I really enjoyed the first season of "The Deuce" and felt that it was comparable to "The Wire" in terms of its sprawling multi character plot, adult storylines and grim subject matter. I'm happy to say that despite a slight refocus from prostitution towards the porn industry, the quality of the show remains the same.
Maggie Gyllenhaal's Eileen is now a fully-fledged Porn director, but her desires to increase the artiness of her films conflicts with both her produces intentions and the budgets available. Porn has also offered a couple of girls, in particularly Lori (Emily Meade) a route off the streets and dreams of a possible future in the Los Angeles scene. Back in the Deuce, though the bars and clubs are doing well, the parlours are starting to suffer - both from opposing organised crime families and, more ominously, the increasing desire for urban regeneration.
In my review of season one I compared "The Deuce" favourably with Simon's previous classic series "The Wire", I think the comparison still stands in terms of quality. The recreation of 70's New York remains solid; whilst performances, dialogue and story all great. If I have a criticism of this season, occasionally a storyline or relationship appears to reach a certain point, only for us to re-join it in the next episode and they carry on as if it didn't happen. To be more specific, there were a couple of times where the relationship between Abby (Margarita Levieva) and Vincent (James Franco) appears to end in a fight, only for it to be continuing in the next episode without us seeing the reconciliation. I'd understand an argument that it's implied, and you don't need to actually see it, but it still feels a little jarring.
Other than that relatively minor complaint, the second season of "The Deuce" is still a great piece of television. Thrilling and entertaining. Tense and Funny. I'm hoping that the third, and apparently final, season shifts the focus a little more to the developers, as I'm sure that will prove to be an even shadier business than the sex trade.