"The Deuce" - HBO Series with James Franco and Maggie Gyllenhaal

Discussion in 'Visual Arts' started by Tone, Jul 17, 2017.

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  1. sberger

    sberger Dream Baby Dream

    The majority of the episodes take place in working class bars, with prostitutes/pimps and drug addicts. Smoking was absolutely part of the scene. Everybody I knew back then smoked, and if they drank/ did drugs, they usually chain smoked. At my worst I easily went through nearly 2 packs/day.
     
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  2. ralphb

    ralphb "First they came for..."

    Location:
    Brooklyn, New York
    There were a lot of late nights where I hit 3 packs for the day easily.
     
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  3. sberger

    sberger Dream Baby Dream

    Up until the late 80's in my life smoking was a regular thing. Even when working in corporate America in Boston, so many of us smoked in our offices. It wasn't until I came out to San Francisco in 93 that I finally started to see that type of behavior dry up some, although SF was right on par with NYC/Boston when it came to smoking in bars. My wife dealt with my coming home from work loaded, but she hated the smell of smoke on me. Nowadays, I can't tolerate it when I'm around it.
     
  4. I've enjoyed the first two episodes for the most part. Weakest link for me is Franco playing two parts. I like his acting half the time but not much in this show as the gimmick keeps taking me out of the story when they are in the same scene.

    Two separate actors would have been better imho.
     
  5. It's much better than vinyl but it is ugly at times. How can it not be based on the time, place and subject matter.

    Knowing you, you may not like it. But try it.
     
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  6. chacha

    chacha Forum Resident In Memoriam

    Location:
    mill valley CA USA
    I love Maggie so that's what interests me. I'll give it a shot.
    :love:
     
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  7. rednoise

    rednoise Senior Member

    Location:
    Boston
    Interesting! I though it was just me! I also noticed bad sound in this particular episode. I also noticed that the soundtrack sounded like, if not mono, very collapsed stereo, and no rear-channel sound either. I think there was some technical snafu with the broadcast audio. Sound quality like that wouldn't be desirable.
     
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  8. Splungeworthy

    Splungeworthy Forum Rezidentura

    I'm really liking this show, but closed captioning is a must. I'm not sure why the showrunners decided to muddy up the sound, but I'm used to watching with CC so as long as that's working I'm OK (had to do the same with The Wire). The music for this show is killer. I'm a big Francophile, so having him dominate every scene is alright with me. I'm not usually a fan of Maggie Gyllenhaal, but she's doing a great job with this role. It seemed funny at first how beneficent the pimps were, but that changed quick. It took me a minute to realize we were seeing Ralph Macchio (he's one of the cops)-that's inspired casting.
     
  9. beccabear67

    beccabear67 Musical omnivore.

    Location:
    Victoria, Canada
    I'm not a fan of realistic sound either. There seems to be some kind of following in the industry for the idea unfortunately so you get whisper level dialogue with explosion level explosions. :shake:

    I remember a series from England WPC 56 where the sound on series one was sharp and you could hear everything said, and then series two, same company and presumably same people, terrible muddy sounding dialogue buried behind other things. It's kind of like a website festooned in all kinds of junk that loads badly and is not easy to navigate versus a plainer one that gets you where and what you want... it's called 'keep it simple stoopid', and a show could herald the second coming of Preston Sturges and nobody will know if they can't follow what's being said. If I want absolute reality and verisimilitude what would be I be turning on the television for? :wtf:
     
  10. Brenald79

    Brenald79 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Canada
    Cc wasn't available. I always use it otherwise. I've tried watching ep2 twice this week late at night and lasted about 20 min due to not understanding the dialogue and losing focus. I'll make a pot of coffee and try again in the morning.
     
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  11. Jimmy B.

    Jimmy B. isolation can harm you terribly

    That's what got me watching; I saw a photo for the show, of her in the wig, and went WOW, who's that? So I checked it out. (I think the only thing I'd seen her in was Cecil B. Demented a million years ago, at least after looking over imdb)

    I thought the first episode was really slow for a good while, it was overly long but not bad. It took me three times to get through it.
    I saw the second episode, and it also took me two times to get through it.
    I think it's okay. It's fairly interesting. I'll watch a third one gladly. I just hope it gets better - I hope it doesn't get worse.
     
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  12. vince

    vince Stan Ricker's son-in-law

    Speaking of the third one:
    MAN, when she gets rejected by the 'fake-film-maker', and she's got that look of 'disappointment-to-the-point-of-crying' (God, I know THAT feeling!), I could FEEL it!
    What an actor!!
     
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  13. Chazro

    Chazro Forum Resident

    Location:
    West Palm Bch, Fl.
    Franco's growing on me. I thought the 3rd episode to be the best one so far, and I think Franco had a lot to do with that. The whole 'twins' thing finally came together where as before it felt like an unnecessary gimmick. I agree, Gyllynhaal's a force of nature, the best actor in an ensemble of great actors!
     
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  14. Chazro

    Chazro Forum Resident

    Location:
    West Palm Bch, Fl.
    So I'm curious, did you guys have problems with the audio again? 'Cause I don't even think about it until I come here!;) Seriously, I heard every word loud and clear. Go figure.
     
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  15. jjhunsecker

    jjhunsecker Senior Member

    Location:
    New York city
    Last night's episode was much better in terms of the audio mix, as compared to episode 2
     
  16. jjhunsecker

    jjhunsecker Senior Member

    Location:
    New York city
    Her performance has been a revelation so far. I hadn't seen that much of work before...I recall that movie wih Jeff Bridges as the country music star (I believe she was nominated for an Oscar for that )
     
  17. vince

    vince Stan Ricker's son-in-law

    I saw lest week's episode again, before the new one started.
    I 'got' everything that was said this time.
     
  18. Franco directed EP 3
     
  19. Jimmy B.

    Jimmy B. isolation can harm you terribly

    Thanks, I haven't SEEN IT YET!!!!!!!!!!! :realmad:
    YOU JUST WRECKED A SHOW FOR ME!!!!!!!!
     
  20. Chazro

    Chazro Forum Resident

    Location:
    West Palm Bch, Fl.
    For years I've seen these kinds of comments all over social media. And for years, I've never understood why ANYBODY would got to a thread, the day after a new episode or after a movie premier, if they haven't seen it. The kicker is when they actually express a negative reaction to comments (spoilers), as if everyone else that's seen it should stay quiet. Makes no sense. Know what makes sense? Don't go to a thread if you haven't seen the latest episode!
     
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  21. Agree. A thread about a movie or TV NEEDS to discuss what's happened.
     
  22. rednoise

    rednoise Senior Member

    Location:
    Boston
    Still, it's polite to give a spoiler alert, and this board has a built-in way to hide a spoiler.

    In my case, spoilers don't usually spoil things for me, unless it's a critical plot point. Otherwise I find it easy to pretend I never heard it.
     
  23. I get your comment. but I see it as an open discussion without having to click through on a spoiler button.. I know you are not alone with this opinion though.

    I DVR lots of series and sometimes binge watch two or three episodes in a row so if I am not caught up on a series I just stay out of that thread. Then once I watch, I jump in.

    But i do understand that folks want to know if people think its good or bad. I would juts rather check it out for myself.
     
  24. medium Rob

    medium Rob Forum Resident

    Location:
    East Virginia
    Method Man is a bit more subtle/toned down in this, compared to his character (CHEESE) in The Wire - it's a good thing. The Big Mike character looked really familiar, looks like he'll be Vincent's new bouncer.. things seem to be setting up nicely for a solid series. I don't quite understand the scheme that Vincent, Frank, and their father have going on at the dad's workplace - can somebody explain that?
     
  25. vince

    vince Stan Ricker's son-in-law

    Are you talking about their brother-in-law?
    If you are, they're doing an 'under-the-table ,check-cashing' for all the employees, so they don't have to wait for Monday to cash their checks.
     
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