Treme: ‘Do You Know What It Means’

I remember back in 2005 studying A Streetcar Named Desire and being absolutely fascinated and drawn in by the picture of New Orleans that Tennessee Williams painted – a hot humid melting pot of cultures, languages and cuisine which brought out the most passionate emotions in its protagonists. It made me desperate to visit, even though that summer’s tragic onslaught of Hurricane Katrina destroyed the livelihoods and homes of so many locals. I would still love to go one day, but until then I’m pretty sure Treme will keep me satisfied.

Treme (pronounced ‘Tre-may’) is one of the oldest and most historic neighbourhoods of New Orleans, being the breeding ground for much of the Creole and African American culture the city has become famous for in the last century. So its first scene is almost reassuring when, a mere three months after Hurricane Katrina, a brass band “second-line” street parade joyfully marches through the streets, gaining revellers on the way like a happy music video. It’s clear that a catastrophic storm isn’t enough to silence the wild sounds and spirit of the Big Easy.

But this is David Simon and Eric Overmyer, respectively creator and producer of The Wire, and while hope isn’t an emotion to be underestimated, it’s not what they want to wrestle with here. Treme places a magnifying glass on the flaws of American society, government, the legal system and the chaos they can leave untouched, focusing on the crisis left over by the hurricane through everyday lives.

The diverse roster of characters we’re introduced to in the first episode are linked to each other in an assortment of ways: Davis McAlary (Steve Zahn) is a DJ and musician, paired with girlfriend Janette (Kim Dickens) who is managing a restaurant. He’s friends with trombonist Antoine Batiste (The Wire’s Wendell Pierce) who is married to LaDonna (CSI: Miami’s Khandi Alexander), a bar owner whose brother’s been missing since the disaster. She employs the services of Toni (The Fighter’s Melissa Leo) to investigate, an attorney married to Professor Creighton Bernette (John Goodman), a fiercely proud New Orleanian speaking out to the media at the inadequacy of the city infrastructure that caused the damage to be as extreme as it was. Perhaps most intriguing is Albert Lambreaux (fellow The Wire alumnus Clarke Peters), a Mardi Gras Indian chief whose home is destroyed and is trying to reawaken community spirit (The Wire fans may indeed get a kick seeing Lester Freamon in full Indian tribal chief gear).

Perhaps the most important “character” is the music, which plays a central role in setting the scene. Whether in a club, in the home, on the street or at a funeral (all in the pilot alone), the distinctive brassy sound lifts you right out of your living room and into this foreign neighbourhood, showing just how important music is in this town. It’s also worth noting that Elvis Costello made a guest appearance in the first episode, with many more local and global musicians poised to guest star in future episodes – this may well make Treme a television platform for home-grown talent.

Like The Wire, Treme asks for your undivided attention and concentration to follow the dialogue and plot developments – it’s a full hour of TV which you need to be invested in for it to pay off. But the world it offers insight into comes across as so authentic and engaging, that it’s hard to do anything but follow it moment for moment. If you’re looking for a fantastic scripted drama that rings true and connects you to a rich world you may not be familiar with, look no further than Treme.

Treme airs on Fridays at 10.15pm on Sky Atlantic. If you missed the first episode you can catch it on Tuesday night at 11pm.

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