The Deuce season 1 trailer and synopses for episodes 1, 2 and 3

Details on the first three episodes of The Deuce have been released.

By now, some HBO subscribers have gotten the chance to watch the first episode of David Simon’s newest series The Deuce via HBO NOW, HBO GO or on demand thanks to an early release, while others may wait until its official premiere on September 10th.

The series is already getting rave reviews from critics, giving the network a boost of confidence in the hopes that it becomes its next prestige Sunday night drama, avoiding the fate of their last 70’s-set series, Vinyl, which was canceled after one season.

The Deuce chronicles the legalization and rise of the porn industry in New York City. The pilot introduces the collection of pimps and prostitutes operating near Time Square, as well as the NYPD officers who patrol the area.

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Lead character Vincent Martino (James Franco) moves to a seedy motel where much of the illegal activity takes place after quitting his bar-tending job and leaving his wandering wife and their two kids. He also has to contend with his twin brother Frankie’s gambling problem, which lands him in hot water with a local mobster, that eventually leads to both trouble and opportunity.

The description for the pilot reads (via Spoiler TV):

"Twin brothers Vincent (James Franco) and Frankie Martino (James Franco) – one a double-shifting bartender with two kids and a wayward wife in Brooklyn, the second an insouciant gambler with piling mob debts – navigate their way through the rough-and-tumble world of 1971 Times Square.While Vincent plots ways to improve his situation and pay off his brother’s debt, he crosses paths with other midtown denizens – including veteran hookers Candy (Maggie Gyllenhaal) and Ashley (Jamie Neumann), young streetwalkers Darlene (Dominique Fishback) and Lori (Emily Meade), and smooth-talking pimps C.C. (Gary Carr), Larry (Gbenga Akinnagbe) and Rodney (Cliff Smith/Method Man) – as they ply their trades under the not-so-watchful eye of the NYPD. Meanwhile, when NYU student Abby (Margarita Levieva) is enlisted by friends to buy amphetamines on the street, she ends up in the Times Square precinct, an unlikely starting point for making a bold change to her privileged life.Written by George Pelecanos & David Simon; directed by Michelle MacLaren."

While the first episode sets things in motion, it’s the second episode, titled “Show and Prove” where the narrative fully moves forward as Candy begins her work in the emerging porn industry, while Vincent immerses himself into the mob world.

"Episode #2: “Show and Prove”Debut date: SUNDAY, SEPT. 17 (9:00-10:00 p.m.)With his marriage failing, Vincent (James Franco) moves into a seedy Times Square hotel and, fueled by his success drawing customers to a struggling Korean bar, contemplates a tempting offer from mob capo Rudy Pipilo (Michael Rispoli). Meanwhile, Vincent and Frankie’s (James Franco) brother-in law, Bobby (Chris Bauer), a Brooklyn construction foreman, eyes Vincent’s new connections as a way to better his own lot.Reluctantly agreeing to pinch-hit for a friend in a pornographic short, Candy (Maggie Gyllenhaal) ends up being intrigued by the filmmaking process. C.C. (Gary Carr) shows Lori (Emily Meade) the advantages of having a pimp, while Larry (Gbenga Akinnagbe) is unsettled by Darlene’s (Dominique Fishback) interest in literature – and by Sandra Washington (Natalie Paul), a reporter. Police officers Chris Alston (Lawrence Gilliard, Jr.) and Danny Flanagan (Don Harvey) are joined by detectives Grossman (Brian Muller) and Haddix (Ralph Macchio) for a routine hooker round-up, as well as a raid of an adult porn shop whose peep shows cross the line."

As The Wire did with the city of Baltimore, The Deuce will explore 1970’s New York City from multiple angles, including the struggles and corruption involving the NYPD, and the intrepid reporters tasked with probing the ongoing sexual revolution. One of said journalists is Sandra, who’s investigating the sex industry in mid-town. She later teams with Chris, a cop who questions his superiors’ methods after he’s told to stop policing a section of his precinct.

The final currently available synopsis for the third episode of the season is as follows:

"Episode #3: “The Principle Is All”Debut date: SUNDAY, SEPT. 24 (9:00-10:00 p.m.)Putting the finishing touches on his new bar, Vincent (James Franco) is blindsided by the sudden appearance of an unexpected partner, causing Frankie (James Franco) to blow a gasket. Rudy (Michael Rispoli) buys into a rival’s plan to reconfigure The Deuce, hopefully with the support of an ambitious mayor. Candy (Maggie Gyllenhaal) eyes an entrée into the filmmaking business; Abby (Margarita Levieva) languishes in her new job; Darlene (Dominique Fishback) works overtime to compensate Larry (Gbenga Akinnagbe); C.C. (Gary Carr) tasks Lori (Emily Meade) to play the “long game”; Bobby (Chris Bauer) pays a price for his recent stress at work. Big Mike (Mustafa Shakir), a menacing drifter, proves useful to Vincent as the Hi-Hat finally opens.Written by David Simon & Richard Price; directed by James Franco."

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Two trailers for the first season of The Deuce have also been released. The first includes select scenes from the pilot, before delving into the police’s rounding up of street walkers, and eventual deal making with local massage parlors backed by the mafia. David Krumholtz also gets screen time as an adult filmmaker working with Candy, while Sandra is seen attempting to get stories about city corruption into the newspaper.

The second showcases Candy’s move from self-made prostitute to her behind-the-scenes work in the porn industry. We also get a glimpse at the Martino brothers’ increasingly violent encounters as they eventually become a front for a local mob family.

Watch the clips below:

Next: The Deuce premiere released early on HBO GO, HBO NOW

The Deuce premieres Sunday, Sept. 10th at 9 p.m. ET on HBO.

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