After a lackluster season three, in which every story line felt wearily familiar as the gang ambled ever more aimlessly around L.A., the show seemed in serious need of a reboot. Let’s face it: Vinnie Chase rich and famous is a lot less interesting than Vinnie Chase striving to be rich and famous. Season four, then, starts with some promise. The premiere is filmed like a faux-documentary in Colombia on the set of Medellin, Vince’s Scarface-esque passion project, where director Billy Walsh (Rhys Coiro) is having a Coppola-worthy meltdown. Suddenly, instead of an expiring comedy about hot rods and G-strings, the show’s reborn as an inspiring comedy about creative insanity. But as shake-ups go, this one’s barely a tremor; by episode two, everyone’s safely back in Hollywood, and Drama’s once again fretting about things like people urinating on his limestone floors during Vince’s welcome-home bash. Better they should have lingered a little longer in the jungle.

HBO
Season Four. Premieres Sunday, June 17, 10 p.m.

Related:

• Archive: “Television”
• Articles by Adam Sternbergh
• Table of Contents: Jun 18, 2007 issue of New York | Subscribe!