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HBO ends 'Entourage' in 2011, 'Curb' continues and 'Boardwalk' hopes are high

By April MacIntyre Aug 9, 2010, 6:02 GMT

04/05/2010 - Steve Buscemi and wife Jo Andres - New York City, NY, USA © Charles Norfleet / PR Photos

The last day (Saturday, August 7) of the Television Critics Association had HBO wrap up the show in a three hour-panel extravaganza that featured Scorsese, Buscemi, Fisher, Morgan, and Sheila Nevins introducing her pal Spike Lee.

The network knows they have to up the ante, FX has "Sons of Anarchy" coming back September 7, AMC continues to stomp with "Mad Men" (HBO passed on that one) and now the long-running "Entourage" will end next summer.

HBO executives Michael Lombardi, HBO programming president, and co-president Richard Plepler were on panel after the "Boardwalk" session, and Lombardi said the final "Entourage" season ends in 2011, and may only be six episodes.

"The plan right now is we'll finish up this season, we'll do a shorter order for next season, we've talked about six," said Lombardo, "[Creator Doug Ellin] wants to write a film, but wants to do it when the story will make sense. He's pitched other shows to us. I will expect that within the next couple years [he'll have another show on HBO]. But 'Entourage' next summer will definitely be the final season."

However, fans of Larry David's "Curb Your Enthusiasm," according to the HBO execs, can breathe a bit easier, as the show "has no end in sight provided Larry David wants to continue the show, which should return next year."

High hopes were expressed for the Scorsese series, "Boardwalk Empire," Scorsese spoke about working with "The Sopranos" writer Terence Winter, and directed the pilot episode of "Boardwalk Empire," and he told the TCA via satellite from London that he would "very much like to" direct more if his schedule allows.

"Boardwalk Empire" is based on a nonfiction book by Nelson Johnson, The year is 1920, as the life of Enoch "Nucky" Johnson (Steve Buscemi) plays out on New Jersey's Atlantic City as World War One ended, the Suffragette movement and the Temperance movement converged and all liquor was prohibited throughout the United States under federal law.