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The Deuce


Zorral

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Shame on anyone watching that that doesn't instantly recognize everyone from The Wire :P

This is a fantastic bit of television. Hard to watch and yet so well realized that you can't help but sink in. The character are about as well written as it gets on tv. The depiction of NYC is soooo on point, can't wait for the 80s to really relive my childhood growing up there. 

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I spent a few minutes trying to figure out who Darlene was on The Wire before I realized I recognized her from Show Me a Hero. Where the hell is Clarke Peters anyway? They'd better bring him in for season two. He's probably on the old side to play a pimp but I would not object to a 70's pimp version of cool lester smooth.

I was so relieved when I read it wasn't a mini-series. I was expecting all this bad shit to happen later in the season. I'm sure a lot of really dark stuff will still happen, but at least they won't have to cram it all into season one. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

CC basically extorting the pornographers was a tense scene, though I do feel that if any of the pimps consistently try and pull something like that then porn guy's (was he the skinny guy from Numbers?) mob connections might spell trouble.

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I'm becoming more and more interested in the NYPD corruption arc. I'm waiting to discover who is really behind the clean up around the Deuce. Sweeney is an obvious prick, but also low on that chain of corruption. Could it be the mob pulling the strings in city hall?

I was also interested in the obscenity cases scene and how they were simply dismissed due to a lack of precedent on what exactly constitutes obscenity. The decision in Miller v. California isn't until 1973 after all.

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The way this shown recreates 70s NYC is an astonishing achievement. You can really smell the garbage and opportunity of the era. It is the most depressive show I've seen since Black Mirror, though. The hell that the prostitutes endure isn't likely to vanish once they switch to porn. A-level acting throughout, especially from the pimps and Maggie Gyllenhaal. 

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24 minutes ago, Talleyrand said:

CC basically extorting the pornographers was a tense scene, though I do feel that if any of the pimps consistently try and pull something like that then porn guy's (was he the skinny guy from Numbers?) mob connections might spell trouble.

Yep, David Krumholtz. I was pretty surprised by it when I first recognized him. No idea he'd put on so much weight. Apparently he had thyroid cancer, I wonder if that's what caused it. 

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5 minutes ago, KiDisaster said:

Yep, David Krumholtz. I was pretty surprised by it when I first recognized him. No idea he'd put on so much weight. Apparently he had thyroid cancer, I wonder if that's what caused it. 

Yeah it was the medication I think. He's lost the weight now which will be a little weird if he shows up in season two as a skinny guy. I guess they could just say he got addicted to speed?

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Did anyone else catch the Serpico reference that Sandra made in a conversation with Alston? ... to which he responded, something along the lines of "Nah, that don;t affect us." ...and yet they're developing the "Sweeney shaking down the Bar & the Massage parlor" sub plot...  if I'm not mistaken, this show takes place about the same time as the Knapp commission 

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12 minutes ago, Martini Sigil said:

Did anyone else catch the Serpico reference that Sandra made in a conversation with Alston? ... to which he responded, something along the lines of "Nah, that don;t affect us." ...and yet they're developing the "Sweeney shaking down the Bar & the Massage parlor" sub plot...  if I'm not mistaken, this show takes place about the same time as the Knapp commission 

Yeah, I think they've also mentioned it in previous episodes.

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For a penultimate episode of a Simon/Pelecanos series that was downright uplifting. Normally that's when all the bad shit happens and then the finale is dealing with the fallout. I love how the pimps don't know what to do with their free time.

Can't see I'm sad to see Reggie Love go. I hope Leon somehow doesn't go to jail for that, but I doubt it. I figure we're basically done at the diner as I can't see the other pimps still hanging out there after what happened.

First I was worried CC would find Ash/Dorthy with the check made out to Abby and come down on her and Vince. Assuming Ashley actually left I'm now worried Abby will be dumb enough to wear her dress in CC's presence.  

Interesting that the finale is called "My Name is Ruby." Not the character I would expect to feature prominently in the finale, but she really made an impression in that scene talking to Candy about Nikki (the prostitute who wore suede presumably met a horrible end the summer before)

 

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Maggie Gyllenhall is a god damned powerhouse.

I was a bit disappointed that they didn't have Larry Brown going to see Fantasia.

Spoiler

And it looks like Slim Charles still got it. Shooting rappers on television.

Plus I just realized that Lori was on Boardwalk Empire as Pearl, Jimmy's Chicago girlfriend.

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57 minutes ago, GallowKnight said:

Maggie Gyllenhall is a god damned powerhouse.

I was a bit disappointed that they didn't have Larry Brown going to see Fantasia.

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And it looks like Slim Charles still got it. Shooting rappers on television.

Plus I just realized that Lori was on Boardwalk Empire as Pearl, Jimmy's Chicago girlfriend.

I'd have to go back and re-watch, but wasn't it Slim Charles on The Wire who told the story of Cutty killing a guy and then calling the cops on himself and saying "come get me." It was pretty similar to what happened on The Deuce last night. Only Leon said "come get him." Which also reminds me earlier in the season there was a scene where Paul/Sobatka said something very similar to "pays to go with a union card every time"

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25 minutes ago, RumHam said:

 

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I'd have to go back and re-watch, but wasn't it Slim Charles on The Wire who told the story of Cutty killing a guy and then calling the cops on himself and saying "come get me." It was pretty similar to what happened on The Deuce last night. Only Leon said "come get him." Which also reminds me earlier in the season there was a scene where Paul/Sobatka said something very similar to "pays to go with a union card every time"

 

I think that was Wee-Bey.

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The Fantasia dialogue had me howling...  There is *just* enough levity in this show... I mean, it's dark as hell, but it can't all be beatings shakedowns and manic depression... little things like this keep it real.

Candy: "You're thinking like a degenerate."

Harvey: "Yeah.... well."

 

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And Bobby thought the parlor would be easier on his heart?

Which Martino brother was more uncomfortable this episode? :D

Thanks, Leon. I was waiting for someone to do it.

Candy is such a great character.

I enjoyed Abby and Ashley's scenes together and was happy for Ashley.

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