It took me a while to find this show, so I am a little late to the party, but THE TREME exemplifies top quality drama and acting at its best.
THE PREMISE - It's a slow burner, in many ways reminiscent of the late Robert Altmans short cuts, depicting the lives of several characters living in Post-Katrina New Orleans. Set largely around people who inhabit (or did Inhabit) the Music and 9th quarters, we follow the lives of several ordinary folk, many of whom are part of the cities vibrant Jazz scene, each with their own definition and opinion's as to what makes their music great and what makes great music. The lives of these characters weave through the debris of the post Katrina narrative, exploring many of the social and financial issues the characters face while attempting to try and re-buld their lives and de-facto their city in a country that all too quickly forgot its obligations to its people. The stories combine with nuermous music interludes in the forms of street concerts, festivals, gigs in bars, and gigs on the corners, as well as the obligatory mardi gras. Although an appreciation of this genre of music is not required to enjoy the series, it certainly bodes well to embrace it as the characters do.
CHARACTERS & CAST - As you would expect, the characters and casting here are first rate, mostly consisting of a number of working class folk trying to make ends meet, while still holding out hope of reaching greater hieghts of ambitions. Among the too many to mention are MELISSA LEO, as Toni a lawyer fight for the forgotten causes, KIM DICKENS as a talented sou chef, who can no longer afford to keep her restaurant open and by season 2 employs her talents elsewhere. WENDELL PIERCE and CALRKE PETERS, play two very different musicians, one former with a stronger interest in pussy and booze, the latter more concerned with keeping up traditions and re-building the community. A past association with both men, comes from KHANDI ALEXANDER giving the performance of a life time as La Donna, a woman whose klds are all grown up and whose brother got arrested during the storm and lost in the system. (She is by far my favourite character in the show) LUCIA MICARELLI as Annie, a violinist way more talented than she knows, STEVE ZAHN as Davis, a musician with black tunes flowing through his veins. (Great actor but his character has the weakest arc of all) added to these are several stand out supporting cast members including PHYLLIS MONTANA LeBLANC, EDWINA FINDLEY DICKERSON (Both of whom just get better every time we see them) the king of the understated performance DAVID MORSE (Season 2) VENDIA EVANS and so the list goes on. All the casting from top to bottom is just an incredible pool of talent in this show with rarely the weak performance among the lot.
PRODUCTION - Shot partly in the wake of Katrina, the show makes the use of realistic New Orleans locations and makes a big statement about gentrification just by virtue of its choices of filming locations. The ability of the production to shoot where it happened combined with superb recreations of the tight bars of New Orleans make for the most realistic depiction of the city and its culture that you will ever see on your television screeens. After watching this there is no question, you will feel like you have visited the city.
OVERALL - Treme is just an incredible show. Listen, I am not even into Jazz Music, but it's the plight of the characters and the story of a city left to rot by its succession of Presidents that really endears you to the show. If the music sequences are not to your liking there is still plenty to enjoy here from the vsiceral depiction of a wounded city, the performances and arcs of the many interesting characters. I highly recommend it.
THE PREMISE - It's a slow burner, in many ways reminiscent of the late Robert Altmans short cuts, depicting the lives of several characters living in Post-Katrina New Orleans. Set largely around people who inhabit (or did Inhabit) the Music and 9th quarters, we follow the lives of several ordinary folk, many of whom are part of the cities vibrant Jazz scene, each with their own definition and opinion's as to what makes their music great and what makes great music. The lives of these characters weave through the debris of the post Katrina narrative, exploring many of the social and financial issues the characters face while attempting to try and re-buld their lives and de-facto their city in a country that all too quickly forgot its obligations to its people. The stories combine with nuermous music interludes in the forms of street concerts, festivals, gigs in bars, and gigs on the corners, as well as the obligatory mardi gras. Although an appreciation of this genre of music is not required to enjoy the series, it certainly bodes well to embrace it as the characters do.
CHARACTERS & CAST - As you would expect, the characters and casting here are first rate, mostly consisting of a number of working class folk trying to make ends meet, while still holding out hope of reaching greater hieghts of ambitions. Among the too many to mention are MELISSA LEO, as Toni a lawyer fight for the forgotten causes, KIM DICKENS as a talented sou chef, who can no longer afford to keep her restaurant open and by season 2 employs her talents elsewhere. WENDELL PIERCE and CALRKE PETERS, play two very different musicians, one former with a stronger interest in pussy and booze, the latter more concerned with keeping up traditions and re-building the community. A past association with both men, comes from KHANDI ALEXANDER giving the performance of a life time as La Donna, a woman whose klds are all grown up and whose brother got arrested during the storm and lost in the system. (She is by far my favourite character in the show) LUCIA MICARELLI as Annie, a violinist way more talented than she knows, STEVE ZAHN as Davis, a musician with black tunes flowing through his veins. (Great actor but his character has the weakest arc of all) added to these are several stand out supporting cast members including PHYLLIS MONTANA LeBLANC, EDWINA FINDLEY DICKERSON (Both of whom just get better every time we see them) the king of the understated performance DAVID MORSE (Season 2) VENDIA EVANS and so the list goes on. All the casting from top to bottom is just an incredible pool of talent in this show with rarely the weak performance among the lot.
PRODUCTION - Shot partly in the wake of Katrina, the show makes the use of realistic New Orleans locations and makes a big statement about gentrification just by virtue of its choices of filming locations. The ability of the production to shoot where it happened combined with superb recreations of the tight bars of New Orleans make for the most realistic depiction of the city and its culture that you will ever see on your television screeens. After watching this there is no question, you will feel like you have visited the city.
OVERALL - Treme is just an incredible show. Listen, I am not even into Jazz Music, but it's the plight of the characters and the story of a city left to rot by its succession of Presidents that really endears you to the show. If the music sequences are not to your liking there is still plenty to enjoy here from the vsiceral depiction of a wounded city, the performances and arcs of the many interesting characters. I highly recommend it.