10 Best New TV Shows Of 2017
3. The Deuce
David Simon is one of the greatest TV writers of the 21st Century, having delivered the likes of Treme, Show Me A Hero, and some little show called The Wire for HBO, and he returned in 2017 to once again make a ferocious work of art out of some unlikely source material.
Teaming up once more with regular collaborator George Pelecanos, Simon's latest effort takes place in 1970s New York amidst the legalisation and rise of the porn industry. The show's central characters are twin brothers Vincent and Frankie Martino (both played by James Franco), one of whom is a hard-working, earnest bartender who wants to do better in life, the other a deadbeat whose gambling frequently causes trouble for himself and his brother. Alongside these two are Maggie Gyllenhaal's Candy, a sex worker around Times Square who is unique in not having a pimp.
It's in these, and the many supporting characters (filled by familiar faces from The Wire, Treme and so on) that Simon displays one of his greatest gifts: to craft individuals who feel like real people, rather than characters, and yet simultaneously engross you in their lives. This is helped by some strong performances, with Franco on top-form in making both brothers feel like different people without relying on gimmicks.
It's yet another great showcase for Simon's tacking of societal issues and offering a real critique, this time turning his gaze to the porn industry, sex workers, and the way people view others in desperate, dire situations. Within this he finds a wonderful sense of humanity without trading off on the grittiness of his previous works, and with Michelle MacLaren leading the way behind the camera the show looks great, with an incredibly detailed recreation of 70s New York: it ain't pretty, but it is stunning.