(*) It’s either a mark of how disposable this show is, or else of how long HBO kept it off the air in between seasons, that I couldn’t remember a single character name when watching the premiere.

I still don’t know that it’s quite the ideal version of this kind of bros-will-be-bros(**) travelogue format (it could probably stand to be funnier in scenes not involving Luis Guzman), but it’s not an unpleasant way to spend a half hour late on a Sunday night. “How to Make It in America” is essentially the downscale New York version of “Entourage” – many of the same producers, a similar air of “everything’s gonna work out just fine,” and once Jerry Ferrara lost all that weight, Skinny Turtle became indistinguishable from Cam – but its lack of pretension, and the fact that Ben and Cam(*) were dealing with problems with genuine stakes (rather than Vince struggling to get CBS to order a TV-movie vanity project for Johnny Drama) made it a more pleasant viewing experience than “Entourage” had been for a long time. But I think “Entourage” rarely (especially in the later years) even made the effort to be a good example of that kind of show, and its sense of self-importance grew in inverse proportion to its quality as the show went along. Not every HBO show has to be “The Wire” (or even “Dream On”), and I enjoy a good turn-off-your-brain show as much as the next guy.

When I panned the “Entourage” finale, some fans of that show argued that I just didn’t get it, that “Entourage” was always just a fun half hour about hanging out with these likable dudes, getting glimpses of LA and showbiz culture, seeing beautiful women, etc. “How to Make It in America” is back for a second season, and I have a quick review of the premiere, and thoughts on the series as a whole, coming up just as soon as I get into a proper men’s haberdashery…

Master of Darkness by K.T. Kaye