Ep 3. The Principle is All

Set in the 1970s, The Deuce follows the lives of various characters involved in the sex industry in New York City. In season 1 episode 3, titled "The Principle is All," the tension between the pimps and prostitutes continues to escalate as Candy, one of the women working the streets, is threatened by her pimp. Meanwhile, Vincent, a bartender turned manager of a mob-owned bar and his twin brother Frankie, continue to be caught up in the criminal underworld.

The episode begins with Candy (Maggie Gyllenhaal) trying to negotiate a deal with a john, but her pimp, Rodney (Clint Dyer), interferes and demands more money. Candy tries to stand up for herself, but Rodney threatens her with violence, leaving her in a state of panic. Later, she meets with another prostitute, Ruby (Pernell Walker), who suggests that they work together to ditch their pimps and work independently. Ruby tells Candy that she has to start looking out for herself and that the "principle is all."

Meanwhile, Vincent (James Franco) is dealing with the fallout from his brother Frankie's (also played by Franco) bad decisions. Frankie has gotten involved in a poker game with some mobsters and has lost a significant amount of money. Vincent is forced to come up with a plan to pay off the debt, leading him to consider going back into the bar business. He meets with a loan shark, who agrees to lend him the money, but with high-interest rates and a short amount of time to pay it back.

As Vincent deals with his financial troubles, he also has to navigate his complicated personal life. He's been having an affair with Abby (Margarita Levieva), a college student who frequents his bar, but he's starting to feel unsure about their relationship. He confides in his ex-wife, Andrea (Zoe Kazan), about his feelings, but she's not interested in rekindling their relationship and advises him to break things off with Abby.

With tensions rising among the prostitutes and pimps, the police start cracking down on the sex industry. Officer Alston (Lawrence Gilliard Jr.) is tasked with enforcing the new laws and ends up making some surprising discoveries. He finds out that one of the prostitutes he's been policing is actually a college student working as a part-time gig to pay for her tuition. Alston also witnesses Candy get assaulted by an angry john and decides to take matters into his own hands.

Overall, "The Principle is All" is a tense and dramatic episode that highlights the power struggles within the sex industry and the criminal underworld. Candy's storyline is particularly compelling as she tries to stand up for herself and find a way out of her dangerous situation. Meanwhile, Vincent's struggles with his personal and financial problems add depth to his character and help to move the plot forward. As The Deuce continues to delve into the gritty world of 1970s New York, it will be interesting to see how these complex characters continue to navigate their challenging environments.