The Deuce ( TV series ) - wikipedia The Deuce ( TV series ) This article is about the cable television series. For other uses, see The Deuce ( disambiguation ). The Deuce Genre Period drama Created by George Pelecanos David Simon Starring James Franco Maggie Gyllenhaal Gbenga Akinnagbe Chris Bauer Gary Carr Chris Coy Dominique Fishback Lawrence Gilliard Jr. Margarita Levieva Emily Meade Natalie Paul Michael Rispoli Opening theme `` ( Do n't Worry ) If There 's a Hell Below, We 're All Going to Go '' by Curtis Mayfield Ending theme `` Assume the Position '' by Lafayette Gilchrist Country of origin United States Original language ( s ) English No. of seasons No. of episodes 8 ( list of episodes ) Production Executive producer ( s ) David Simon Richard Price James Franco Michelle MacLaren George Pelecanos Nina Kostroff Noble Producer ( s ) Jessica Levin Maggie Gyllenhaal Mark Henry Johnson Location ( s ) New York City Cinematography Pepe Avila del Pino Editor ( s ) Alex Hall Running time 59 -- 84 minutes Production company ( s ) Blown Deadline Productions Rabbit Bandini Productions HBO Entertainment Distributor HBO Enterprises Warner Bros. Television Distribution Release Original network HBO Original release September 10, 2017 ( 2017 - 09 - 10 ) -- present External links www.hbo.com/the-deuce The Deuce is an American drama television series set in and around Times Square, New York City in the early 1970s. Created and written by author and former police reporter David Simon and his frequent collaborator George Pelecanos, the series pilot began shooting in October 2015. It was picked up to series in January 2016. It is broadcast by the premium cable network HBO in the United States. The first season consists of eight episodes. HBO made the pilot available through its video on demand services and affiliate portals on August 25, 2017. The series premiered on September 10, 2017. The Deuce tells the story of the legalization and ensuing rise of the porn industry in New York beginning in the 1970s. Themes explored include the violence of the drug epidemic and the resulting real estate booms and busts that coincided with the change. The show 's title is derived from the nickname for 42nd Street between Seventh Avenue and Eighth Avenue. On September 19, 2017, HBO renewed the series for a second season. Contents 1 Premise 2 Conception 3 Cast 3.1 Main 3.2 Recurring 4 Episodes 5 Reception 5.1 Critical response 5.2 Ratings 5.3 Accolades 6 References 7 External links Premise In New York, the violence of the drug epidemic is worsening. Twin brothers Vincent and Frankie Martino become fronts for the Mafia while operating out of Times Square, which is also the home of `` Candy, '' a sex worker who turns to the now legal emerging porn industry. Conception Marc Henry Johnson, an assistant locations manager on Treme, introduced Simon and Pelecanos to a man in New York who told them vivid accounts from his stint as a mob front for bars and massage parlors in 1970s Manhattan. `` The characters were so rich, and that 's what it all comes down to, '' said Pelecanos. Inspired by these stories, the producers set out to present a fictional account of the era. `` Some of it happened, '' said Simon. `` Some of it did n't happen. Some of it might have happened. But all of it could have happened. '' Cast Main James Franco as Vincent Martino and Frankie Martino, twin brothers from Brooklyn operating out of Times Square who become fronts for the Mob. Maggie Gyllenhaal as Eileen `` Candy '' Merrell, a Times Square street prostitute with an entrepreneurial spirit who is drawn into the emerging pornography industry. Gbenga Akinnagbe as Larry Brown, an intense and demanding pimp who physically intimidates his stable of women but also has moments that betray a conflicted, underlying humanity. Chris Bauer as Bobby Dwyer, Vincent and Frankie Martino 's brother - in - law, a construction foreman and family man whose eyes are opened by their adventures along the Deuce. Gary Carr as C.C., an affable but ruthless pimp. Chris Coy as Paul Hendrickson, a kindred spirit to Vincent Martino and a veteran bartender who pursues his own personal and professional ambitions in the emerging gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community of ' 70s New York. Dominique Fishback as Darlene, a young, sweet - natured prostitute who 's trying to survive on the street while under the thumb of a volatile, violent pimp. Lawrence Gilliard Jr. as Chris Alston, an NYPD patrolman. Margarita Levieva as Abigail `` Abby '' Parker, an adventurous college student who strikes up a relationship with Vincent. Emily Meade as Lori, a young woman newly arrived to New York City from Minnesota. Natalie Paul as Sandra Washington, a newspaper reporter who 's investigating the Times Square sex industry. Michael Rispoli as Rudy Pipilo, a Gambino family capo who oversees the Mob 's financial interests in the sex business. Recurring Pernell Walker as Ruby `` Thunder Thighs '', an opinionated sex worker who embodies her unorthodox aesthetics and works to survive, rather than to provoke sensationalism. Method Man as Rodney, a pimp Tariq Trotter as Reggie Love, a pimp Daniel Sauli as Tommy Longo David Krumholtz as Harvey Wasserman, a director of pornographic movies Don Harvey as Danny Flanagan, a NYC patrolman Mustafa Shakir as Big Mike, a man of few words, a physically imposing loner who becomes Vincent 's primary muscle and fiercely devoted friend. Anwan Glover as Leon, who runs a diner the characters frequent Jamie Neumann as Ashley, a prostitute who works for C.C. Zoe Kazan as Andrea Martino, Vincent 's wife James Ciccone as Carmine Patriccia, a mob underboss who works out of a Mulberry Street social club in Little Italy and is one rung above Rudy Pipilo. Garry Pastore as Matthew Ianniello, the Genovese Family crime boss who ran the Times Square porn industry during the 1970s and 1980s. Carolyn Mignini as Joan Merrell, Candy 's mother who lives in the suburbs. Finn Robbins as Adam, Candy 's son who lives with Candy 's mother. Gino Vento as Carlos, driver and bodyguard for mobster Rudy Pipilo. Aaron Dean Eisenberg as Todd Lang, a classically trained but starving actor with little success in acting. To make ends meet, he starts acting in a few porn films, and quickly finds a home. Episodes No. Title Directed by Written by Original air date U.S. viewers ( millions ) `` Pilot '' Michelle MacLaren George Pelecanos & David Simon August 25, 2017 ( 2017 - 08 - 25 ) ( online ) September 10, 2017 ( 2017 - 09 - 10 ) ( HBO ) 0.830 `` Show and Prove '' Ernest Dickerson Richard Price & George Pelecanos September 17, 2017 ( 2017 - 09 - 17 ) 0.839 `` The Principle Is All '' James Franco David Simon & Richard Price September 24, 2017 ( 2017 - 09 - 24 ) 0.992 `` I See Money '' Alex Hall Story by : George Pelecanos and Lisa Lutz Teleplay by : Lisa Lutz October 1, 2017 ( 2017 - 10 - 01 ) 0.941 5 `` What Kind of Bad ? '' Uta Briesewitz Story by : Richard Price Teleplay by : Will Ralston & Chris Yakaitis October 8, 2017 ( 2017 - 10 - 08 ) 0.888 6 `` Why Me ? '' Roxann Dawson Story by : Richard Price and Marc Henry Johnson Teleplay by : Marc Henry Johnson October 15, 2017 ( 2017 - 10 - 15 ) 0.812 7 `` Au Reservoir '' James Franco Story by : David Simon and Megan Abbott Teleplay by : Megan Abbott October 22, 2017 ( 2017 - 10 - 22 ) 0.953 8 `` My Name Is Ruby '' Michelle MacLaren David Simon & George Pelecanos October 29, 2017 ( 2017 - 10 - 29 ) 0.771 It was important to me that we do n't ever shoot in a way that is n't real, or how it would actually look. If you put a camera on two people having sex, it 's not necessarily going to look beautiful and romantic.... Sometimes there 's a beauty in the ugliness of the truth. To me, when you are authentic and real to what something looks like, it brings a different kind of beauty in the honesty of it. -- Director of The Deuce pilot, Michelle MacLaren, The Ringer, September 6, 2017 Reception Critical response The Deuce received critical acclaim. On Metacritic, it has a score of 86 out of 100 based on 34 reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes, it has a 93 % approval rating with an average rating of 8.66 out of 10 based on 72 reviews. The site 's critical consensus is, `` The Deuce again demonstrates David Simon 's masterful grasp of urban grit, while never losing detailed sight of its colorful characters. '' Daniel Fienberg of The Hollywood Reporter gave it a highly positive review, praising its ensemble cast, and wrote in conclusion, `` Simon and Pelecanos are just beginning to put the machinery of The Deuce into motion in these eight episodes. As an opening act, the show 's first season is substantive, provocative and entertaining. '' Charles Bramesco of The Guardian gave it a five star review and wrote, `` Simon has created his most accessible work of humanism to date, and he 's done so without sacrificing his loftier ambitions of societal critique. '' Ratings The premiere episode received 830,000 viewers on HBO for its initial airing and an additional 342,000 viewers for its encore later that night, on September 10, 2017. The episode was previously made available online through on - demand and HBO Go on August 25 and received 1.1 million viewers. Cumulatively, through all platforms, the episode received 2.2 million viewers. Accolades Year Award Recipients Result Ref. 2017 75th Golden Globe Awards Best Actress -- Television Series Drama Maggie Gyllenhaal Pending 22nd Satellite Awards Best Actress in a Drama / Genre Series Maggie Gyllenhaal Pending 70th Writers Guild of America Awards Best New Series Megan Abbott, Marc Henry Johnson, Lisa Lutz, George Pelecanos, Richard Price, Will Ralston, David Simon, Chris Yakaitis Pending References ^ Jump up to : Goldberg, Lesley ( January 19, 2016 ). `` David Simon 's HBO Porn Drama Starring James Franco Picked Up to Series ''. The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 9, 2017. Jump up ^ Malone, Michael ( August 24, 2017 ). `` HBO Offers ' The Deuce ' Early for Subscribers ''. Broadcasting & Cable. Retrieved September 2, 2017. Jump up ^ Offenhartz, Jake ( August 26, 2017 ). `` HBO Drops ' The Deuce ' Series Premiere Two Weeks Ahead Of Schedule ''. Gothamist. Retrieved September 2, 2017. ^ Jump up to : `` James Franco and Maggie Gyllenhaal Star in HBO Drama Series `` The Deuce, '' Created by David Simon and George Pelecanos, Debuting Sept. 10 '' ( Press release ). HBO. July 26, 2017. Retrieved July 31, 2017. Jump up ^ Jerilou Hammett ; Kingsley Hammett, eds. ( 2007 ). Suburbanization of New York : Is the World 's Greatest City Becoming Just Another Town ?. Princeton Architectural Press. ISBN 9781568986784. Jump up ^ Rose, Lacey ( August 6, 2015 ). `` HBO Orders Two David Simon Pilots, James Franco to Star In Porn Drama ''. The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 10, 2017. Jump up ^ Petski, Denise ( September 19, 2017 ). `` ' The Deuce ' Renewed For Season 2 At HBO ''. Deadline. Retrieved September 19, 2017. Jump up ^ Barry, Dan ( August 24, 2017 ). `` ' The Deuce ' Recalls Sex and Sleaze in 1970s Times Square ''. The New York Times. Retrieved September 2, 2017. Jump up ^ Rose, Lacey ( September 24, 2015 ). `` Maggie Gyllenhaal to Star in David Simon 's HBO Porn Drama ''. The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 10, 2017. ^ Jump up to : Petski, Denise ( June 21, 2016 ). `` ' The Deuce ' HBO Series Adds Chris Bauer & Gbenga Akinnagbe As Regulars ''. Deadline. Retrieved March 10, 2017. ^ Jump up to : Andreeva, Nellie ( June 16, 2016 ). `` ' The Deuce ' HBO Series Adds Chris Coy As Regular ''. Deadline. Retrieved March 10, 2017. ^ Jump up to : Andreeva, Nellie ( October 1, 2015 ). `` Margarita Levieva To Star In HBO Drama Pilot ' The Deuce ' ; Two Others Cast ''. Deadline. Retrieved March 10, 2017. ^ Jump up to : Andreeva, Nellie ( June 8, 2016 ). `` Michael Rispoli & Natalie Paul Join HBO New Drama Series ' Deuce ' As Regulars ''. Deadline. Retrieved March 10, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Meet Pernell Walker aka Thunder Thighs ''. YouTube. Retrieved September 10, 2017. Jump up ^ Suri, Sameer ( September 4, 2016 ). `` Maggie Gyllenhaal films James Franco 's HBO series The Deuce in NYC ''. Mail Online. Retrieved March 10, 2017. Jump up ^ Petski, Denise ( June 24, 2016 ). `` ' Scream Queens ' Casts James Earl ; ' The Deuce ' Adds Ralph Macchio ''. Deadline. Retrieved March 10, 2017. Jump up ^ Andreeva, Nellie ( November 11, 2015 ). `` Zoe Kazan To Star In Lena Dunham HBO Comedy Pilot ' Max ' In Recasting ''. Deadline. Retrieved March 10, 2017. ^ Jump up to : Porter, Rick ( September 13, 2017 ). `` Sunday cable ratings : ' The Deuce ' starts off on par with ' The Night Of ' ''. TV by the Numbers. Retrieved September 13, 2017. Jump up ^ Porter, Rick ( September 19, 2017 ). `` Sunday cable ratings : ' Outlander ' and ' The Deuce ' steady with second episodes ''. TV by the Numbers. Retrieved September 19, 2017. Jump up ^ Porter, Rick ( September 26, 2017 ). `` Sunday cable ratings : ' Outlander ' hits total - viewer high, ' Fear the Walking Dead ' ticks up ''. TV by the Numbers. Retrieved September 26, 2017. Jump up ^ Porter, Rick ( October 3, 2017 ). `` Sunday cable ratings : ' Curb Your Enthusiasm ' returns, ' Outlander ' ticks up again ''. TV by the Numbers. Retrieved October 3, 2017. Jump up ^ Porter, Rick ( October 10, 2017 ). `` Sunday cable ratings : ' Outlander ' keeps improving, MLB playoffs on top ''. TV by the Numbers. Retrieved October 10, 2017. Jump up ^ Metcalf, Mitch ( October 17, 2017 ). `` SHOWBUZZDAILY 'S Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals : 10.15. 2017 ''. Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved October 17, 2017. Jump up ^ Metcalf, Mitch ( October 24, 2017 ). `` SHOWBUZZDAILY 'S Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals : 10.22. 2017 ''. Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved October 24, 2017. Jump up ^ Porter, Rick ( October 31, 2017 ). `` Sunday cable ratings : ' The Walking Dead ' stumbles to 5 - year low ''. TV by the Numbers. Retrieved October 31, 2017. Jump up ^ Herman, Alison ( June 9, 2017 ). `` How Michelle MacLaren Brought ' The Deuce ' to Life ''. The Ringer. Retrieved September 7, 2017. Jump up ^ `` The Deuce : Season 1 ''. Metacritic. Retrieved September 8, 2017. Jump up ^ `` The Deuce : Season 1 ''. Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved September 8, 2017. Jump up ^ Fienberg, Daniel ( August 25, 2017 ). `` ' The Deuce ' : TV Review ''. The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved September 1, 2017. Jump up ^ Bramesco, Charles ( August 28, 2017 ). `` The Deuce review -- David Simon 's 70s porn saga is a dazzling achievement ''. The Guardian. Retrieved September 1, 2017. Jump up ^ Mitovich, Matt Webb ( December 11, 2017 ). `` Golden Globes : Big Little Lies, FEUD, Fargo, This Is Us and The Handmaid 's Tale Lead TV Nominations ''. TVLine. Retrieved December 12, 2017. Jump up ^ Pond, Steve ( November 29, 2017 ). `` ' Dunkirk, ' ' The Shape of Water ' Lead Satellite Award Nominations ''. IndieWire. Retrieved December 12, 2017. Jump up ^ Littleton, Cynthia ( December 7, 2017 ). `` Writers Guild Award TV Nominations : ' The Americans, ' ' Handmaid 's Tale, ' ' GLOW ' Grab Multiple Mentions ''. Vatiety. Retrieved December 12, 2017. External links Official website The Deuce on IMDb HBO programming Former Series 1970s debuts Inside the NFL On Location Race for the Pennant Standing Room Only ( `` Vanities '' ) Tennis on HBO Time Was 1980s debuts 1st & Ten America Undercover ( `` Autopsy '', `` Real Sex '' and `` Taxicab Confessions '' ) Babar Braingames Encyclopedia Encyclopedia Brown Fraggle Rock The Ghost of Faffner Hall The Hitchhiker The Kids in the Hall Maximum Security Not Necessarily the News One Night Stand Philip Marlowe, Private Eye The Ray Bradbury Theater The Storyteller Tales from the Crypt Video Jukebox 1990s debuts The Adventures of Tintin Arliss The Chris Rock Show The Country Mouse and the City Mouse Adventures Crashbox Def Comedy Jam Dennis Miller Live Dream On George and Martha Happily Ever After : Fairy Tales for Every Child HBO Comedy Half - Hour Hotel Room The Larry Sanders Show Lifestories : Families in Crisis A Little Curious The Little Lulu Show Mokku of the Oak Tree Mr. Show with Bob and David The Neverending Story Oz Perversions of Science Pippi Longstocking Rainbow Fish Reverb Sex and the City The Sopranos Spicy City Tenacious D Todd McFarlane 's Spawn Tracey Takes On... 2000s debuts Animated Tales of the World Big Love Bored to Death Carnivàle Cathouse : The Series Classical Baby Costas Now Da Ali G Show Deadwood Def Poetry Jam Eastbound & Down The Electric Company Entourage Extras Flight of the Conchords G String Divas Harold and the Purple Crayon Hung I Spy In Treatment Joe Buck Live John from Cincinnati K Street Kindergarten KO Nation The Life & Times of Tim Little Britain USA Lucky Louie The Mind of the Married Man The No. 1 Ladies ' Detective Agency On the Record with Bob Costas Pinky Dinky Doo Pornucopia Project Greenlight Rome Six Feet Under Stuart Little : The Animated Series Summer Heights High Tales from the Neverending Story Tell Me You Love Me True Blood Tourgasm Unscripted The Wire 2010s debuts After the Thrones Angry Boys Any Given Wednesday with Bill Simmons Boardwalk Empire The Brink Doll & Em Enlightened Family Tree Funny or Die Presents Getting On Girls Hello Ladies How to Make It in America Ja'mie : Private School Girl Jonah from Tonga The Leftovers Life 's Too Short Looking Luck Masterclass The Newsroom The Ricky Gervais Show Togetherness Treme Vice Principals Vinyl Miniseries All the Rivers Run Angels in America Assume the Position with Mr. Wuhl Band of Brothers The Casual Vacancy The Corner Elizabeth I Empire Falls From the Earth to the Moon Foo Fighters : Sonic Highways Generation Kill House of Saddam The Jinx : The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst John Adams Laurel Avenue Mildred Pierce The Night Of Olive Kitteridge The Pacific Parade 's End Show Me a Hero Tanner ' 88 Current and upcoming Current All Def Comedy ( since 2016 ) Animals. ( since 2016 ) Ballers ( since 2015 ) Big Little Lies ( since 2017 ) Boxing After Dark ( since 1996 ) The Comeback ( 2005 ; since 2014 ) Crashing ( since 2017 ) Curb Your Enthusiasm ( since 2000 ) The Deuce ( since 2017 ) Divorce ( since 2016 ) Game of Thrones ( since 2011 ) Hard Knocks ( since 2001 ) HBO World Championship Boxing ( since 1973 ) High Maintenance ( since 2016 ) Insecure ( since 2016 ) Last Week Tonight with John Oliver ( since 2014 ) Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel ( since 1995 ) Real Time with Bill Maher ( since 2003 ) Room 104 ( since 2017 ) Sesame Street ( since 2016 ) Silicon Valley ( since 2014 ) Tracey Ullman 's Show ( since 2016 ) True Detective ( since 2014 ) Veep ( since 2012 ) Vice ( since 2013 ) Vice News Tonight ( since 2016 ) Westworld ( since 2016 ) The Young Pope ( since 2017 ) Upcoming American Lion ( TBA ) Barry ( 2018 ) Confederate ( TBA ) Esme and Roy ( TBA ) Gentleman Jack ( TBA ) Here and Now ( 2018 ) Sharp Objects ( 2018 ) Succession ( 2018 ) See also HBO Storybook Musicals HBO Latin America original series HBO Canada original series David Simon Books Homicide : A Year on the Killing Streets ( 1991 ) The Corner : A Year in the Life of an Inner - City Neighborhood ( 1997 ) Television Homicide : Life on the Street ( 1993 -- 99 ) The Corner ( 2000 ) The Wire ( 2002 -- 08 ) Generation Kill ( 2008 ) Treme ( 2010 -- 13 ) Show Me a Hero ( 2015 ) The Deuce ( 2017 - ) The Baltimore Sun Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Deuce_(TV_series)&oldid=815714409 '' Categories : 2010s American drama television series 2017 American television series debuts English - language television programs HBO network shows Manhattan in fiction Prostitution in television Television series set in the 1970s Television shows set in New York City Television shows filmed in New York ( state ) Works about pornography Works about twin brothers Television series created by David Simon Hidden categories : Use mdy dates from September 2017 Pages using infobox television with editor parameter Talk Contents About Wikipedia Deutsch Euskara Français Hrvatski Italiano עברית Nederlands Polski Русский Edit links This page was last edited on 16 December 2017, at 16 : 52. 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Question: why is the new hbo show called the deuce
Answer: derived from the nickname for 42nd Street between Seventh Avenue and Eighth Avenue