TV Review: Treme (Season 2)

Treme’s second season is a meandering masterpiece, a deep exploration of musical culture and a scathing commentary on the social and political state of New Orleans. Fourteen months after Katrina, Treme returns to New Orleans in the same state it left it at the end of season one, teetering on the fence between hope and hopelessness, looking for the silver lining while fighting the powers that be – not to mention each other.

Some things have improved – LaDonna (Khandi Alexander) has a nice roof on her bar, and Delmond (Rob Brown) is enjoying the successes, however modest they may be – of his new jazz album. Other things haven’t – Charity Hospital remains closed, and corruption still seems to be the name of the game in City Hall. But no matter how dark the city becomes (and with crime coming back with a vengeance, things are getting darker), even those that manage to leave New Orleans for better things, like Delmond and Jannette (Kim Dickens), still feel the heartbeat of the city in everything they do.

It makes for a compelling contrast – not to mention fantastic television. New Orleans is a city capable of both beauty and tragedy, and creator/writer David Simon and company have tightened up some of the loose story arcs from the first season. There were times in the first series where characters acted too much as voice pieces for whats bad in the city – most noticeably Creighton, whose disturbing story is almost ruined last season by his heavy-handed dialogue. Instead, Treme lets the ugly moments speak for themselves in the same light they do the wonderful: quietly and respectfully.

That alone makes Treme hard to swallow for the average television watcher. This isn’t a show filled with dramatic music, driven by dramatic moments and mind-numbingly obvious scripts. In fact, it’s quite the opposite, which makes it even harder to watch sometimes. It’s like a visual novel; sometimes its metaphors and points are stated so subtly and during such unexpected moments you might miss it. But it’s also the beauty of the show, because the atmosphere and writing is so captivating, I dare you not to dance when you see the Second Line march through the 7^th ward.

This isn’t to say Treme is perfect; sometimes it is so loose with the story lines, plot arcs begin and finish without much noise at all. In particular, this season’s political storyline is weaker than last season’s, and concludes in a way even I felt was unsatisfying, considering the screen time dedicated to it. Also, with a lot of authentic musicians and inhabitants of New Orleans featured in the cast, there are times when Treme’s acting leaves a bit to be desired – although this is also noticeable in the New York scenes of the show (fun little fact: the cooking scenes of this season were written by none other than the outspoken and wonderfully bitter Anthony Bourdain), where its obvious famous chefs don’t have time to taking acting classes.

But how bad can a show be, when its flaws are only exposed through nitpicking? Like I said before, Treme is not a show for everyone. It’s for the musicians, the lovers, the thinkers, and most of all, the people of New Orleans. I mean, what other show could dedicate an entire episode to Mardi Gras celebrations and still make it original and compelling? If you haven’t watched Treme, you need to, not only as a reminder of institutional evil and other darkness of the world, but as a celebration of what makes this country beautiful: home-grown music, home-grown food, and people whose passion for their culture far exceeds the institutional idiocy that threatens to destroy it. It’s a slow, somber tune, best exemplified in its saddest moments. Because even during a funeral, there are moments to dance. That’s how New Orleans sees life, and Simon and co. have captured it in a bottle.

Overall: A

Plot: B

Characters: A+

Production Values: A+