Keepin' The Beat

I'm a history nut, and the greatest regret I read about over and over is how careless people were with their history.  We learn from the past but can be remarkably ignorant about our present, and not see the importance of what we have right in front of us.  In a slew of storms and earthquakes, it's easy to forget hurricane Katrina and the damage that not only took down a city but almost destroyed a unique and historically rich region.  While the area has made large leaps towards recovery, much was lost and needs to be documented.  I think about how centuries from now, a student will wonder what life was like before Katrina, and what was so special about New Orleans.  Besides books and journals, there will also be fictional portrayals that capture elements of the people who bore witness to incredible devastation.  Treme is the cream of that crop.

But in the second season of Treme, which is set 14 months after the storm, New Orleans and its citizens are still really at the beginning of the climb. "That second year, in some ways, was harder than the first," Overmyer says. "That period was a very dark period in New Orleans. There were some really tough times."

"The first year was the return of people amid almost a sea of adrenaline," Simon says. "People were in a rush to get back. They were furious, they were angry, they were politicized. They wanted to rebuild their city. The adrenaline ran them through that first Mardi Gras. Season 2 is where New Orleanians realized, 'Man, this is going to be a long haul.' ... There's a lot of reflection and there's a lot of weariness."

I admit I was first drawn to Treme because I am a fan of Lucia Micarelli, but I am sticking around because I fell in love with the area when I stayed there for a year, and they've done a wonderful job at capturing the best of New Orleans.  They do not dwell, but neither does their vision shy away from the ugliness of the poor and struggling people who were at the heart of preserving the culture and traditions. New Orleans thrives on music, and the cultural references are accurate and realistic.  There's a lot to enjoy, and the plot moves quickly enough that it doesn't get stale.  Here's looking forward to the next installment in the journey.