Treme Series Review

Treme (2010-2013)

Season 1 - 10 episodes (2010)
Season 2 - 11 episodes (2011)
Season 3 - 10 episodes (2012)
Season 4 - 5 episodes (2013)
Rent Treme on Amazon Video (paid link)
Created by: Eric Ellis Overmyer, David Simon
Starring: Khandi Alexander, Rob Brown, Kim Dickens, Melissa Leo, Lucia Micarelli, Clarke Peters, Wendell Pierce, Steve Zahn, Michiel Huisman, India Ennenga, Phyllis Montana LeBlanc, David Morse
Rated: TV-MA
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Plot
Residents of New Orleans try to rebuild their lives, homes, and unique culture in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Verdict
The city is a character as much as any of the actors. We're introduced to residents of New Orleans that stayed through or returned after Katrina who now struggle to survive and rebuild. We see their failures and triumphs amidst institutional hurdles. It's fitting that we never see the politicians and legislators that control the money to rebuild. It highlights the disconnect between those in charge and the residents who call the area home. The setting adds a lot of style. While the city never returns to the glory the characters remember, most of them finally mange to find some amount of peace.
Watch It.

Review
Creator David Simon is best known for Homicide: Life on the Street (1993) and The Wire (2002). The structure of this show shares a lot with The Wire, a serialized story with a lot of depth that's character focused. It also shares more than a few actors.

Treme was never a commercial success, and that's why the final season had so few episodes. HBO provided enough capital for a final chapter but not a full season.

Season 1
New Orleans is a city with a unique culture, but it's been devastated by a hurricane. Treme is the neighborhood where most of the characters cross paths. We're introduced to several character that begin to create the fabric of the neighborhood. Antoine Batiste (Wendell Pierce) is a struggling trombonist always looking for his next gig. Tulane English professor Creighton Bernette (John Goodman) is quick to point out that it's criminal neglect the levies failed. Albert "Big Chief" Lambreaux (Clarke Peters) returns to a home in shambles. He's a Mardi Gras Indian chief.

S1E10: Khandi Alexander, Wendell Pierce play LaDonna Batiste-Williams, Antoine Batiste

From the start, all of these characters are engaging; fighting to rebuild their homes, lives, and city. Radio DJ and musician Davis McAlary (Steve Zahn) loves the city, but he's fired for his on-air antics and forced to get a job at a hotel. Likewise Creighton is fired as the University is cutting entire programs to make budget. Albert gets work repairing houses, finding out that the project housing is unharmed but boarded up which prevents people from returning. Janette Desautel (Kim Dickens) struggles to keep her restaurant open while waiting for an insurance payment.

In an attempt to fix the city Davis runs for city council on a comedic platform of pot for pot holes among other things, while Creighton protests the treatment of the neighborhood to bring awareness. His wife Toni (Melissa Leo) is a lawyer that searches for an inmate, LaDonna's (Khandi Alexander) brother, for most of the season. The police lost him, and they're in no hurry to admit the mistake or find him. It's a blight against the city. Albert eventually breaks into the projects to prove a point.

S1E3: Steve Zahn, Melissa Leo play Davis McAlary, Toni Bernette

I can't say I know what New Orleans culture is like, but this at least feels authentic. David Simon called this show a love letter to the city, so there may be a fair bit of nostalgia to the portrayal. We see this city through the perspectives of multiple characters. Their stories are powerful. They love the city, and just want it returned to the former glory.

The final episode provides a nice coda. We see the characters the day before Katrina hit. It's a nice way to end the season. Some run while others prepare to weather the storm, thinking it won't be that bad. I really like this show. At times it feels like a documentary. My favorite part is that it's driven by characters. They're just trying their best. 

Season 2

S2 Title Card

Janette gave up on her restaurant and moved to New York, working under a ridiculously demanding chef. She quits her job in spectacular fashion. Toni is still trying to help people in the community, getting some aid from Colson (David Morse). He's a cop trying to fix a broken system. Antoine tries to start a band but ends up working part time as a band teacher. Davis also attempts to start a band. One of the major links between these characters is their hope that the city can return to greatness.

With people returning to the city crime increases, and LaDonna is attacked. Developers also enter the city looking to capitalize. That's highlighted by Nelson Hildalgo (Jon Seda). His cousin does the work and he "sets up" the job without doing anything. That eventually escalates to the city paying them to remediate and then tear down the same houses. Their doing 'as ordered' but it's a disservice to the city and a waste of money.

S1E3: Michiel Huisman, Lucia Micarelli play Sonny, Annie Talarico

This season doesn't feel as busy, but maybe that's because I'm not trying to learn the characters. Sonny (Michiel Huisman) and Annie (Lucia Micarelli) started the show playing music in the streets. She wants to work with other musicians, and he doesn't like that. Along with other events, their relationship grows rocky.

Colson was transferred to homicide with his boss's figuring he'd either root out corruption in the unit or the unit will find a way to bounce him with the digging he's doing. The problem is that he's good police.

S2E3: Kim Dickens, Clarke Peters play Janette Desautel, Albert "Big Chief" Lambreaux

Towards the end of the season Davis is starting to lose his band. He had the idea but not the talent. Nelson has been taking advantage with every step, and he might be facing jail time when one of his cronies is arrested. He was buying houses on speculation knowing the area was going to get rezoned. He's making deals and getting paid while the city crumbles around him.

Through the characters the series explores institutional failings. It's a lot like The Wire, but what this is missing is the tension between criminals and police. That adds a level of excitement this show can't quite match.

Season 3 

S3 Title Card

It might be one of my favorite story lines, Antoine becomes quite the teacher. Also Annie is getting interest for a record contract, and Janette gets her own restaurant after a lot of funding from a developer. I like seeing successes for the characters.

Reporter L.P. Everett (Chris Coy) comes down to write a report on crime during Katrina. He soon teams up with Toni who goes after a cop directly in the quest for answers. That soon turns into cops trying to intimidate Toni, L.P., and Toni's daughter.

S3E5: Jon Seda plays Nelson Higalgo

I would love for this to dig into Nelson and how that branches. Money is being mismanaged and lining the pockets of developers, but that plot is relegated to a side story. This season isn't as engrossing, and maybe that's because there isn't an overall goal. So many of these characters were struggling. Now that they find success, what happens next?

The shortcomings of the police and a potential coverup is a big story. Toni is tired of complacency, but her efforts have consequences. Colson tries to help her, but he's limited. He's the only cop we see that wants to make things right, and that just makes his job more difficult as he's pushed out. Other cops in his unit are openly trying to falsely incriminate him. Toni finally gets someone on the record for a police involved shooting, but how far will that go when the odds are against her and the cops stick together? The cops follow the people exposing crimes instead of trying to make things right. In a parallel story, LaDonna has her bar burned down as an act of intimidation when she agrees to testify.

S3E9: David Morse plays Terry Colson

This is a show where you care about the characters and their plights. Unfortunately with Janette and Annie's success they must cede control which neither like. As much as the characters want to see the city rebuilt, that's just not happening.

Season 4

S4 Title Card

The season starts with the election of President Obama. Unfortunately New Orleans isn't making the same progress. Albert is sick, but surprisingly he and LaDonna are an item. Janette left her restaurant, but by contract she can't use her name on her next restaurant. Nelson has returned to Houston once the faucet of free money ran out.

We see a city and a people trying to rebuild with others coming in to capitalize. Nelson wants to do right, but he's not opposed to making money. Politics dictates what happens so he just plays the game. Janette had a developer wanting to capitalize on her name and food, eventually pushing her out. Annie faces a similar struggle. Success seems to mean losing what brought you that acclaim. Albert has fought to maintain tradition, with his son Delmon (Rob Young) living in the two words of New York and New Orleans while trying to take care of his ailing father.

Antoine finally found a way to give back to the community and get a paycheck. Davis was always about the neighborhood, but that meant limited and fleeting successes. Nelson manages to get Janette her name back, promising the developer "100% of nothing." He admits to Janette that despite all the money he made, he never built anything. That's the disconnect, the people spending money to rebuild are never seen. They aren't plugged in to the needs. They throw money at the problem, and that money doesn't make it all the way down. Houses that could be kept are torn down. Houses that are remediated are also torn down. It's a scatter shot approach that yields middling results.

It's a show about the ups and downs of the cast of characters. Despite their hopes for the city, they don't see it pan out. Politics and bureaucratic red tape always seem to get in the way. This is a series that brings the city to life and will further your appreciation for jazz.