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The Deuce: Season 1

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 35 Critics

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 161 Ratings

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7.8

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7.8	Your Score
7.8	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 161 Ratings

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The Deuce

Season Details & Credits

HBO | Season Premiere Date: September 10, 2017

Summary: The drama created by George Pelecanos and David Simon see the rise of the porn industry in New York City during the 1970s-80s through the eyes of twin nightclub owners Vincent and Frankie Martino (both played by James Franco), college student Abigail “Abby” Parker (Margarita Levieva), Times Square prostitute Eileen Merrell (MaggieThe drama created by George Pelecanos and David Simon see the rise of the porn industry in New York City during the 1970s-80s through the eyes of twin nightclub owners Vincent and Frankie Martino (both played by James Franco), college student Abigail “Abby” Parker (Margarita Levieva), Times Square prostitute Eileen Merrell (Maggie Gyllenhaal), a pimp named Larry Brown (Gbenga Akinna), Vincent and Frankie Martino’s brother-in-law Chris Bauer (Bobby Dwyer) and a bartender named Paul Hendrickson (Chris Coy).… Expand

Creator: David Simon and George Pelecanos

Genre(s): Drama

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Show Guide

85
Series Overview
85
Season 1 Overview
Air Date: September 10, 2017
tbd
S1:E8. My Name Is Ruby
Air Date: October 29, 2017
tbd
S1:E7. Au Reservoir
Air Date: October 22, 2017
tbd
S1:E6. Why Me?
Air Date: October 15, 2017
tbd
S1:E5. What Kind of Bad?
Air Date: October 8, 2017
tbd
S1:E4. I See Money
Air Date: October 1, 2017
tbd
S1:E3. The Principle Is All
Air Date: September 24, 2017
tbd
S1:E2. Show and Prove
Air Date: September 17, 2017
tbd
S1:E1. Pilot
Air Date: September 10, 2017

Metascore

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

Critic Reviews

100

Uncle Barky Ed Bark

Sep 7, 2017

Each hour’s blazing horns, during the closing credits, are a weekly must-hear. The dialogue is sharp and suitably dicey ... There’s nothing pretty here. But in the eyes of this beholder, you’ll otherwise know great drama when you see it. Read full review

100

Jeff Jensen

Sep 6, 2017

The Deuce is an absorbing, resonant chronicle about the evolution of dehumanizing skin trades and the mainstreaming of adult entertainment. Read full review

Matt Roush

Sep 14, 2017

Vividly teeming with tragicomic life and reeking of desperation, danger and moral decay, the series takes a while to build an actual story--a common trait nowadays in high-minded long-form TV Narratives--but by the end of the first eight hours, an decriminalized porn becomes big business, you'll surely want to know what happens next. [18 Sep - 1 Oct 2017, p.27]

Brian Lowry

Sep 7, 2017

In The Deuce, producer David Simon tries to do for the sex trade and 1970s evolution of pornography what "The Wire" did for drugs. After a slow start, this engrossing, characteristically nuanced HBO drama mostly serves up aces. Read full review

Hank Stuever

Sep 6, 2017

A serious and provocative new drama from co-creators David Simon and George Pelecanos. Read full review

Allison Keene

Aug 31, 2017

What really makes The Deuce so good, though, are its conversations, the cadence and truth of its dialogue, and its both bold and vulnerable performances. It captures its setting in an extraordinary way, from the cigarettes and diners and honking horns on the street to the early morning papers rustling through the gutters. Also important for a period piece: nothing feels forced, or educational, or winking. Read full review

RogerEbert.com Nick Allen

Nov 29, 2017

The Deuce can’t hold all of its many pieces together, despite the pockets of strong writing and performances, making viewers bounce around a visceral world with just not enough emotional gravity. Read full review

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User Score

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7.8

User Reviews

eva3si0n

Nov 15, 2018

It is one of the best series about the 70th years in the USA. An era, excellent acting and a simple realistic plot is perfectly transferred. Watching The Deuce you understand that before you a real story which is perfectly transferred. Despite almost full absence the action of scenes, eachIt is one of the best series about the 70th years in the USA. An era, excellent acting and a simple realistic plot is perfectly transferred. Watching The Deuce you understand that before you a real story which is perfectly transferred. Despite almost full absence the action of scenes, each series literally forces you without coming off to look further and further. And though in 1 season origin of a porn of the industry only arises, it brightly lets know that the 2nd season will be more considerable more interestingly. David Simon shows again that the real history which is finished shooting with the maximum nearness to realism is much more interesting than the majority modern "extremely topical and fascinating" series.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

TellTheTruth

Nov 4, 2017

The actors in this series are terrific when handling their storyline. I almost can feel the pain, fear of the women and men during the late 70s and 80s. This show brings back so many personal memories which explode with true reality. The writing is right on for the period since everythingThe actors in this series are terrific when handling their storyline. I almost can feel the pain, fear of the women and men during the late 70s and 80s. This show brings back so many personal memories which explode with true reality. The writing is right on for the period since everything goes in the early 80s. I think its time to strap in because this show is going to take off in the coming season with a huge explosion. Thanks to all the great writers, directors, actors, HBO, asst. for bringing this to us. I am just sad that 8 episodes were allowed for the first season.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

LamontRaymond

Sep 10, 2017

Really good first episode - it's great seeing ALL the actors from The Wire on board, and the writing is especially good. Maggie G is excellent in her part.

5 of 6 users found this helpful51

AkumaJack

Mar 20, 2018

The Deuce succeds in portraying the life of sex workers in a credible and entertaining way. the cast is quite good.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

mrjohnstrong

Sep 11, 2017

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Two pimps sit at the Port Authority and pontificate about politics and prostitutes. No, this isn’t the opening line of a bad joke; it’s actually the opening sequence of HBO’s new series The Deuce. We are escorted into this world (pun intended) via the prolific ramblings of a savvy pimp who relates the state of affairs (Nixon era) to the pimping game. Nixon is a pimp, and the nuclear shenanigans of the times…merely Nixon keeping his pimp hand strong. While others may have found this exchange to be profound, dare I say an example of writing at its absolute finest I found it to be absurd and unrealistic. Am I saying that no pimp in the history of pimping could have been up on current affairs – a poised political analyst ready to work the desk at NBC if the whole pandering of female flesh didn’t pan out? Absolutely not, but I am saying that introducing me into this menacing, underbelly of society in such fashion makes me question the authenticity of what I’m about to partake. Am I getting a factually relevant, accurate portrayal of the times? Or an artistic re imagining through the lens of someone who can’t relate to the material they’re presenting? This isn’t a rhetorical question I really asked myself this. And I got my answer later on in the episode when a prostitute compared leasing her body for monetary compensation, to a car salesman selling cars. The common thread you ask? They both are simply doing their jobs. So, a John who ejaculates prematurely is not entitled to another "go" simply because she (the prostitute) didn’t have to work hard. The John paid for a service and he got it. Just as a salesman who sells a car effortlessly, displays the same professionalism as if he had to haggle…pull out every shady sales tactic known to man. How you arrive at your goal is of no consequence, the point is you got there. This took me out of the episode. No, this moment was not real. It was not genuine. It was a plot point, a beat, and a writer showing off. A writer saying, “Hey, the training wheels are off…I’m a big boy. Look what I can do.” But yet again I digress, maybe there is a woman of the night out there somewhere, in a piss-infested (rent by the hour) room delivering eloquent soliloquies in the mirror. All while a preemie sits sheepishly on the bed with both a deflated penis and ego. Maybe there are prostitutes who are lovers of the arts. Who regularly get paid to watch classic films, converse, and dine with their tricks rather than perform sexual acts. This too could happen. Heck, Richard Gere plucked Julia Roberts right off the streets and gave her free range of his finances…anything can happen (side eye). Real. Game of Thrones made me believe in dragons and turn a blind eye to incest. I actually believe The Rock played in the NFL, gets black out drunk and does huge lines of cocaine after watching Ballers. My dog didn’t come charging towards the front door when I arrived home one day and I swore he had departed like The Leftovers. The list goes on and on. Before Boardwalk Empire, before The Wire all the way back to The Corner in 2000. Now The Corner ladies and gentleman...that is real. An Earthy, visceral portrayal of life that feels, smells, and taste genuine. Three-dimensional characters in situations so engaging, you think you’re watching a documentary. No reaches, just raw realness.
Is The Deuce worth watching? Sure, why not. I didn’t fast-forward to the end like I’ve done recently with other shows. I can’t say that I "hate" any of the characters nor the story thus far. It simply does not ring true. Yes, I understand I am the audience. And the goal is to keep me engaged, to entertain, not inform. But please don’t play with my emotions and intelligence by doing things for Emmy consideration and shock value. Just don’t. Remember it's not just TV it's HBO.… Expand

4 of 14 users found this helpful410

Tony1984

Aug 5, 2018

The first 3 seasons of The Wire were outstanding. Probably the best TV of the 21st century. Generation Kill was also very good. I tried to like Treme but it was just too uninvolving. I put it down to my indifference to jazz.

And for me The Deuce is visual jazz. I can appreciate theThe first 3 seasons of The Wire were outstanding. Probably the best TV of the 21st century. Generation Kill was also very good. I tried to like Treme but it was just too uninvolving. I put it down to my indifference to jazz.

And for me The Deuce is visual jazz. I can appreciate the artistry but I found it tedious. Too miserable and unpleasantly voyeuristic for my taste.
Also I found the two Franco's were distracting. Maggie Gyllenhaal unbelievable. Positive portrayal of pimps repellent. Jarring over explicit sex scenes and vulgarity. No subtly.

In short banal.
Last Exit to Brooklyn is in a similar vein just way better execution.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

ksr91

Aug 15, 2018

the show gives you nothing to care about. there is no plot. you don't care or even remember the next episode.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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