I knew every little detail of Treme was going to be dissected by local viewers. Apparently, David Simon also realized this and published a preemptive letter in the Times Picayune about the "Magic Hubig's" before the first episode aired.
Recently in Miscellany Category
Sunday saw the debut of David Simon's latest oeuvre, Tremé on HBO. The following is a collection of my thoughts on the pilot episode and the project overall so far:
- Given the amount of press coverage the show received prior to its debut, I am curious to see the reaction to Tremé from the general public. While I think The Wire was one of the finest shows to ever grace television, it was by no means a ratings success while it was on the air. Critics hailed it; those who watched it regularly extolled its virtues to anyone who would listen; yet The Wire never came close to the ratings of other HBO shows like The Sopranos. With all of the attention Tremé attracted before one episode aired, will those who are not already fans of David Simon's intricate work be enthralled by the pilot and be left wanting more or will they just shrug their shoulders and say, "eh, it's all right, maybe a little talky for me, at least the parts I could understand"?1
- I am going to admit that I have a bias towards New Orleans. I lived there for several years and am in the process of moving back, so I get a little excited to see it represented in popular culture. I also get a little critical of how it is being portrayed.2 From Dennis Quaid's accent in The Big Easy to the gumbo parties in K-Ville, there is just as much fiction out there as there is fact. So far, I have faith in David Simon and Eric Overmyer (co-creator). Just the fact that they have including a Mardi Gras Indian as a character tells me they get it.
- Speaking of Mardi Gras Indians, I will never forget the first time I saw one. I had never heard such a thing existed until I unexpectedly was overrun by a parade one Spring. It is hard to describe the sight, especially to the uninitiated. Well, the scene in the pilot when Albert Lambreaux (played by Clarke Peters) emerges from the darkness in full regalia to recruit a neighbor just about describes it. Simon and Overmyer must have had the same experience I did because they nailed it. They get it.3
- I noticed little references scattered throughout the pilot which I assume only those who have lived in New Orleans will get. I mean, how many people will know what a Hubig's pie is if they haven't spent some time in the city. The look on Creighton Bernette's (played by John Goodman) face when offered one for dessert was so magical.
- Ever since the cast was announced I had been thinking, "Really, Steve Zahn?" I have to say after watching the pilot a couple times, he was very well cast in his role and delivered a good performance. My biggest surprise was how awkward Wendell Pierce felt in the first half of the pilot given he is a New Orleans native. By the end of the episode though it felt like he had found his groove.
- Is it just me or is hard to divorce the actors from The Wire from their characters? Maybe that has something to do with the above.
- I'm starting to think John Goodman could read a phone book and I would enjoy it. In fact, put that on a double bill with Clarke Peters reading the instructions to my microwave and I'd buy a ticket.
- I have to commend HBO for supporting The Wire for five seasons and am overjoyed to hear they have already ordered a second season just two days after the pilot aired. Thank you for supporting good things.
Maybe I am not seeing the forest for the trees, but I do not see how requiring every citizen to buy a product is change. Well, at least positive change. I am speaking of the healthcare reform bill which narrowly passed the House last night. I do see the advantage of not allowing insurers to deny persons based on pre-existing conditions, but it doesn't prevent the insurers from charging them exorbitant premiums. In fact, I don't see anything about trying to bring down healthcare costs or lowering insurance premiums. Isn't the reason so many go without insurance is because they cannot afford it?
This is just my initial take on the subject, but I am getting frustrated that the media coverage of this subject is more about the politics and the infighting and not what the bill actually covers. I hear that so many people are for and against this bill, but I'm not sure how many actually know what the bill is. If someone has seen a decent article concerning this, please email me.
Update: Apparently, I am not the only one thinking about these things.
Today is a unique day in the American calendar. Well, I guess you could make an argument that every day is unique, but this day has a certain characteristic which makes it notable. Today is the only day of the year without a major - professional or college - sporting event.
Please do correct me if I am wrong, but I can think of no other day than today - the day after the MLB All-Star Game - that traditionally has no major sporting event in the United States. You could argue that the day before the All-Star Game also does not have a proper game since the only sporting event is traditionally the Home Run Derby, but that still gives SportsCenter something to highlight. And every other sports league has another sport or two running consecutively, but baseball is the only game in town after the NBA Finals/Stanley Cup until the Hall of Fame Game in Canton, OH.
Yes, I am not counting the WNBA or MLS. If you are about to make an argument that they should count, please stop, even you know you are wasting our time.
