New York in the 1970s when this series takes place: It's a blend of the burgeoning porn industry, legitimate prostitution and pimpery, complimented by good attention to detail as far as set design and decor. Maggie Gyllenhaal's character channels Season Hubley in two films set in Los Angeles "Hardcore"(1979) and "Vice Squad"(1982). Another good trashy prostitue performance of the early 80s was Helen Mirren in the British made "Hussy"(1980). Gyllenhaal even has a son stashed away with a nanny and she comes out of her hooker wig and costuming to visit him, almost identical to Hubley's Princess character in Vice Squad who has a daughter stashed away with a black nanny. We see black men pimping white females, though hardly pimping any black females, contrarily we never see the black pimps, or any random black trick, sampling some of the caucasian prostitutes. C'mon, this is NY in the 1970s. This was the same formula in the two Hubley films. In The Deuce we see white male clientele engaged in different avenues of sex and perversions with both white and black prostitutes. The series seems more of an expose than having a definite beginning and end. In 'Hardcore' the religious tension throughout the film has George C. Scott searching for his runaway daughter whom he finds in LA turning tricks and making porno movies, a direct contrast to Scott having raised her in Calvinist background. Scott also meets Nikki(Hubley's character) who helps guide him through a porno world he doesn't understand. In Vice Squad , Hubley, plays the Princess character who skirts the attention of a violent and murderous pimp, a scenario with not a boring moment. Mirren in Hussy plays a stripper/prostitute who has a young son and falls for a sound technician in the club where she dances. She is hampered also by her thug/bully of an ex-husband who gets out of jail and re-enters her life creating havoc. The Deuce is probably a little underwritten or would have made a better feature film. As a television series it has too many scenes that lead nowhere, lots of characters we just don't give a damn about, something other posters and critics of the show mention. Gyllenhaal's sex scenes are the most graphic which gives her the strongest of the prostitute roles. Once again her role is similar to Hubley's in Vice Squad, Hubley is hooking and putting up with the prostitution to take care of her daughter, Gyllenhall is doing the same to raise a son.
