We are lucky to live in world in which someone likeDavid Simongets to make television, and so it’s with a serious degree of anticipation that we await theThe WireandTremecreator’s next series. While Simon’s post-Tremeproject was finally getting his miniseriesShow Me a Herooff the ground, he’s now hard at work on the pilot for what could be his HBO follow-up,The Deuce. The potential drama series takes place in 1970s New York City and revolves around the early days (and rise) of the porn industry. It’s already got formidable talent involved, withJames Francoplaying a pair of twins at the center of the porn business andMaggie Gyllenhaalalso starring. Moreover, veteran directorMichelle MacLarenis at the helm of the pilot.
And now, via the first set image revealed on Simon’s Twitter, we have a miniThe Wirereunion to look forward to. See in the below photo,Method Man—who played Cheese onThe Wire—is set to appear at least in the pilot forThe Deuce.
This is exciting news, and I can’t get wait to finally see what Simon’s putting together withThe Deuce—assuming HBO picks it up to series, that is. This is ambitious territory for Simon, one in which he attempts to blend a salacious premise with his trademark whip-smart social commentary. Indeed, when we spoke with Simon previously, here’s how he described the show:
“If it works, it will not be because it’s prurient. It will not be making porn to critique porn. And it won’t work because it’s puritan and sneering at the people that were there when that industry came together after the Supreme Court made it legal. It will work because it’s a story about human beings, and it’s a critique of market capitalism. That’s the purpose of the piece. It’s a product that didn’t exist, and then it existed. What happened to the human beings that made it come to be, and what was the cost of that? If we can affect that and stay on that fence, and not be either sneering at it or indulgent in it, it will be a worthwhile piece. If we don’t, then God help us.”
Yes, please. Hopefully we hear firm word onThe Deucesometime in January, once the pilot is wrapped and edited.
