welly watches Treme.  I miss welly 

 JrzyTmata wrote: 

HBO.  Jrz, it's worth paying for HBO for this one.  I promise.

Is this a premium channel thing? we only have basic.

 marko86 wrote: 

I'm really excited for the season soundtracks that will certainly be released around this AMAZING series.  If you have on demand, there are two short "making of Treme" and another "behind the scenes of N.O. culture" episodes that are fantastic.  Episode two of Treme also had a reenactment of Allen Toussaint and Elvis Costello recording The River in Reverse.

Fantastic.

I'm not so sure that I agree with your second parragraph, but/and I dont feel like getting all political.  I'd like to use this thread to talk about the series, and the music....

I worked in Houma for a couple months and we used to frequent there in the 90's alot, visiting friends, when we lived in Mississppi. Some friends moved, some are still there. It's a very interesting show and it is neat to learn the behind scenes stuff that happens with the second line and mardi gras. I thought the music was particularly good. Kermit Ruffins, a cameo by Elvis Costello, whom I suspect will be in more episodes. I have been working on a cd compilation of obscure older soul music and the 50's 60's time keeps leading back to New Orleans. Alot of great singers like Lloyd Price, Clarence "Frogman" Henry, Tommy Ridgley, and Shirley and Lee.

One can't really blame the whole levee debacle on the Corp though. Prominently mentioned in the show is the ludicrously high levels of corruption the city and the whole state in general has, which certainly played a part. The future is another question. Given the certainty of future sea level rises in the 100 years, is it really prudent to try to save everything? Not an easy question, for sure.

OK, I lived in different cities in Louisiana from 3rd grade to post graduate school. I spent 4 years living in New O in the late 80s. My apartment was wiped out in the flood, as was my school. I haven't been back, and watching this proved to me why I won't be back for a while. I started watering up repeatedly during the first episode, recognizing a lot of the area, and seeing what happened.

Let's start with the credits, shall we? Wonderful, colorful organic patterns..., very arty until you realize it's the colorful mold that grew in everyone's homes and the flood lines that lined the houses in the ruined neighborhoods, and there are some of those red x's with numbers indicating the number of bodies found in the homes... Woah....

The opening argument in the dark bar with black men arguing over money. Is it a drug deal? Of course it must be! Waitaminnit....it's something I'd never considered: the commerce behind the creating of each Second Line! And, as its bookend, the same bargaining at the end of the episode, the same musicians....but the Jazz Funeral. The episode has the rebirth of the city after the flood, and then the death to frame the ending. Jeez is that some good writing?

John Goodman takes the role as the man who explains - to those who don't know - the things that some of us did know: the hurricane was nothing. Some strong wind and a lot of rain. Yawn. Then the man-made, government created, shoddy material, not-up-to-spec levee broke - and then it all went to hell. And his anger is accurate and appropriate. The city was destroyed because of the poor workmanship of the Corps of Engineers.

Why is this very very important? All the people waiting on insurance settlements - which is referenced in a nonironic way - will not get settlements if this is an act of God. And so, to blame the flooding on Katrina means that there is no money coming to these people - and they have nothing. However, if it's established that this is not an act of God, but is, instead, negligence - then they can restart their life. Very very important distinction that no one, early on, would make.

One character remembers the bridge to Algiers (a neighborhood across the water adjacent to New O) badly - it's true that there were armed police on the other side, forcing the people that had walked across the bridge to turn around and go back to the flooded city, instead of giving them refuge on that side of the Mississippi. Amazing that it happened, and good for her to remember that episode angrily.

Best line? When our main character is in the bar talking to his ex-wife and there's a pause... "How's your momma and dem?" without a hint of irony or awkwardness. That's the right greeting. Nice.

Best metaphor? The closing Tower Records. It's really a swipe at the chefs that closed their famous kitchens and moved away, not bothering to try to re-establish business in the place that made them famous. Nothing personal, you understand - it's not like you owe the city anything back.

My step-sister stayed when the place flooded, lived on her balcony. The military would come by periodically, telling her that she should leave. She'd say no thanks and they'd wave and see her the next night. She wrote a nice book during that period.

Slowly the place is coming back, but face it: no one has any intention of rebuilding something that won't make them money. There will be no rebuilding of the old poor neighborhoods. Instead, the only money that will come in will be the tourist trap money. The old authentic city was washed away.

So watching this reminds me of home, but the reality that it was destroyed. It's a tough show to watch. 

 Coaxial wrote: 
I like the ones with the liquid cherry centre and thick milk chocolate coating... 

Mmmmm treme.

 phineas wrote: 
I'm in love with that octopuss! 

 phineas wrote: 
That's one cool treme, baby!

wish i had some ice treme.

 BillJ wrote: 
When I was a kid, Jeannie gave me wet-tremes. Not so much the grumpy admiral dude. 

 meower wrote: 

 
i never knew that about you 

 buzz wrote: 

we like to watch

 meower wrote: 
do you make your own or do you buy it ready made?

We love it.