The Deuce

[Spinner]

This is an HBO series that came out last year, created by David Simon and George Pellacanos, the same people who made The Wire.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4998350/

It's a period piece set in 1971 NYC, specifically the area around Times Square (hence the title, as this was what Times square around Broadway and 42nd was known as) and basically covers all of the vice occurring in what was then a very seedy, dilapidated section of New York.

The series is populated by an ensemble, much like The Wire, of a bunch of different characters (many recognizable from The Wire), but primarily focused on twin brothers Vincent and Frankie, both played by James Franco.

Pimps, prostitutes, the mob and the beginnings of the very lucrative porn business that took off after Deep Throat came out and made a bundle. Pretty interesting mix, but watchable.

Anybody else seen the full season yet? I like the way they recreated the area that is now very much a tourist mecca, they did a pretty good job finding suitable locations in the city to film in and also using CGI when the modern NY got in the way.

[osubuckeye762]

One Sunday when I was having one of my insomnia spells, I binged watched almost the whole season.
(I may have missed one episode)

I enjoyed the series, especially how they were able to make it very dark, and gritty. It does show the seedier side of NY during that time period.

Two investigators from my office are from New York and we discussed the how. One retired from NYPD and the other retired from NY State Police but he started his career working as a Court Security Officer.

They laughed because they said that area is a complete 180 now.

Are they going to make a second season. I have been watching but have not seen any commercials or trailers.

[Spinner]

From what I heard there will be a second season, and the timeline is going to jump forward almost to the end of the decade. There will be new characters introduced and some of the original season characters (most likely the pimps and most of the hookers) will disappear. Hopefully HBO will give them move episodes than the 8 they had in the first season.

That's how they did things on The Wire, a main cadre of characters with a revolving door of cast members. Bearing in mind that as time went on, Times Square evolved. If they have enough seasons they'll be able to film it in its present incarnation.

One of my favorite characters from The Wire, the actor who played Maurice Levy the gang attorney, is in The Deuce playing a Sergeant in the Times Square police precinct.

[Oldpogue]

Originally Posted by Spinner

This is an HBO series that came out last year, created by David Simon and George Pellacanos, the same people who made The Wire.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4998350/

It's a period piece set in 1971 NYC, specifically the area around Times Square (hence the title, as this was what Times square around Broadway and 42nd was known as) and basically covers all of the vice occurring in what was then a very seedy, dilapidated section of New York.

The series is populated by an ensemble, much like The Wire, of a bunch of different characters (many recognizable from The Wire), but primarily focused on twin brothers Vincent and Frankie, both played by James Franco.

Pimps, prostitutes, the mob and the beginnings of the very lucrative porn business that took off after Deep Throat came out and made a bundle. Pretty interesting mix, but watchable.

Anybody else seen the full season yet? I like the way they recreated the area that is now very much a tourist mecca, they did a pretty good job finding suitable locations in the city to film in and also using CGI when the modern NY got in the way.

I was on a business trip to New York around 1979 and took a trip down 42nd street near Broadway. Being from Chicago, I'm not easily shocked by local circumstances but what I saw was mind boggling. Their was a NY policeman about every thirty feet totaling ignoring the passed out druggies, hookers and you name it going on behind them. Blood all over the sidewalk, needles, etc. When I returned a couple of years ago for a wedding, I really didn't want to go back, but I was quite surprised by how the city had been cleaned up.

[Blackjack78]

Ah the deuce. I was talking to a young cop a week or so ago who was assigned to the Midtown South Precinct (MTS)which covers Times Square. I mentioned how the deuce had changed and he had no idea what I was talking about. Man I'm getting old. I worked the deuce on special details back in the day and man that place was a shit show. It is said that MTS is the busiest police precinct in the world. They won't get an argument from me.

[ET1/ss nuke]

If you want more historically accurate seediness, that's the same area depicted in Gangs of New York.

[Blackjack78]

Originally Posted by ET1/ss nuke

If you want more historically accurate seediness, that's the same area depicted in Gangs of New York.

No it's not. Five Points was/is in lower Manhattan.

[ET1/ss nuke]

Originally Posted by Blackjack78

No it's not. Five Points was/is in lower Manhattan.

OK, thanks for clearing that up. I thought I remembered a scene that depicted the flatiron building, but I guess not.

[Shadow]

Originally Posted by ET1/ss nuke

OK, thanks for clearing that up. I thought I remembered a scene that depicted the flatiron building, but I guess not.

I think you're confusing the Flatiron Building with 1 Times Square, where the ball is dropped on New Year's Eve. The Flatiron Building sits at the intersection of 5th Avenue, Broadway, and 22nd Street, which is about a mile (20 city blocks) from Times Square.

[ET1/ss nuke]

Originally Posted by Shadow

I think you're confusing the Flatiron Building with 1 Times Square, where the ball is dropped on New Year's Eve. The Flatiron Building sits at the intersection of 5th Avenue, Broadway, and 22nd Street, which is about a mile (20 city blocks) from Times Square.

You are correct about my mistake. I learned something new today! Reason 36,482 to like socnet!

[Spinner]

A couple of places I wouldn't mind taking a time machine back to, just out of curiosity, would be NYC back in the 70s and Vegas in the late 50s and early to mid 60s.

Based on everything I've heard, the Times Square area depicted in the show has been bought up by Disney. The Rat Rules! lol

[Shadow]

Originally Posted by Spinner

...NYC back in the 70s...

Ah, the good old days of my teenage youth.

Fascinating, but tremendously gritty time period for my beloved hometown. As Ol' Blue Eyes sang, if you could make it there during that era then you truly could make it anywhere...

[Blackjack78]

Originally Posted by Spinner

From what I heard there will be a second season, and the timeline is going to jump forward almost to the end of the decade. There will be new characters introduced and some of the original season characters (most likely the pimps and most of the hookers) will disappear. Hopefully HBO will give them move episodes than the 8 they had in the first season.

That's how they did things on The Wire, a main cadre of characters with a revolving door of cast members. Bearing in mind that as time went on, Times Square evolved. If they have enough seasons they'll be able to film it in its present incarnation.

One of my favorite characters from The Wire, the actor who played Maurice Levy the gang attorney, is in The Deuce playing a Sergeant in the Times Square police precinct.

Eddie Norris who played Det. Norris in The Wire was one of my Sergeants when I was in narco. He retired as a Asst. Commissioner and then went to Baltimore and then the State Police. He got jammed up there but was a good mug all around.

[Spinner]

Perhaps he'll pop up in season 2, Blackjack. As the Commissioner.

One of my favorite scenes with him in The Wire was when him and a bunch of other detectives hook up a suspect to their "lie detector" which in reality is just the copy machine.

They then load in the answer of "true" to various questions they know the suspect will answer truthfully until they get to the question of him killing somebody, and when he says he didn't do it they load in a copy that spits out "false". I think it was Norris who immediately said "You lyin' piece of shit...".

Then they lead his accomplice out of an interrogation room chowing down on McDonald's and tell the suspect that he gave him up for a couple of Quarter Pounders and large fries.

Best show on TV when it was on.