The Deuceis looking like whatVinylwas always meant to be – a complex and multi-layered portrayal of an entertainment industry that came alive in the 1970s, one that shows the excitement and the tragedy of it all. To be clear,The Deucehas always been this (that is to say, great), but visually it’s moving into the era thatVinylalso portrayed (however badly). The show’s time jump to the late 70s also means plenty of changes for our core cast, especially the women, who are starting to find their voice and take charge of their destinies. Or at least try. The process isn’t easy, but one of the best things aboutThe Deuceis how much it makes us care about the daily lives of its players.
As was noted in our writeup of thefirst trailerforThe Deuce’s new season, Season 2 consists of nine episodes in total, one more than the first season, and directors includeAlex Hall(Treme),Steph Green(The Americans), andSusanna White(Parade’s End), among others. Notably,allbut one of the directors this year are women.
Check out the newDeuceSeason 2 trailer below, along with the first images. The series starsMaggie Gyllenhaal,James Franco,Gary Carr,Gbenga Akinnagbe,Margarita Levieva,Dominique Fishback,Emily Meade,Lawrence Gillard, Jr.,Chris Bauer,Michael Rispoli,Chris Coy, andLuke Kirby. The series returns on HBO on September 9th.
Here’s the official synopsis forThe DeuceSeason 2:
Amid a city that is as culturally dynamic as it is dystopic, the show finds its protagonists living at the apex of the Golden Age of Porn, when the dream of a mainstream X-rated film business is suddenly a credible reality, and the culture of pornography and its blatant commodification of sex is finding increasing traction among more and more Americans.
Disco and punk are in full swing, and police corruption and political tolerance for New York’s midtown demimonde is at its height. And the Mafia, the early backer of pornography at the moment when courts declared for its legality, is now seemingly poised to reap great profits. A comparable – and, in some ways, more professional – porn industry is rising on the West Coast as well. But for now, New York is holding its own in a city flush with movies, music and art, as the drug-fueled party rages around the clock.
