Vinnie Chase is back, baby

Season 3 was the year that launched "Entourage" from a popular cable show to full-out pop culture phenomenon. By the time you read this, the second part of Season 3 will have already started (still not sure why HBO decided to split the season), but just in case you're still not caught up, go and rent these 12 episodes.\nThis set picks up as movie star Vincent Chase's first big blockbuster, "Aquaman," is released. The film is a huge hit and breaks "Spider-Man's" opening weekend record (which itself was, in real life, broken by the second "Pirates of the Caribean" a month after this episode originally aired) and Vince and company deal with the film's crazy success while trying to find a new project.\nMany of the episodes can be very frustrating as Vince struggles with the studios while trying to get out of filming "Aquaman 2" to act in his dream-project, "Medellin." With all the arguing back and forth between studios, Vince doesn't really work at all during the season. Another childhood friend/former criminal Dom shows up and shakes up the gang's established flow, and he's pretty annoying. But despite these few irritations, the show's dialogue is sharp as always, entertainment topics are relevant as hell, and all the lovable characters are back.\nAri (Jeremy Piven) is usually everyone's favorite character, but this year was hands-down all about Drama (Kevin Dillon). Even though I'd seen the episode where the boys head down to an air conditioner-less theater in the Valley to catch an "Aquaman" screen multiple times, I still nearly shit myself when Drama, towel draped over head, so calmly tells an audience member "sit down" right as they're about to exit for a bathroom break. The "Almost Famous" reference as they head to a high school party afterward to celebrate is great. \nThe show has always known exactly how to use guest stars, and this season is no different. James Cameron returns as the director of "Aquaman," while a pompous James Woods plays the film's villain. Penny Marshall, Ed Burns and many others stop by, and I don't really think I need to even come up with a way to describe Martin Landau as Bob "is that something you might be interested in" Ryan.\nAs the season goes on, "Queens Boulevard" gets a wide release (God, how I wish this movie was real) and Ari and Barbara Miller (Beverly D'Angelo) form their own agency, Miller-Gold ("Christ, we sound like a beer," Ari quips about the company's name), only to lose Vince as a client at the end of the season.\nSpecial features are as thin as the model extras sitting poolside. There's a few commentaries from series-creator Doug Elin and a "Vegas Baby Vegas" featurette following the boys' antics in Sin City, which was decent. I've always thought the show is better focusing on work than play.