No sugarcoating the porn industry in The Deuce
Sex sells, and in 1970s New York, the business of sex for sale was as sleazy as it got. Prostitutes crowded the streets, pimps hustled, porn shops sold illegal ‘paper bag’ movies, and everyone tried to stay one step ahead of the law (and starvation).
This might seem incredible today, where pornography is so common it’s practically free. And it’s all the more reason to watch The Deuce, one of the strongest dramas HBO has released in years.
It’s also the best thing David Simon has created since his massive hit The Wire. Much like that series, The Deuce doesn’t shy away from controversy or sugarcoat its subject matter. There are few series with such real characters, real situations and real outcomes as you’ll see here.
A few years ago Simon also created Treme, which was lauded for its great characters and incredible dialogue with all the punch of a Tarantino script. But where Treme lacked any real tension, The Deuce plays on a knife’s edge.
Sex in the city
James Franco plays two roles: as a hard-up bar manager and his gambling-indebted brother. Maggie Gyllenhaal shines as an independent prostitute. Gary Carr features as the charismatic/sociopathic pimp CC. Emily Meade shines as new-but-street-smart girl Lori. They are joined by a variety of characters, allowing the show to explore every angle.
The Deuce was the unofficial name for the area around New York’s Times Square, then the centre of sleaze. It’s recreated in all its 1970s glory, from dirty streets to bad haircuts.
Likewise, it doesn’t shy away from nudity and sex. There’s a lot of both in this show. But it’s not gratuitous – it’s realistic. Expect to be shocked because this is a shocking time and place.
Image credit: HBO
If you ever wondered how porn became an industry, this show takes us back to those roots. It’s a time of desperate people in a desperate place, where morals are put aside for the sake of survival. Combined with the genius of David Simon and the panache of HBO, the Deuce is a slow-burning drama like no other.