he's in for a huge challenge on his own.
2. One Day in the Valley
It's "Aquaman's" opening day and the pressure is on. Initial box office projections, already "Titanic"-sized, get even higher after the first East Coast numbers stream in, giving everyone hope that the film has a chance to pass "Spider-Man" as the biggest opening weekend in history. To avoid getting recognized, Vince and the boys decide to take in a showing in the Valley, but the 100 degree heat sets off blackouts -- and unsure West Coast numbers. The bouncing box office receipts and the heat push everyone to the brink, so to unwind, the crew ends up crashing a high school party, where Vince gets to live out his "Almost Famous" fantasy. When Ari finally finds them - a drunken Vince celebrating on a rooftop - he breaks the big news: "Aquaman" is back on track to break the weekend box office record.
3. Dominated
After a night on the town celebrating Vince's bona fide movie star status with the success of "Aquaman" and the unveiling of the new Aquaman theme park ride, the crew gets a surprise visit from Dom, a recently paroled childhood friend from Queens. Back in the day, Dom took a rap for Vince, so Vince is glad to help out his friend in any way he can. But Dom's brash ways quickly prove to be too much for Eric, Drama and Turtle. Unfortunately for them, Vince hires "the Dominator" as his new head of security, so it looks as if he will be around for a while. Meanwhile, Ari has his hands full trying to keep his daughter away from an egocentric tween star with bad intentions.
4. Guys and Doll
With Aquaman packing multiplexes across the world, it's time for Vince to capitalize on his success and pick his next project. Ari informs his star client that the dream role of Pablo Escobar in "Medellin" is available, and all that Vince needs to do to land the role is to impress Phil Rubenstein, the film's producer. The entire entourage attends a party at Rubenstein's Santa Barbara mansion, but all of the goodwill that Vince earns is destroyed when a prized model of Shrek disappears from the producer's house during the party. Suspicion immediately turns to Dominick, but the ex-con flatly denies the theft. Turtle, Drama and E don't believe him, but Vince does, and he won't waver in his support for his friend. "Medellin" is about to be totally derailed when Dom finally admits to lifting the doll during the party. The crew cut Dom loose and surreptitiously return the model, only to learn that there's a new complication: "Aquaman 2" has been greenlit and is scheduled to start shooting -- the same day as "Medellin."
5. Crash and Burn
With help from Ari and Eric, Vince puts the heat on the studio to delay "Aquaman 2" so he can film his dream project, "Medellin." They manage to buy a 65-day window, but "Medellin" director Paul Haggis can't see himself chopping his script or trimming the shooting schedule. Eric comes up with a solution, convincing the director to shoot part of the script after Aquaman, and everyone's happy. Vince sets up a meeting with the head of Warner Brothers to tell him the good news.
Meanwhile, Ari is still preoccupied with his daughter's burgeoning romance with Max. He undermines one of his own kid clients, recommending Max to Penny Marshall as the lead for her tween terror film shooting in Kazakhstan. Turtle requests a sit down with Ari when Saigon starts getting heavy play on the radio and the calls from labels come rolling in. When Drama calls "shotgun" on Turtle's lunch with Ari, he finally gets Mr. Gold Standard to agree to represent him.
They're all in for a surprise when Vince meets with the studio head, who has changed his mind on "Medellin" -- he can't have Aquaman "doing three hours of blow on every multiplex in the country." Beside himself, Vince demands $20 million to do the sequel. "What'd I miss?" Ari asks when he arrives late for the dinner.
6. Three's Company
The showdown between Vince and the studio intensifies over Aquaman 2 vs. Medellin, and Ari is popping every vein to bring the two sides together. Adding to his aggravation, his prize client refuses to talk to him until he lands Johnny Drama a role -- a tall order considering Drama's current lack of star power.
Eric gets the offer of a lifetime when Sloan suggests they get together with her gorgeous friend Tori for a threesome. Before any action ensues, Sloan lays down some ground rules for her boyfriend, making it clear she's not willing to share all of him. After the trio spends a night together, Eric wakes up to find himself spooning Tori, which sends Eric into a tailspin -- Tori has really gotten under his skin.
The studio ups the ante for Vince and plays hardball with Ari, threatening to shut off access to their projects for all of his clients if he fails to deliver "the pretty boy." A last minute audition for Drama (procured by Lloyd) finally opens the lines of communication with Vince a little too late, Ari delivers news Vince doesn't want to hear: Medellin is off the table, the role has gone to Benicio Del Toro. After Ari convinces him he has no choice, Vince finally agrees to do Aquaman 2 - for the original offer, on principle - and he never wants to work with the studio again afterwards. But when Vince fails to show for a breakfast with the studio chief the next day, the offer is rescinded. They're dumping him from A2, leaving everybody's future in doubt.
7. Strange Days
E is still sweating the fact that he woke up cuddling with Tori rather than Sloan during their threesome. To try and ease his conscience, he tracks down Tori at her hotel to apologize, but in doing so manages to creep her out even more.
Ari's break from Terrance is nearly complete when he negotiates an $11 million severance package - on a handshake. He quickly goes scouting for colossal office space (for what will be the biggest agency in LA, he tells his wife), and is spotted by former co-worker (and Terrance stooge) Adam Davies.
Eric can't get Tori out of his mind, and he has to see her again at the charity auction Sloan is organizing. While Sloan is busy auctioning off Vince to the highest bidder (a septuagenarian), the prize movie star is busy in the coatroom with a cocktail waitress, and Tori is suggesting another three-way to Eric (no rules this time, she says, if he can convince Sloan). Queasy with nerves, Eric ends up fleeing the party. And as Sloan's father hobnobs, Adam Davies approaches Ari with an offer: he wants a partnership and a million-dollar contract at his Ari's new agency, or tell Terrance all about Ari's big plans. Realizing he's over a barrel, Ari agrees to take him on.
Tori ends up crashing on Sloan's couch for one more night, keeping Eric up until he gets the chance to talk to her one final time. She doesn't deny an attraction, but suggests that Eric not let a girl like Sloan slip away.
8. The Release
In the wake of the record-breaking Aquaman, Queens Boulevard is picked up for wide release. Vince and E's joy at the news is quickly muted when they learn that the film has been re-cut and colorized ("Aquaman-ized," says director Billy Walsh). Worse, Vince has to go tout the film to the Hollywood Foreign Press in a matter of hours, and he's not sure he wants anything to do with what was once his passion project.
Drama lands an audition for Ed Burns, but he loses his laser-sharp focus on the role after a series of distractions fan the flames of his notorious temper. He misses the audition, and after briefly contemplating anger management classes, he takes a call from Burns. He missed the audition too, and he wants to offer the gig to Drama - no audition necessary.
The heads of the major talent agencies are on to Ari's big plans, and they ambush him 'five families' style at a restaurant. When Ari comes clean, Terrance announces that he plans to spend $50 million in legal fees to avoid paying him the $11 million sum they negotiated. All looks lost until Barbara Miller, the woman who led Ari into the ambush, offers to buy into his new agency. After a quick negotiation, the Miller Gold agency is announced - to a table full of eager young agents ready to sign on.
But Ari's agency troubles have kept him from attending to his star client, and when he shows up at Vince's Press event, he's in for a surprise. "The movie I loved you will never see," Vince announces to the gathered cameras. "These execs ripped out its soul."
9. Vegas Baby, Vegas!
In the wake of the "Queens Boulevard" debacle, Vince decides that it's time to get away from L.A. and take a trip to Vegas with the boys. Ari tries to talk his star client out of the excursion, but with very little arm-twisting, ends up joining them instead.
Turtle helps make the trip into a working vacation by getting Vince a gig judging a "beauty contest." The $100K payoff requires a bit more work than expected, but it allows a lot of time with the buxom contestants... who turn out to be strippers. While debating whether his client should be affiliated with a stripper contest, Ari starts chasing his losing streak at the blackjack tables. Eric has his own problems, as he keeps running into Seth Green, who taunts E about his past with Sloan.
Drama has his own agenda for the trip -- a run of massages from his favorite (male) masseuse. Drama's doting patronage leads the former football star to think Drama is coming on to him, and Dramas "advances" that are eventually welcomed by the man with magic hands. All of the stress relief that Drama has earned is instantly undone, and he storms off in a twitchy rage.
Ari's losses continue to mount until Vince intervenes and starts playing his cards. After stacking the chips high, an improbable spread of cards come Vince's way, saving the day. The streak of good luck comes to an abrupt end at the stripper contest, when tensions between Eric and Seth Green come to a head. Fists and drinks fly between the respective entourages just in time for Drama to jump in and prove his manhood. Vince's sullied image is in for another beating.
10. I Wanna Be Sedated
Ari has been preoccupied with setting up his new agency, and with the Vegas brawl and foreign press debacle fresh in his mind, Eric accuses him of blowing off his star client. The pair butt heads in the office, and as a way of sticking it to Eric, Ari dumps windy old-school producer Bob Ryan on him.
It's Turtle's big day - the record deal signing - but Saigon is nowhere to be found. When he goes to the meeting without 'the artist,' he infuriates the record exec, who gives him until the end of the day to deliver the rapper. In the meantime, Vince decides to spend his 'unemployed' time at a bookstore, where he meets a cute girl and spends the day with her, taking her shopping and joining her in the dressing room.
Eric finds himslef sequestered in Bob Ryan's mansion, listening to endless old Hollywood stories. When he pushes to hear about the projects the old guy has in mind in for Vince, he gets nowhere.
Turtle and Drama turn L.A. upside down trying to find Saigon. After a bit of detective work, they finally locate him - partying in a swank hotel suite... with his other manager. He neglected to tell Turtle that he was already obligated to the guy, and they just signed a deal with a hip hop label, one that's not 'the whitest in town.' Drama tries to intervene on Turtle's behalf, but ends up dangled from the hotel balcony, Vanilla Ice-style. Saigon steps in to get his manager to buy Turtle out for a quick $40k, and Johnny is spared.
Vince is already smitten with the bookstore girl, and invites her to spend the next day with him. She turns him down, explaining she’s engaged. "It's not what you think," she explains. "You were on my list." She and her fiance agreed they could sleep with certain celebrities if the chance ever presented itself.
Over in Old Hollywood, Bob finally admits to Eric he doesn't have a project for him, but he was hoping they could brainstorm something. (He locked Dennis Hopper in his bathroom with a bag of mushrooms in '68 and 'Easy Rider' was born.) Eric is ready to flee, but as he waits for Bob to find his driver, he spots a photo of him with Joey Ramone. Bob just happens to own a script about the Queens punk pioneers, Vince's favorite band, and Eric has stumbled upon his next big project.
11. What About Bob?
Eric, Ari and Bob Ryan take the Ramones project to the studios, but Ari and Bob soon find themselves at odds over how to pitch the biopic. After a spectacular failure of a meeting, E gets Bob to agree to let Ari take the lead on the next one. That's not good enough for Ari, who sends Bob to the wrong studio to get him out of the way.
It's the first day of shooting on Drama's new pilot, and the elder Chase brother finds himself in the throes of a panic attack. Director Ed Burns keeps expanding his role with elaborate blocking and more monologue, sending Drama over the edge. When his meditation mantras ("you are not a pussy") fail him, Drama disappears into the back of his trailer to take matters into his own hands - forgetting that he's still mic'd up. Though the entire crew learns of Drama's relaxation technique, he nails the scene.
With Saigon cash burning a hole in his pocket, Turtle sets out to score some Fukijamas, a pair of red-hot limited edition sneakers. Vince accompanies him on his quest but refuses to play his celebrity card and cut the line, so they come up empty-handed. After DJ AM barters for the last pair in Turtle's size, Vince cooks up a solution - he offers the graffiti artist $20K to design a custom pair exclusively for Turtle.
Without Bob weighing him down, Ari quickly drums up interest in the Ramones pic at Universal. Just one hitch: after realizing he'd been led astray, Bob paid a visit to his friend Alan at Warner Bros, the very studio that blacklisted Vince, and sold him the script.
12. Sorry, Ari
Screwing him out of the Ramones project was the final straw, and Vince is ready to fire Ari. When Ari hears that Vince is placing the call himself, he refuses to take it - instead setting out on a mad scramble to get Vince back on the punk rock pic.
In the meantime, the boys decide to "flirt" with a few new agencies, and Drama suggests they rate each one based on his point system (décor, service, amenities and ambiance). But it all seems moot when every pitch they hear is straight out of Madison Avenue.
Lloyd uses his connections in the "gay assistants corps" to learn Vince is taking meetings, information that sends Ari into overdrive. He gets a glimmer of hope when Dana Gordon, the Warner chief's beleaguered sidekick, tells him off-the-record that the studio hasn't officially bought the Ramones script from Bob Ryan yet. Not only that, her boss was planning to shelve the film - he was only interested in it to spite Vince for ditching Aquaman 2. Dana wants out of her job and on the film as a producer, and Ari promises to help her get on the project while protecting her as his informant. He drives straight to Bob's house to play his new cards, and is forced to reveal his source.
But after mulling it over, Bob decides to "trust his instincts," and officially sells the project to Warners. He also stooges out Dana Gordon, getting her fired. Ari is screwed.
After dodging him all day, Ari invites Vince into the office - and mobilizes his forces. But instead of apologizing for screwing up the Ramones pic, Ari and his agency give Vince the same generic presentation as every other shop in town. Vince realizes that it's time for a break, and Eric delivers the news - officially firing Mr. Gold in the hallway of his own agency.
13. Less Than 30
It's Vince's birthday, and Amanda, his new agent, has two gifts: courtside tickets to a Lakers game and an offer to star in an adaptation of an Edith Wharton novel. The basketball game ends up being somewhat awkward since Vince sees Ari across the court, but responding to Amanda's enthusiasm for the Wharton script, Vince expresses interest in taking the project.
Seeing Vince at the game reopens Ari's wound from losing his star client and he begins a campaign to woo back Vince. He sets up a "friendly" birthday meal with Vince (who, at Drama's urging, opts for lunch over dinner, and brings E as a buffer) and presents his gift: the news that 'Medellin,' Vince's dream project, is once again available. Amanda denies that 'Medellin' is still in play, but the seed of doubt has been planted in Vince's mind.
Meanwhile, Turtle and Drama have been tasked with planning a birthday party for Vince, but are having trouble fitting their big plans into their limited budget. Turtle wants to hold the party on a boat, but the only vessel with a big enough capacity for the guest list is the Queen Mary. In a flash of inspiration, Turtle solves the budget crisis: sponsorship.
The party is huge, with scores of Hollywood players in attendance-including both Ari and Amanda, who face off in front of Vince. Eventually Ari retreats, but not before his mission is accomplished; Vince decides to back burner the Wharton project, just in case 'Medellin' really is available.
14. Dog Day Afternoon
Amanda is pushing Vince for an answer on the Sam Mendes project, but Vince seems more concerned about his upcoming couples trip to Wine Country with Eric and Sloan. Unfortunately, E and Sloan didn't know that Vince was planning on coming along on the excursion, so the pair concoct a plan to go away without Vince.
In anticipation of having the house to themselves, Drama and Turtle bring Ahnold to a dog park to try and pick up some girls of their own. The plan works well at first, as the pair find two women that have a Rott and soon all six are hooking up poolside. Unfortunately, Ahnold's "date" doesn't go that well, as he ends up sending the female Rott to the vet in a fight over a piece of meat. The dog ends up okay, and the party goes back to the girls' apartment. But Drama and Turtle end up leaving unsatisfied when Turtle loses it on his date after she suggests that Ahnold should be neutered.
Ari has the opportunity to sign Jay Lester, an A-list writer known as "The Syndication Machine." To help move the deal along, Ari subtly offers up Lloyd to Lester, a notoriously promiscuous queen. Lloyd is soon dispatched to a club to "personally" deliver the agency papers. Much to his own surprise, Ari has a rare moment of conscience, and drives into the heart of Boys Town to rescue Lloyd -- at the cost of inking the writer.
Eric's and Sloan's plan to get away alone appears doomed, as Vince seems to have an answer for every excuse that they provide. Eventually, E mans up and tells Vince the truth, so Vince packs up Turtle and Drama and takes off for Cabo for some Spring Break fun.
15. Manic Monday
Amanda needs an answer on the period film, but Vince won't commit to any other project until the cameras are actually rolling on 'Medellin.' Amanda persists, so Vince has the crew read the script to get everybody's opinion. Unfortunately, the script is so dry that nobody can get through it, leading Vince to realize that the project isn't right for him after all.
Back at Miller Gold, Barbara demands that Ari fire an inept agent, but Ari can't bring himself to lower the ax - usually one of his favorite tasks. Ari's couples- therapist postulates that he's feeling emasculated by losing Vince as a client. Ari dismisses the theory and storms back to the agency to cut the dead weight off the Miller Gold payroll - but wimps out again. In a full-blown identity crisis, Ari tracks down his therapist on the golf course, and she helps him reconnect with his inner anger, allowing him to return to work, fire the agent and reclaim his Ari Gold swagger.
Amanda makes one last attempt to attach Vince to the period film, demanding that he and E join her for a dinner meeting. Infuriated to hear that Vince is officially passing, she asks if Ari is responsible for the change of heart. Vince denies it, and Amanda insists that going forward, they be completely honest with each other. The new honesty policy is immediately invoked when Amanda and Vince admit their mutual attraction and get together for a hookup.
16. Gotcha!
Vince and Amanda are still glowing in their post-hookup bliss, but they resolve to continue on with their professional relationship as if nothing had happened. The pair aren't very good at hiding their attraction, and E quickly realizes what is going on. Concerned about what the situation will do to Vince, E lets Amanda know how he feels about the affair.
Pauly Shore has a new hidden camera show, "Gotcha," and word gets to Drama that he's going to be surprised by a filmed prank. So when Drama has a run-in with UFC Champion Chuck Liddell later that day, he assumes it's part of the show and plays it up for the imagined cameras by getting tough with the MMA superstar. Liddell is about to drop Drama, when fate intervenes and Drama is spared. Unfortunately, the real "Gotcha" involves a troop of money-grubbing girl scouts and Drama realizes that he's now on Chuck Liddell's hit list for real.
Ari's college buddy Scott comes to visit, and Mrs. Ari is not happy about it. She has always found him to be boorish, but when he arrives at the house, he's far more civil than before and he even has a beautiful fiancee in tow. Scott is also wildly rich due to a dotcom deal that earned him $65M, and Ari finds himself jealous of his friend. To try and bring back the old Scott, Ari begins acting like a frat boy towards Scott's fiancee, offending her and cutting the reunion short.
To try and smooth things over with Liddell, the crew go to a fundraiser that he's putting on for underprivileged kids. But the Iceman isn't fooled and challenges Drama to step into the octagon to settle things. Liddell demands that Drama fall to his knees and beg for mercy, an option that Drama quickly opts for. Just as the beating is about to begin, the Iceman quietly whispers "Gotcha."
17. The Return of the King
It's Yom Kippur, and while Ari attempts to gain forgiveness for his sins, he runs into 'Medellin' co-producer Nick Rubenstein at his temple. Nick drops the bomb that the biopic is back in play and that they'd like Vince to step in. The only issue? The studio needs an answer from Vince before sundown - and coordinating a deal on the high holy day won't be easy. Ari contacts Amanda, and she agrees in principle to the deal, but Nick's offering half Vince's usual quote. Amanda hesitates to work with Ari on coming to terms, and the crew begins to suspect that she's trying to sabotage the deal for some unknown personal reason.
To take their minds off work, Vince and his crew lay down their troubles - and their wallets - at the track. Drama's "lock" of a horse finishes as an also-ran, and Vince's brother cringes at the thought of "King" being done away with due to his lack of speed. To save King, Drama purchases the horse, giving him a new home on Vince's front lawn. Unfortunately, Drama soon realizes that boarding a horse is wildly expensive, losing thousands of dollars to food and the required permits. After King takes a brief trip outside Vince's gates, Drama gets a few hefty fines and realizes he has to give up his horse. But, instead of sending him to the glue factory, Drama passes King off to Ed Burns as a "gift" for Ed's kids.
As the deadline for 'Medellin' approaches, Eric makes the call to track down Ari and finish the deal, bypassing Amanda entirely. Eric and Vince think they've locked things up, but after all the delays, the project is officially off the table for Vince. Believing Amanda mishandled the situation and cost him his dream project Vince confronts her over dinner. She explains that Nick Rubenstein was the one who actually killed the project by constantly hounding the EP on the holiest of days. Vince is embarrassed by the truth, but he's even more shocked when Amanda walks away, dropping him both as a client and as a boyfriend.
18. The Resurrection
'Five Towns' is about to debut, and Drama is doing everything he can to avoid seeing any reviews for his new series. He swears to spend the entire day relaxing, but instead he finds himself agonizing over the pending premiere. To release the tension, he hits an Asian "massage parlor" but ends up seeing a copy of Variety as his masseuse gets down to business. He gives in and reads the review of his performance, freaking out when he sees he's been panned.
Vince and Eric tell Ari they'll return to Miller Gold on one condition - that he delivers 'Medellin.' So, Ari sets up a meeting with super-producer Joe Roberts to try to sell him on the project. Roberts agrees to make Medellin happen, but he has a condition of his own: Vince must agree to FINALLY appear in 'Matterhorn.' Vince refuses to do "Matterhorn", and he and E hatch a new plan - to buy 'Medellin' and make the film themselves. Rather than enter a bidding war, Roberts backs out of 'Medellin,' allowing Vince and E to acquire the script for $5 million.
As a consolation gift for Drama, the crew fixes up his car. While picking up the ride, Turtle falls for Kelly, the daughter of the repair shop's owner and the female version of himself. Against all odds (and with only vague approval from her father), Turtle gets her phone number. However, the car repair backfires, sending Drama further down the spiral of depression because he sees it as ANOTHER thing he has to rely on his brother to do for him. Drama hops in the car and drives off into the night, ending up at the Grand Canyon. The next morning, he finally decides to answer Vince's calls and is shocked to hear that 'Five Towns' drew 16 million viewers to become a certified hit. Johnny Drama has finally become a star.
19. The Prince's Bride
With Vince's mansion hawked to pay for the 'Medellin' script, Ari rushes him and E to meet a shady prince interested in financing the flick. The deal looks promising, but complications arise when Vince picks up a sexual vibe from Prince Yair's wife, Nika. Drama, riding the wave of his TV success, receives a summons to Brett Ratner's mansion, only to realize the director's assistant plucked the wrong name from the 'Five Towns' credits - he wanted Drama's teenage co-star. Johnny refuses to leave the house without a role, so Ratner dangles a bit part as a bus driver to lure him out of the pool.
Turtle lands a date with his dream girl, Kelly, but his plans slowly crumble beneath her family's intrusions and officially die when her dad, Rufus, chases him off. Vince has better luck with Yair, who literally serves a check on a silver platter - with one caveat: Vince must go upstairs have sex with Nika. With the offer on the table, the prospective financier joins Ari and E for billiards, leaving Vince to consider the dilemma looming above him.
20. Adios, Amigos
With only a few boxes separating Vince from his new home at the Mondrian Hotel, his buddies hound him for declining Prince Yair's indecent proposal to fund "Medellin" - maybe because the rest of the crew's new digs don't look so luxurious. E moves in with Sloan despite his friends' warnings against "planting a flag," while Turtle and Drama kick off their apartment hunt with a studio slum. A call from Shauna forbidding Drama to taint his brother's image by living like a "transient crack whore" sends the pair to a $1.4 million condo that, through the sly art of negotiation, Drama buys for $1.5 million.
As Johnny sets himself up for a fiscal disaster, Vince and E solve one when Nick Rubenstein decides to finance the flick with his freshly released trust fund. Too bad he's offering less than half of what the studios estimated the budget would be. In a stroke of genius, E taps Walsh - who's been trying to "bring the class back" to porno - to direct 'Medellin' on a shoestring budget. As the crew pours champagne to celebrate E's first production, Walsh calls to drop the inevitable bomb: He plans to shoot the entire film in Spanish. Raising his glass, Vince shrugs it off, positing, "It could work."
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contributed by gabsimom
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