Ep 5. All You'll Be Eating is Cannibals

In episode 5 of The Deuce season 2 titled "All You'll Be Eating is Cannibals", the New York pornography industry of the late 1970s is explored even further. The episode opens with Lori (Emily Meade) performing a sex scene with a male actor. However, she seems distracted and uninterested in the act. She later confides to Candy (Maggie Gyllenhaal) that she's unhappy with the work she's doing and wants to pursue more serious acting roles. Candy, who is also trying to branch out from the porn industry, advises Lori to talk to her agent about finding other auditions.

Meanwhile, Vincent (James Franco) is continuing to feel the pressure from the mob as they demand a cut of his profits. His brother Frankie (also played by James Franco) suggests he get a loan from the bank to pay off the mobsters, but Vincent is hesitant to get in deeper with the banks. He also meets with Abby (Margarita Levieva), who has been working on a high-end restaurant project with him. She suggests they add a disco to the restaurant and Vincent begins to see the potential in the idea.

Elsewhere, Darlene (Dominique Fishback) is dealing with the aftermath of a violent John. She turns to Larry (Gbenga Akinnagbe), who tries to comfort her, but is ultimately unable to provide her with the support she needs. She then confides in Ruby (Pernell Walker), who advises her to take a break from the streets and stop working for a while.

As the episode continues, we see a number of characters encountering financial struggles. Candy is still working on making her movie, but is running out of money. She convinces Harvey (David Krumholtz) to give her more funding, but he wants to use the money to invest in a new porn project. Candy is hesitant to take his offer but is ultimately forced to make a decision about her future in the industry.

Meanwhile, CC (Gary Carr) is still working on setting up his prostitution ring. He has been grooming a new girl named Lori Madison (Larysa and Odessa Young), who is young and naive. He plans to sell her as a virgin to a wealthy client for a large sum of money. As he tries to set up the deal, he encounters pushback from the girl's parents, who are hesitant about the transaction.

Overall, "All You'll Be Eating is Cannibals" is a compelling and multi-layered episode of The Deuce. It explores the various struggles of its characters, as well as the ongoing evolution of the porn industry during this time period. With strong performances and a well-crafted script, this episode is a standout in an already excellent second season.