HBO has faced plenty of criticism over the years for leaning hard on gratuitous nudity, and those charges likely won’t end with “The Deuce.” However, the network may have protection as it comes from the minds of two high-profile names: “The Wire” and “Treme” creator David Simon, and acclaimed author George Pelecanos.
James Franco (in a double role, playing brothers) and Maggie Gyllenhaal lead the highly anticipated new series, which dives into the seamy corners of New York City in the ’70s, and tracks the rise of the porn industry, as it goes from dingy cinemas to mainstream(-ish) fare. Here’s the official synopsis:
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Created by George Pelecanos and David Simon (The Wire) and starring James Franco and Maggie Gyllenhaal, The Deuce follows the story of the legalization and subsequent rise of the porn industry in New York’s Times Square from the early 1970s through the mid-1980s, exploring the rough-and-tumble world at the pioneering moments of what would become the billion-dollar American sex industry. George Pelecanos, David Simon, James Franco and Nina K. Noble executive produce.
“The Deuce” debuts on September 10th, and also features Chris Bauer aka Frank Sobotka, so we’re doubly stoked.