HOLLYWOOD —David Simon’s new series “Treme” started off running and it didn’t slow down for the first hour. It is a fast-moving, but gritty and tough depiction of life in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina flooded the city; I wasn’t sure the premise would grow on viewers. How wrong I was. David Simon is known for tough and poignant series such as “The Wire” and “Generation Kill,” which was a realistic portrayal of American and coalition soldiers in the Iraq war theatre.
Simon calls his new series “Treme,” an argument on behalf of American culture, saying, “For New Orleanians, it was their insistence on salvaging their unique culture that proved to be their true ally in the wake of Katrina. Their state and local governments, the federal relief effort, the Corps of Engineers, the insurance industry ”“ none offered any meaningful response or leadership. But the culture itself could neither be forgotten or abandoned by those who understood it.”
“As much as possible, we’re trying to show fealty to the post-Katrina history,” Eric Overmyer notes. “New Orleanians have had their lives transformed by the storm and its aftermath, and we want to be careful in our presentation of that.” Simon adds that viewers familiar with “The Wire,” the previous HBO drama on which he, Overmyer and fellow executive producer Nina Noble labored, should not expect a similar drama set in another city.
“In some fundamental ways,” he says, “Treme is centered on the ordinary lives of ordinary people. It is political only in the sense that ordinary people find themselves dealing with politics in their own lives. That said, New Orleanians ”“ those who have been able to return, especially ”“ are passionate about their city.”
“The disaster impacted people on every possible level ”“ physically, emotionally, and spiritually,” says New Orleans native Wendell Pierce. “The only things people had to hang on to were the rich traditions we knew that survived the test of time before: our music, food and family, family that included anyone who decided to accept the challenge to return. We knew that America was, in the words of Martin Luther King, a ”˜ten-day nation.’ We knew our plight wouldn’t stay in the spotlight of the world long. But we are exercising our right of self-determination in the darkness with personal resolve. We are accessing the best of the human spirit and bringing light to this difficult time. That’s what TREME is about. We won’t bow down,” said Overmyer.
John Goodman is fast becoming my favorite character actor. He’s absolutely believable in his southern accent and no offense, but he has the build for a man who has been enjoying the New Orleans cuisine. All of the characters are growing on viewers and the storyline is paced slow enough to get to know everyone, but fast enough never to bore.
“Treme” is HBO’s newest hit. It airs on Sunday nights at 10 p.m.
Photograph of John Goodman Courtesy: Paul Schiraldi and HBO Productions
