Co-created by The Wire alums David Simon and George Pelecanos, The Deuce focuses on the era when Times Square in New York City was the hotbed for pornographic activity in America.

While the Internet has made explicit images more readily available than ever before, the 1970s and 1980s were a time when the sex industry was quite taboo and peep shows still reigned supreme in a area now widely regarded as a tourist hotbed despite its seedy past.

Starring James Franco — in a dual role as both Vincent and Frankie Martino — and Maggie Gyllenhaal, The Deuce premieres on HBO on September 10.