The Deuce

:

Season 1
  • Network: HBO
  • Series Premiere Date: Sep 10, 2017
Season #: 3, 2, 1
User Score
7.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 170 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 142 out of 170
  2. Mixed: 12 out of 170
  3. Negative: 16 out of 170
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User Reviews

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  1. BillJustBill
    Nov 6, 2017
    3
    Such a disappointment. All that talent to tell us . . . what?
    How corrupt and corrupting the culture surrounding 42nd Street was back in the day?
    Everything about the show reeks of talent. But the culture of the show, and what they think they need to do in order to get an audience is soul-draining. How do we get people to watch it? they might have asked. The answer came back: we show    Such a disappointment. All that talent to tell us . . . what?
    How corrupt and corrupting the culture surrounding 42nd Street was back in the day?
    Everything about the show reeks of talent. But the culture of the show, and what they think they need to do in order to get an audience is soul-draining.
    How do we get people to watch it? they might have asked.
    The answer came back: we show porn. People screwing, and moreover we show them screwing in the most degrading ways. After all, everyone screws so everyone will like to watch all the people on our show screwing even when it has nothing to do with the story. (And by the way, story isn't very important, despite the fact we've hired some of the best storytellers around.)
    They've spent soooo much money . . . to so little effect.
    It falls into the same category as that segment on 60 Minutes where one of the Koch brothers is so proud to have spent $35 million to find out he bought some bogus wine. $35 million. Certainly enough to get a few hundred families out of the ghetto.    … Expand
  2. cajun67
    Sep 25, 2017
    3
    I really want to love this show. Cast in the early 1970's, it's a show about New Jersey pimps, hookers, mobsters, seedy bars, and porn. It features an A-list cast, including James Franco and Maggie Gylenhall. It should be the best thing on television.

    Sadly, it's not. It's actually kind of boring. The one thing they forgot to add in was the tension. The hookers who all work the same    I really want to love this show. Cast in the early 1970's, it's a show about New Jersey pimps, hookers, mobsters, seedy bars, and porn. It features an A-list cast, including James Franco and Maggie Gylenhall. It should be the best thing on television.

    Sadly, it's not. It's actually kind of boring. The one thing they forgot to add in was the tension. The hookers who all work the same street corner and compete for the same johns are the best of friends. The pimps hang out together in the bar and debate the best ways to run their women. James Franco and his twin brother, James Franco, have very opposite personalities, but instead of this creating tension between them they're constantly forgiving each other and grinning like idiots at each other. Cops rounding up the hookers seems like a bad thing -- until they get to the jail, and the arresting office orders Chinese food for all of the girls, which they sit out on the back patio and eat.

    Every conflict seems to get resolved in the same episode. There is no tension arising from ongoing conflict.

    And watching the show, you might think that hooking on a New Jersey street corner is a viable career option. It's not so bad! Some girls even get hired just to watch movies instead of having sex! Maybe if this show had been set in the 80's, the girls would be asking their pimps for health insurance and 401k's.

    I'm three episodes in. Based on what I've seen so far, I just can't recommend this show.    … Expand
  3. majstor
    Oct 4, 2017
    2
    Great costumes, A list actors, authentic surroundings, awesome music and no story.
    If you like to see how hookers and pimps lifestyle then you will enjoy.
    If you expect intense story go watch something else.
  4. EludiumQ36
    Oct 28, 2017
    2
    Again, we have the studio shills fawning with 9s and 10s and "real" people sinking this with 2s and 3s - and that's the lot I'm in. This should've been a great show but once again mainstream Hollywood can't get it right. You have to go to Netflix, Amzn, and Hulu for the best new shows. This show is so horrible, it's like a documentary of early 70s prostitution in New York City. And thatAgain, we have the studio shills fawning with 9s and 10s and "real" people sinking this with 2s and 3s - and that's the lot I'm in. This should've been a great show but once again mainstream Hollywood can't get it right. You have to go to Netflix, Amzn, and Hulu for the best new shows. This show is so horrible, it's like a documentary of early 70s prostitution in New York City. And that city is at its garbage-in-the-streets worst. I simply don't understand how someone pitches this type of show and doesn't get thrown out of the room! Who want's to see crap like this?! The only points I give for this are due to production value and casting, but story, plot, acting, and direction are just fails.… Expand
  5. ksr91
    Aug 15, 2018
    0
    the show gives you nothing to care about. there is no plot. you don't care or even remember the next episode.
  6. gray444
    Oct 3, 2018
    3
    Right before the show starts they have a #metoo moment and the words only your voice counts vote. Okay the #metoo thing this show is about hookers and women getting hit by men really bad choice for speaking on this. Now if they really believed in you the voter then they would support Trump 62 1/2 million people voted for him no voter fraud by the republicans at all. Google the democratsRight before the show starts they have a #metoo moment and the words only your voice counts vote. Okay the #metoo thing this show is about hookers and women getting hit by men really bad choice for speaking on this. Now if they really believed in you the voter then they would support Trump 62 1/2 million people voted for him no voter fraud by the republicans at all. Google the democrats and voter fraud in Detroit. There were 3 states that had a recount Michigan was one of them. What did we learn that Clinton did not get half the votes we thought. 37% of all the precinct around Detroit had more votes cast than actual voters. This November election coming up the democrats have already been caught in fraud men who died and served in World war 2 somehow register to vote ! So lets keep this crap out of t.v. shows and for god sake keep Maggie Gyllenhaal clothes on. She was laying down and her breast fell to her sides almost touching her back. This show s also suppose to be about porn and hot young women Maggie is not hot or young. Save that do not judge crap for a regular job the entertainment business is all about looks and no it I not a bad thing it is part of the job. This has been going on since they started making movies and will keep going long after we are all dead. You do not have pee wee Herman play Hercules and you do not have Maggie play the hot young girl this is called casting and to anyone who does not like it if your not in the business just shut up and go away. If you are in the business you dam well know looks are part of the job if you can not handle it quit ! I am so sick of you snowflakes trying to fix things that are not broken or ranting about feminism then doing nude scenes for a cheap t.v. show about porn and hookers oh also drugs. One of the worse is Lena Dunham preaching about respect then putting her ugly ass nude in all her films and when asked about it she gets mad. She is and example of no one is forcing her to do nude scenes just the opposite in fact. Then we have Mindy Kaling who is trashing Trump and your vote but she is also pregnant and who is the baby daddy last time I heard there was 5 possible men who could be the father. In any other generation she would be called a whore not a hooker the Deuce have taught us Hookers get paid whores just spread them for anyone. The truth is Mindy you are not a feminist you had sex with anything with a pulse and had no ide who the father was this makes you and honorary man. You only care about yourself and your needs not once did you worry about how the men would feel. Oh and thanks to todays modern women men feel hell they cry more than most women. Mindy you did not care one bit how they felt and even said they will not be in the child's life taking away their rights just like a man would have done to a woman yup go head James Franco keep running this crap before your show and watch it cancelled because of bad ratings. I will be fait James was not in the commercial. Yet if you keep making it about Maggie nude that will kill more than ratings well good luck you have been informed and educated I have a lot more if you want to keep this up.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

17
#17 Best TV Season of 2017
44
#44 Most Discussed TV Season of 2017
46
#46 Most Shared TV Season of 2017

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
85

Universal acclaim - based on 35 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 34 out of 35
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 35
  3. Negative: 0 out of 35
  1. RogerEbert.com
    Reviewed by: Nick Allen
    Nov 29, 2017
    50
    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
  2. The New Yorker
    Reviewed by: Emily Nussbaum
    Sep 18, 2017
    90
    David Simon and his frequent collaborator, the novelist George Pelecanos, together with writers such as Megan Abbott, have made a show that is quietly transformative. ... In many ways, The Deuce is a classic David Simon.
    Read full review
  3. TV Guide Magazine
    Reviewed by: Matt Roush
    Sep 14, 2017
    90
    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]
See all critic reviews »