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Clarke Peters in "Treme"
courtesy of HBO
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“Treme” (HBO)
HBO has a new show that is garnering great critical praise. It is titled “Treme” and it is the creation of David Simon and Eric Overmyer. The show is set in New Orleans in 2005, just a few months after the devastation of New Orleans by Hurricane Katrina. The lives of a variety of characters are explored but over it all hangs the music of the city and its impact on the indigenous population.
The central player in this show appears to be Antoine (Wendell Pierce). He is an itinerant musician who is looking for the way life used to be. He has an ex-wife LaDonna (Khandi Alexander) and a new lover. He also plays a mean trombone.
LaDonna runs a bar in the Treme section of New Orleans. She also spends time looking for her brother David who disappeared in the storm. Since the hurricane struck they have not heard from him. LaDonna has enlisted Toni Bernette (Melissa Leo), an attorney, to look for him.
Toni is married to Creighton (John Goodman), a Tulane professor who spends his time laying blame for the flooding at the feet of the government. He can’t get anyone to listen to him and this frustrates him no end.
Then there is Dave (Steve Zahn), a man who claims to be a musician but is really a disc jockey. Dave is one of the most annoying characters in this show. He is like an insect that flits around your face and won’t go away. Dave’s sometimes girlfriend is Janette (Kim Dickens), a woman who owns her own restaurant and is desperately trying to make a go of it. Why Janette wastes her time with Dave is not explained.
This series is chock full of characters but so far not one of them has been involved in anything remotely interesting. The audience watches the goings and comings of all these people and nothing happens, except for the music which is distinct.
Something big better happen soon or the audience that tuned in out of curiosity is going to be gone. Listening to the music of New Orleans is not enough reason to watch for an entire hour the lives of people who are just dull.
There is too much talent involved for this show not to improve. It needs something exciting to invigorate it all. Seeing people cope and survive is an admirable presentation but it all begins to look the same after a few episodes. The story of Katrina is surely more interesting than this, so here’s hoping it gets better with more episodes.
“Treme” airs at 10PM, Sunday nights on HBO. It also repeats during the week so check your local listings. |
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©2010 Jackie K. Cooper |
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