The Deuce: rated XXX

BY: Zak Wojnar

In the 1970s, 42nd Street in Manhattan was known as The Deuce, an affectionate nickname for the uncouth corner of the city which had become home to the rise of organized crime and the newly-legal pornography industry. A fictional story set against the all-too-real backdrop of New York City at its most dangerous, HBO‘s new show, The Deuce, explores the glitz, glamour, and seedy underbelly of Times Square in the 70s.

James Franco stars in a dual role, playing twin brothers, Vincent and Frankie Martino, whose entrepreneurial spirit leads to them getting in bed, so to speak, with the mafia, all while their porno empire quickly grows larger than life. Maggie Gyllenhaal plays Candy, a Times Square hooker who becomes an in-demand porn star, while former child star Ralph Macchio recurs as a cynical Vice cop trying to build a case against the mob/porn connection, with little help from his corrupt precinct.

The Deuce is the brainchild of David Simon, a showrunner known for his uncompromising devotion to truth over appearance; it certainly helps that he got his start as a crime reporter for The Baltimore Sun, before turning his talents to television with the likes of Homicide: Life on the Street and The Wire. His works always aim to be as unflinchingly realistic as possible, and The Deuce looks to undercut the glitz and glamour generally associated with the 1970s porn lifestyle with the HIV epidemic, drug abuse, and mob violence which plagued the industry.

The Deuce‘s first season will run for eight episodes on HBO starting on September 10.