On HBO's critically acclaimed "Entourage," Jeremy Piven plays Ari Gold so convincingly that real Hollywood agents feel their skin crawl, experiencing the odd sensation the show is dramatizing their biographies. The sultans of Sunset Boulevard insist "Entourage" gives the most frighteningly real representation of high-powered talent agents since Tom Cruise revealed all the nooks and crannies in Jerry McGuire's character. "Entourage" producer Doug Ellin recently explained, "We always try to write the show starting with 'What's real?' not 'What's funny?,' " but the two questions may be opposite sides of the same coin, because uninitiated audiences find it belly-laugh-out-loud hilarious. "When you're on the inside like we are, good water-cooler television is hard to find," said Jay Sures, a partner at the United Talent Agency. "Entourage" compels the real Hollywood "ten-percenters" to engage in spirited discussions of the show's characters and situations, treating the fictions as if they were real colleagues and clients, because the work-a-day professionals willingly have suspended disbelief and taken Ari Gold into the fold. For the average cable subscriber, then, "Entourage" is the entre to life as a Hollywood insider.

DreamWorks TV and producer Steven Spielberg are hoping their latest entry into prime time television lives up to its name. Smash is about the making of a Broadway musical play which involves the life of Marilyn Monroe. But personal conflicts among the cast members prove to be difficult to work with as they deal with the everyday demands of theater life and this musical in particular. Debra Messing stars as Julia Houston who is the co-writer as well as lyrist and song writer on Smash. Messing, formerly seen on Will & Grace, is an award winner with a musical background. Angelica Huston (Prizzi's Honor, The Adams Family) plays Eileen Rand the musical's producer who has to juggle handling a messy divorce along with the difficulty that goes with producing a Broadway musical. Frank Huston, Julia's husband is played by Brian d'Arcy James (Broadway's Dirty Rotten Scoundrels) is jealous of Tom Levett (Christian Borle from Broadway's Jesus Christ Superstar), Julia's partner and co-writer of Smash. The actress who finally gets the role of Marilyn is Ivy Lynn played by Megan Hilty from the Broadway production of 9 to 5: The Musical. Plenty of behind the scenes back biting helps keep this production on a bumpy road.

The new half hour sit-com called Happy Endings is an American TV series that has not only a great cast but extremely talented writers, producers, and directors and that almost always guarantees a successful run. Making it work with a single camera approach, stars Zachary Knighton (Dave) and Elisha Cuthbert (Alex) were ready to be married when she left him literally "at the altar" . We begin visiting their lives and the friends, whose lives revolve around them, enjoying the pratfalls and miss-communications as they occur. Zachary Knighton, formerly from "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" and Elisha Cuthbert of "The Forgotten" and "24" head up a cast that includes Eliza Coupe portraying Jane, Adam Pally is Max, Casey Wilson is Penny, and Damon Wayans, Jr. trying to be serious as Brad. The group have been long time friends but when the very couple that brought them all together suddenly split up their loyalty becomes conflicted. As each struggles to deal with their own individual personal issues they try to remain friends in spite of the personal earthquake the break up has created. Humor is what holds them all together in the long run.

Hart of Dixie is considered a comedy drama but it offers much more with the lovely young Rachel Bilson who got to be known (and loved) on the television series The OC back in 2003 as the perky teenage Summer Roberts. She moved on to play in the popular Chuck and How I Met Your Mother for television plus big screen roles in Jumper and The Last Kiss. Hart of Dixie portrays life in the small sleepy southern town that Zoe Hart winds up in after completing all her requirements to become a doctor. She plans on becoming a cardio thoracic surgeon just like her father but wanted that career to be in the big city of New York. She is offered an opportunity to move down to the Gulf Coast town of Bluebell, Alabama and help out with a Dr. Harley Wilkes practice but upon arrival finds her mentor has passed away but, in his will, leaves her one half of his practice. Dr. Brick Breeland is the only other doc in the small community and appears to be jealous of the young MD moving in and being given such a great opportunity. Zoe must find who is for her and who is not and also find how resilient she actually is.

Councilwoman Melissa Burke known as "Mel" used to be quite the party girl and rebelled against society before growing up and getting serious about her community. Now a dedicated councilwoman, Melissa (played by Melissa Joan Hart from Sabrina the Teenage Witch & My Fake Fiancee) finds she must provide a home for her nephew and niece (her sister's children). Seems that their mom is in jail for money laundering while their dad is on the run after being accused of running a Ponzi scheme. Melissa soon discovers she needs help with her new instant family and hires a babysitter to help out. Joey Lawrence (My Fake Fiancee & Gimme a Break!) plays Joe Longo, a commodities trader, is currently out of work due to the same Ponzi scheme and hires on as the new nanny or "manny". Taking on two youngsters, Ryder and Lennox, is no easy task as both Joe and Mel soon find out. This heart warming family sit-com is full of hope and day to day situations that mirror real life.

When the son finds he must "man up" after his father is incarcerated for some rather shady accounting practices, life becomes a roller coaster ride for the entire family. Michael Bluth (Jason Bateman) is a widower who has a thirteen year old son and finds the entire family needs his support (and common sense) to survive. Mom (Lucille) lives in a penthouse by herself but cannot afford her chosen lifestyle. Michael has two brothers, Buster and GOB, in addition to a sister Lindsay and her husband Tobias plus a daughter called Maeby. They each must learn to cope with their sudden alternate financial dilemma. Seems the family financial assets have been "frozen" due to dad's shifty money handling. Each member of this rather dysfunctional family needs to learn how to cope with limited finances after living a rather pampered existence before dad went off to prison. The show is narrated by a familiar voice (Ron Howard) who is also an executive producer. This "riches to rags" story shows how selfishness and materialism can create some rather unpleasant personality conflicts but a sense of humor will prevail. And there is plenty of humor on this show.