‘The Deuce’ Season 2 Trailer: It’s 1977, and Maggie Gyllenhaal Is on Top
Although initially sold to viewers on the gimmick of two James Francos, Season 1 of The Deuce quickly — and thankfully — revealed itself as a fascinating story about the female experience during pornography’s hey day in ’70s New York. With Maggie Gyllenhaal (who also executive produces) leading the charge, David Simon’s latest HBO series is back for Season 2, and the first trailer teases more emphasis on her emerging porn queen-pin.
HBO has released the first official trailer for The Deuce Season 2 following its debut during last night’s double-header of Sharp Objects and the season finale of Succession (which is so, so great; why aren’t you watching it?!). You can’t tell by the first scene, featuring Gyllenhaal proudly strutting down the NYC streets where she used to turn tricks, but it quickly becomes apparent that the sophomore season of Simon’s series features a bit of a time jump (to 1977, to be exact) — as evidenced by all the new, retro hairstyles. (I’m not sure how I feel about long-haired Franco, who somehow looks even more sleazy this go-round.)
The first trailer doesn’t offer up too much in the way of plot details, but it seems that Gyllenhaal’s Eileen (aka Candy) has definitely found continued success as a professional pornographer, while some of the other girls are still finding their way in this new era of sex work. We also don’t see much of Darlene, played by Season 1 breakout Dominique Fishback. What we do see, besides all that wild new hair, is a shooting on the street, the return of Emily Meade’s newly-empowered Lori, and a much slimmer David Krumholtz.
Here’s the official synopsis:
Created by George Pelecanos and David Simon, who also collaborated on HBO’s “The Wire” and “Treme,” the semifictional drama series “The Deuce” tells of the germination of the sex-trade industry in the heart of New York’s Times Square. It’s the early 1970s, and the porn business begins a shift from organized crime-backed parlors to a legitimate, culturally accepted enterprise. A cast of barkeeps, prostitutes, pimps, police and nightlife seekers centers around twins Vincent and Frankie Martino (James Franco, in a dual role), who navigate the sex business after meeting well-connected mobster Rudy Pipilo. Their storyline, among others, merges with that of prostitute Candy, whose ambition and intelligence lead her to a more prominent role in the industry.
The Deuce Season 2 premieres on HBO on September 9.