Treme (New Season)

HarveyCanalHarveyCanal "a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
edited April 2011 in Strut Central
Watched the season premiere last night...

1. The violin player...GAWD, I LOVE HER!

2. When NOLA dude was in NYC and fools were talking down on NOLA...one, I was like "punch em in the face!"...and two, loved that he explained to his girlfriend "I can say it, I'm allowed, they aren't."

3. Juvie at Tipatina's!

4. The episode was all over the place...in a detrimental way. Even to me, it's been too many years since Katrina to still be portraying the city as still whining about it. Not that there aren't still grounds, but I know nobody wants to hear about it anymore...if they ever did.

5. Despite any of my own criticisms, still gonna make sure to catch every new episode.

  Comments


  • HarveyCanalHarveyCanal "a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
    Oh yeah, the part where John Goodman's character's wife says "second-line or second-liners" like 4 times within 40 seconds...Nobody in NOLA uses that term that readily. We just call it a "parade"...second lining is implied.

    Same sort of thing happened when Stave Zahn's character gets bitched out by his radio station boss for playing too much bounce. Bounce is great and all, but dudes in NOLA are more into gangsta rap.

    Hate when they overdo shit like that. Or when trombone player from the Wire was doing his dancing on stage, pulling out a string of all-too typical moves, even pulled out the hankerchief...too much, dude. Chill out.

  • GrandfatherGrandfather 2,303 Posts
    it was a pretty solid episode. I like the possible story line of the dude from San Antonio.

  • Hotsauce84Hotsauce84 8,450 Posts
    Man I hope something actually happens this season. I really, really want to like this show.

  • thropethrope 750 Posts
    Herm said:
    Man I hope something actually happens this season. I really, really want to like this show.


    i'm with you Herm. i'm going to give david simon a little more leeway before i bounce but the show is still just so gd boring.....

  • jdeezjdeez 638 Posts
    i want to like this show so badly. but they don't make it easy.

    I have heard, however, that Mannie is in this season. Ro**rt, I hear that our mutual friend Mr. Jeansonne helped scout several of the locations and is even in a (bar) scene or two this season, as well.

  • HarveyCanalHarveyCanal "a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
    Yeah, I guess I heard that about George. Very cool for a very cool bro, bro.

  • rootlesscosmorootlesscosmo 12,848 Posts
    I've never been to NOLA but I nonetheless sensed that Treme was kinda over-the-top with it's constant references to local artists, places, songs, slang phrases. I can see how a lot of NOLA locals would love to see these things mentioned on nat'l TV but might roll their eyes at the clumsy way it was done.

    Steve Zahn's character always reminded me of the white kid in Hustle and Flow who at one point explains Black music to the other two (Black) dudes.

  • Hotsauce84Hotsauce84 8,450 Posts
    I forgot Mannie Fresh! That's definitely motivation to keep watching.

  • Hotsauce84Hotsauce84 8,450 Posts
    *forgot about Mannie Fresh

  • barjesusbarjesus 872 Posts
    Notice that it was co-written by Anthony Bourdain?

  • HarveyCanalHarveyCanal "a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
    barjesus said:
    Notice that it was co-written by Anthony Bourdain?

    Musta been the angry chef part...which was IMO insanely stupid/unnecessary.

  • DJ_EnkiDJ_Enki 6,473 Posts
    HarveyCanal said:
    barjesus said:
    Notice that it was co-written by Anthony Bourdain?

    Musta been the angry chef part...which was IMO insanely stupid/unnecessary.

    Yeah, I read a little while back that he had been brought on to write the restaurant-related stuff.

  • rootlesscosmorootlesscosmo 12,848 Posts
    HarveyCanal said:
    barjesus said:
    Notice that it was co-written by Anthony Bourdain?

    Musta been the angry chef part...which was IMO insanely stupid/unnecessary.

    Simon is prone to this sorta unnecessary inside baseball thing no?

    Let's not forget it was he who drove an otherwise awesome show into the ground by devoting its 5th and final season to his own whiny vendetta against his former employer.

    A counter-example from the Wire was when he brought Pelacanos (who, in addition to being a corny crime writer, is some sort of self-proclaimed dog fighting expert) on to write that dog-fighting episode with Cheese. It was kinda outta left field but ended up being a funny story arc.

  • motown67motown67 4,513 Posts
    Agree with the criticism made here already. I will probably watch every episode of this show, but it would not be one that I would recommend to others. it's got too much going on, like an ADHD person wrote it, with a general lack of focus.

  • barjesusbarjesus 872 Posts
    HarveyCanal said:
    barjesus said:
    Notice that it was co-written by Anthony Bourdain?

    Musta been the angry chef part...which was IMO insanely stupid/unnecessary.

    Totally. I hope this turns into something better, but I have a bad feeling it won't.

  • dollar_bindollar_bin I heartily endorse this product and/or event 2,326 Posts
    rootlesscosmo said:
    HarveyCanal said:
    barjesus said:
    Notice that it was co-written by Anthony Bourdain?

    Musta been the angry chef part...which was IMO insanely stupid/unnecessary.

    Simon is prone to this sorta unnecessary inside baseball thing no?

    God forbid a show about New Orleans would dedicate a portion of its story to the world famous food culture there. Janette left town at the end of last season, you have to see the cost of moving to New York to advance her career, and perhaps develop the motivation for her eventual return if she comes back. Did you not like the crazy chef stuff because you found it unbelievable? Because I guarantee the reason they brought in Bourdain was to give the story line credibility among those who've worked inside that industry, no matter how crazy it seems from the outside.

    I finally caught the first episode tonight. Like any Simon season premiere, it's heavy on character moments and a lot of unexplained action. I've been warned by critics that this season takes four or five episodes before the narrative momentum becomes apparent. On the other hand, to the dismay of Ziggy haters, we've now officially blessed Treme with a genuine James Ransone cameo.

  • dollar_bindollar_bin I heartily endorse this product and/or event 2,326 Posts
    rootlesscosmo said:


    A counter-example from the Wire was when he brought Pelacanos (who, in addition to being a corny crime writer, is some sort of self-proclaimed dog fighting expert) on to write that dog-fighting episode with Cheese. It was kinda outta left field but ended up being a funny story arc.

    Not to harp, but Pelacanos had been on the Wire from season 1, long before dog-fighting was even mentioned on the show. I've read a couple of his novels, and I agree to his cornyness but he also wrote some of the best episodes of the Wire (getting the penultimate episode of each season) so I think he contributes slightly more than dog-fighting knowledge.

  • AndreBretonAndreBreton 344 Posts
    I'm still watching this show and enjoying it.

    I worked as a baker in a high end restaurant and I had to quit because I couldn't be talked to in this way. I thought the chef scenes were completely believable based on my experience.

  • OkemOkem 4,617 Posts
    The first season of Treme was such a chore to get through I'm finding it hard to find the motivation to continue with this new season.

  • rootlesscosmorootlesscosmo 12,848 Posts
    dollar_bin said:
    rootlesscosmo said:


    A counter-example from the Wire was when he brought Pelacanos (who, in addition to being a corny crime writer, is some sort of self-proclaimed dog fighting expert) on to write that dog-fighting episode with Cheese. It was kinda outta left field but ended up being a funny story arc.

    Not to harp, but Pelacanos had been on the Wire from season 1, long before dog-fighting was even mentioned on the show. I've read a couple of his novels, and I agree to his cornyness but he also wrote some of the best episodes of the Wire (getting the penultimate episode of each season) so I think he contributes slightly more than dog-fighting knowledge.

    be that as it may.

    my point was that these dudes (Simon, Pelacanos) have no qualms devoting scenes/episodes/wholeseasons to "something they personally happen to know a thing or two about" when the result is often ill-considered/corny/disastrous.

  • willie_fugalwillie_fugal 1,862 Posts
    for any haters, make sure you at least watch through the 3rd episode. by far the most intense of the entire series, and imo really well done.

    oh--and you'll see another Wire actor cameo too!

  • noznoz 3,625 Posts
    HarveyCanal said:
    1. The violin player...GAWD, I LOVE HER!

    Of course you do, Davis.


  • bump.
    anybody else made it to ep. 10 ?

    the show has enough real music to get a pass on a lot of the cheese. real music on tv!

  • BallzDeepBallzDeep 612 Posts
    just finished watching season 1 and i cannot hang.
    i can't stand the violinist and her boyfriend, and steve zahns character.
    just too annoying.
    and besides, like someone else around here said, every time i see lester or bunk, i'm all "lester! bunk!".
    if by the last episode im still sayin "bunk!", that ain't good.

    IMO

  • motown67motown67 4,513 Posts
    I tried watching this new season, but ultimately gave up. There simply wasn't enough of a story going on to keep my interest. The music was by far the best part of the show.

  • Interesting observation considering there are something like 8 independent story lines that meander and occasionally intertwine., all going at once.

  • Hotsauce84Hotsauce84 8,450 Posts
    AndreBreton said:
    Interesting observation considering there are something like 8 independent story lines that meander and occasionally intertwine., all going at once.

    Unfortunately, they all move waaaay to slowly to hold my - and I suspect others' - interest.

  • batmonbatmon 27,574 Posts
    hello......
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