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you treme thread
Plus John Goodman, Khandi Alexander, Allen Toussaint . . . sounds like a winner. God Bless.
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http://www.cnn.com/2010/SHOWBIZ/TV/0....html?hpt=Sbin
(EW.com) -- "Treme," the new drama from the creator of "The Wire," David Simon, captures a musical culture in a way that's unlike anything that has ever been done on television or in the movies.
Set in New Orleans three months after Hurricane Katrina, "Treme" -- named after a neighborhood in the city known for its rich cultural heritage -- follows a wide array of citizens struggling to rebuild their lives.
There. I got the high praise and the obligatory just-the- facts summary out of the way. Now, then: Hoo boy, are you going to have fun watching this.
It bursts with great rhythm & blues, funk, and jazz music (bouncing covers of everything from George Clinton's ''Pumpin' It Up'' to Bobby Womack's ''It's All Over Now''). It's got superb performances from two "Wire" vets, Wendell Pierce (as devilish trombone player Antoine) and Clarke Peters (as the leader of a Mardi Gras Indian tribe).
There's also Steve Zahn, in his first TV series, playing a ditzy DJ; John Goodman as a righteous English professor; and Khandi Alexander (forget "CSI: Miami" -- this is her best work since 2000's "The Corner," another Simon project) as Ladonna, a bar owner. Add cameos by Dr. John, Elvis Costello, the genius record producer Allen Toussaint, and many lesser-known but terrific musicians as both players and actors (go get Trombone Shorty's new album, Backatown, now!), and "Treme" explodes with pleasure.
And pain. Without becoming a pious bummer, the show never lets you forget the unending tragedy in New Orleans: parents looking for missing relatives; government policies that increase red tape and anguish; and local businesses trying, heroically, to remain in a place where money, food, and electricity are in short supply. ''I just want my city back,'' moans Zahn's Davis at one point, and our hearts go out to a chef played by "Deadwood's" Kim ens, struggling to keep her small restaurant open.
There are times when Treme's large cast, overlapping dialogue, and gliding tracking shots can remind you of the film work of director Robert Altman (think "Thieves Like Us" or "McCabe & Mrs. Miller," not his condescending country-music film "Nashville"). Simon and co-creator Eric Overmyer use a variety of writers and directors while achieving a unified tone and look that gives the damp rubble of Treme a muted visual beauty. Simon has little use for subtle arguments; you know Goodman's prof is speaking the auteur's thoughts when he says the government should be ''put on trial'' for pre-and post-Katrina policies.
The artistic achievement of "Treme" is that it blends bluntness with the nuances of gorgeous music.
EW Grade: A
you treme thread
Are there any boobs in it? I like boobs.
okay. don't forget to take your ritalin today.
It was edgy, controversial, literate, and thought-provoking . . . just like elpimpo used to be.
So what did y'all think?
It's probably going to take 2-3 episodes to get into the story lines. THey have to introduce characters and unlike The Wire can't use shootings and murders as easy plot hooks. Hopefully it doesn't get soap-opera-ish, though I find it hard to believe David Simon would let that happen.
The acting and music were top notch. Kind of cool how HBO is putting links on their web site to buying the songs for each episode.
Clarke Peters was great. His character is a weird dude, but when he put on the Big Bird outfit, LMAO.
Goodman was hilarious. But curiously he's credited as a guest start, so I guess he won't be on for long. Steve Zahn and Wendell Pierce were also great.
I thought it was good. Well acted, well written, beautifully filmed. It left me wanting for the high stakes gangster/political implications of the Wire, but that show's done and I still liked this one. The Zahn character was kind of annoying, I thought.
I think it'll do well with the masses. It's a show about rebuilding the things that really matter. Right for the times.
I wanted him to throw that camera over the edge...
Steve Zahn reminded me a bit of Ziggy Sabotka at times.
That's exactly the same thought I had. He's supposed to be annoying. I suspect there will be badness happening to him as a result.
I liked Ziggy though. Obviously, we're only one episode in and it isn't a deal breaker anyway, but Ziggy did cool like serving a duck whiskey while saying, 'pace yourself now, you're drinking with the longshoremen tonight."
Zahn just stole expensive wine. He seemed like more of an asshole than a moron.
Still, good point, the character has a purpose and reason.
I really liked the first episode and agree with balli's take. I think it's going to interesting to see how much Simon brings in The Wire's systemic failure theme - there's certainly the opportunity to do so in a show about NO. But I hope they keep the focus more on the individuals - as much as The Wire's worldview was ultimately a downer - showing how various systems failed the individual, my hope is Treme focuses on the other, just as legitimate side of that coin: the individual making a difference.
No disrespect to The Wire - I think it is the best show ever produced for television. What made it so relevant on so many different levels was that it is a portrait of a particular point in the history of America. Hopefully Simon realizes that Treme has to capture a different point in our history. If he returns too much to The Wire's thematic well, it might still make for great drama, but it won't be in the Great American Show pantheon that The Wire finds itself in.
First episode: A-
Agree that Zahn's character seems like the weak link so far. Assholes abound in Simon's work, what I don't find are story crutches of selfish assholes getting what they deserve just to satisfy the viewer. That's the kind of hack writing Simon professes to hate; so I have faith that more will be revealed / Zahn's character will serve the larger story as the series progresses.
Zahn's not the Ziggy of this show.
Think back to season 1 McNulty.
Question. Is The Wire a super slow paced show?
Overall? I would say yes.
But I mean that as a compliment.
Yeah I don't necessarily think Zahn is destined to a similar fate as Ziggy. All I meant was the mannerisms were similar.
Great post. I would love to see Treme be about the ability of humanity to rebuild DESPITE the systematic failure around them...
But whatever it is, I'm sure it will be awesome.
It is not a show that you can put on and watch while you're doing something else. You have to pay attention in order to get anything out of it. Otherwise, you'll just be confused. But to me the show wasn't slow-paced; it just packed so much more detail into each hour than other shows did.
You also have to watch the episodes in order because the episodes are not self-contained stories. Think of each episode as a chapter in a book. So if you're one of those "books suck, Y R they so boring" people, then it's probably not the series for you.
No one's posted since the first episode (including myself), are people still watching?
I have a feeling that Sonny and the violin chick are going to end up being a big part of the show, but I haven't yet developed a reason to care about either of them. Other than that, however, I'm getting completely hooked.
It's growing on me. I didn't know it was a David Simon production I might have stopped watching, cause it's sometime slow going.
By far the most interesting story is Antoine's. Lambreaux (the Chief) is the most interesting character.
Everything John Goodman does is funny.
The Steve Zahn character so far has done nothing except be obnoxious.
The violin chick is . . . umm . . . interesting to watch when she plays.
Couldn't make it past half of the first episode. Slow doesn't even begin to describe this show. It was nice to look at but I need some character development and I don't want to wait around for 3 episodes to see some. Plus, Steve Zahn sucks balls.
I'm really digging the music, as much as any other aspect of the show. I watch for the story, I rewatch for the songs.
Davis (Zahn) is progressively growing on me.
It's hard for me not to refer to Albert and Antoine as Freamon and The Bunk. Not a knock on their acting, but , you spend 60+ hours watching certain actors- you can't help but typecast a bit. I agree though, two most compelling characters.
Last edited by balli; 04-27-2010 at 07:04 PM.
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