The intense drama series "Treme" is one of the best shows out there.
And there is a good reason why some of the best dramas on television end up on HBO.
This is an endlessly rich series coming from the genius of David Simon,who has re-team with "The Wire" writer-producer Eric Overmyer to re-create New Orleans,a city in chaos three months after it was nearly washed away by Hurricane Katrina. Like his previous efforts on "The Wire",Simon's brilliant five-year epic about Baltimore was told mainly through the eyes of its most beleaguered(and beleaguering)citizens,"Treme" teems with authentic life.
Simon doesn't coddle an audience,and landing in "Treme" is the artistic equivalent of landing in New Orleans itself. You're surrounded by people who know this city.....who talk about some of it's places, foods and culture and people without providing any background information to help you follow the discussion. They know the ups and downs of this city. And "Treme" delivers. As you'd expect from a Katrina story,the characters in "Treme" face myriad problems. But they have a sense of hope and resilience and a good-times-roll embrace of great food,great conversation,and so forth.
If the strong writing is a Simon hallmark,so is an impeccable ensemble that includes Wendell Pierce("The Wire"),Clarke Peters("The Wire"), Khandi Alexander("The Corner"),Melissa Leo("Homicide:Life On The Street"),and Nick Gomez("Oz"),along with such widely known actors as John Goodman("Roseanne"),and Steve Zahn. "Treme" sets up the characters and tells its story incredibly well and this maybe one of the best dramas on television,and it delivers. A Must See.
