Such a frustrating disappointment

Good concept, poorly executed.

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

So tempting to throw a comparison to "The Wire" in early doors here. Whilst it's too early to say whether David Simon's show will go on to match his illustrious predecessor - this first season is a major step in the right direction. Much like "The Wire" the show focuses on an area rather than a character. This time though, rather than Baltimore it's a much more specific area of Manhattan that gets our attention. "The Deuce" area was, in the 70's a focal point for the sleazier appetites of the city that never sleeps. Prostitutes and pimps inhabit the streets outside what were, at the start of the show, illicit porno theatres and peep shows. The story tells multiple stories from people on all sides of this situation, where the laws surrounding the industries are murky, and only increase in ambiguousness which the show explores. Despite the shows excellent sprawling storyline, somehow managing to facilitate 30 odd fleshed out characters, each with something going on, and the pretty solidly done period setting, the explicit nature of the sex scenes, particularly in the earlier episodes is almost certainly going to turn away a high number of the audience. It's not titillation though, these scenes are not enjoyable, but rather highlight the inherent depression of sex without love, or even respect, Everything else though, is spot on. Performances from the reliable TV cast as well as the sprinkling of Hollywood are universally excellent, it's a show that will hopefully make some stars out of some of the less well known talent. But the shows real star is David Simon. Future seasons will let us know whether "The Deuce" follows "The Wire" to classic status but for now it's off to an excellent start.

Why did they make this distateful series? It's so off putting. Nothing but pimps whores drugs crime. Everyone knows NYC had its bad period but why immortalize it on film and in such painstaking detail and unwanted nudity?The actors are good but who wants to see them in such degrading roles. James Franco looks right for the era in his get up. Maggie - why show so much and act such a degrading role.Don't encourage HBO to go down this road.

I guess I'm in the minority in that I think Franco is maybe the only good thing in this series. The rest is just bleh! And maybe, meh! While the show has the look of the era, the cast seems cartoonish at best. Not one visually appealing cast member. Impossible to watch any episode in one sitting. Terrible, terrible, terrible.

Her performances are GREAT in this show, as hauntingly beautiful as SHE is. She really illustrates the degradation of a street prostitute (and, to an extant-a high-end call girl as well.) SPOILERS followWhen she is in the Hotel room with the rich john, we see how sad she is. She can't afford to cry, but looks to be trapped behind her large expressive eyes. Great acting with gestures. Episode 5 was difficult to watch, not because it was BAD, but because she was so Good-and went through so much. She can't climax with her boyfriend, and then Evil John robs her and you hear the punches coming down. A bit later, she has a scene where Pimp Rodney (Method Man) tries again to take her under his wing, and she demurs once again, leading to an emotional street scene between the two. (that scene, will be the "Money Shot" at the Golden Globes and Emmys next year. She will at least be nominated. I'm a physician, and if I were caring for her in that ER, I'd try to get her off the streets forever. She also, of course, has nude scenes when in the realm of porno films. Even pseudo-ejaculation! I really admire Maggie for giving so much of herself for this show, but wish she didn't have to. And, I'm sorry, but it IS titillating-I think she's incredibly Beautiful. As for the other characters and plot lines, well...I was studying for a Big Test, so I fast-forwarded through all the scenes that didn't have Ms. Gyllenhaal in them. I'll go back to them later.