Mjeteconer
Just perfect...
Keeley Coleman
The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;
Beulah Bram
A film of deceptively outspoken contemporary relevance, this is cinema at its most alert, alarming and alive.
Mobithailand
Treme is an absorbing viewing experience. It is thought provoking and on occasion it works on your deepest emotions. But Treme, first and foremost, is a story of modern-day New Orleans, its incredible music and the magical characters who inhabit that unique town. If you love music – from Cajun to blues to bluegrass to 'bounce' to every kind of imaginable jazz and God only knows what else, then just relax and luxuriate in a wonderfully stimulating and very special TV series. The makers of 'The Wire' have come up with a TV series that is quite unlike any other drama series you will ever watch. More often than not, the myriad plots and lives of the inhabitants seem to go nowhere – but it just doesn't seem to matter. Because that is the true nature of life, especially in places like New Orleans. A city where most of the folk are dirt poor, where the crime rate is going through the roof; and despite all the earlier promises of aid made to them following the devastation of their city by Hurricane Katrina, they have effectively been deserted by the Federal government. At its core, Treme is about its music and the people who make it and love it. Music is at the heart of this incredible show. If music is in your soul, then seek out 'Treme'.
mermade7
.... "Lonesome Dove" & "Jewel in the Crown", this is the best series that has ever been produced for TV. It is so engrossing, realistic, historic, funny, compassionate and important. Beautifully done. Had me from the first note. The writing and acting can not be faulted on any level. Thrilling to see so many cameo performances by legendary musicians. I kept waiting to see who else would show up. I think there should be a DVD-boxed set with their named highlighted on the scenes. A great education for any music lover. You won't believe how many there are. I learned so much about an American icon ~~ New Orleans. I am indebted to the producers, writers, and cast. A treasure of epic proportions. Reward yourself and watch it. You will not be sorry.
eva-therese-701-10299
That wasn't an attempt at being snide, in case you were wondering. I'm not from America so I have no idea what this series is to people who are from the States but not from New Orleans, but for me it was as fascinating look into a place and people I didn't know anything about going in. And while there can be said a lot of good about the narrative trope of having an outsider who works as a link to the audience by asking all the questions that they want the answers to, I personally enjoy once in a while being thrown in at the deep and watching characters going about their daily lives and routines and if there's something I don't understand I will have to infer the meaning or else just live with the mystery. Of course it isn't all colourful costumes and plastic beards. Most of the characters and themes like the story arch of the chef or the violinist could be told with any place as a background, but since it takes place here, we learn about New Orleans food and music through them. The stories of police brutality and corruption could also, sadly, have happened anywhere, but the hurricane made everything worse and more chaotic. In the end, this is a slice of life, where we follow a group of people in their home town, until we leave them, partly changed, partly the same, without any special conclusion or wrap-up. Some doors are closed other are opened and we could easily have followed them for four more years. New Orleans might be a special place, but the people in it are just people; human, fragile and endearing even with all their flaws.
Sven Andersson
I've now watched quite a few episodes of this show, and I though it would be fun to give you a Swede perspective of it. Oddly enough, my own home town of Gothenburg has some things in common with New Orleans. In Sweden, Gothenburg is known as the place that is more relaxed than the rest of the country, and the inhabitants are thought to be different - almost a breed apart.Luckily we haven't had the misfortune of nearly getting our town flattened out by a hurricane flood. I really admire the people of New Orleans for surviving this and beginning to rebuild their great city. They have a lot of spirit - that's for certain.Treme contains a lot of music. This is both a blessing and a curse, in my opinion. My grandfather has a huge (I really mean this - its HUGE!) collection of jazz records - a lot of it is trad jazz. So in my family we have a kind of tradition of listening to jazz records. There's a lot of other evolutions of Jazz in the show like soul, funk etc. but even if I'm used to all these genres from New Orleans I don't find all the performances in the show enjoyable. During some episodes it becomes a drag to sit through music you just don't like that much. But I have to say I especially enjoy almost all of the second line, soul/funk and bounce stuff. Actually, this show led to my discovery of bounce - a style I really enjoy.The story of Treme feels a lot like The Wire - it focuses on different aspects of life in the recovering city. I thought the video-blogging professor and the struggling chef were the most engaging story lines. Especially the restaurant business, in fact; it made me really want to try New Orleans cuisine. I think HBO should push for exporting this show to many other countries to bring probably much needed food tourism to New Orleans.The Mardi gras indians remain inexplicable to me as a Swede. Are they some kind of mock indians? According to Wikipedia, they are... But I feel the whole thing feels stupid somehow - like a Swede dressing up in a freaky Same costume for some special holidays. I just don't get it. One also wonders what the Big Chief is actually doing for a living when he is not sewing on his costume. This whole Indian thing is of course a depiction of a certain expression of culture in New Orleans - I know this. But it seems a little too odd. what's the point? Mostly the indians remind me of lion fish.It's a little unfortunate that both Det. Lester Freamon of The Wire and the Big Chief are heavily into handicrafts because it makes you associate the two... which brings me to Antoine Batiste - the trombonist. He is too much like "The Bunk" from The Wire in both appearance and demeanor, sometimes. But as the show wears on this gets better, I feel.Despite the few negative things I have to say about the show, I have thoroughly enjoyed watching it. Don't be surprised if I show up looking for a special Treme-based tour of the city and the New Orleans people end up ignoring/tiredly staring at my stupidly gawking and sun-baked Nordic face as I am herded about by some tired guide...
