Following in the prestige drama footsteps of Ewan McGregor on Fargo and Justin Theroux on The Leftovers, The Deuce stars James Franco and… James Franco. David Simon’s drama (and sixth series overall, including The Wire, for HBO) takes place in the 1970s and 1980s, during the “legalization and subsequent rise of the porn industry in New York’s Times Square,” according to the network, and explores the “rough-and-tumble world at the pioneering moments of what would become the billion-dollar American sex industry.”
Franco, fresh off his baffling appearance in Alien: Covenant, plays Vincent and Frankie Martino, two (presumably) crooked brothers who become (definitely) crooked Mob fronts. He’s joined by Maggie Gyllenhaal as sex worker Eileen “Candy” Merrell, and Simon regulars Chris Bauer (Frank Sobotka), Lawrence Gilliard Jr. (D’Angelo Barksdale), and Gbenga Akinnagbe (Chris Partlow).
The teaser above doesn’t say much about the plot of The Deuce, but it does reveal the effort that went into effectively recapturing New York City in the sleazy and seductive ’70s. If the show turns into a hit, it should focus on a different era in Times Square’s history in season two. You just know David Simon has a lot to say about Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. and M&M’s World.
The Deuce premieres on September 10.
