Round Two: Treme

Treme: Season 1, Episode 2 “Meet De Boys on the Battlefront” (B+)

The second installment of HBO’s juggernaut, which was renewed for a second seasons only two episodes after it premiered last week, is just as impressive and engaging as the first, even if the ultimate direction it’s headed still isn’t quite so clear. Having the group from Wisconsin touring New Orleans was a great way of anchoring the story. Giving them the chance to talk to a bunch of the main characters was also nice, in part because it emphasizes who will be a major player in the show as well as allowing others the opportunity to share their thoughts. Hearing the locals get upset even when people are complimenting New Orleans is interesting because they’re likely just as often irked at the flood of people coming to the city post-Katrina as satisfied by the attention and their presence. Davis trying to move on from being a DJ and getting fired from his hotel clerk job for sending the Wisconsin people off the beaten path for the real New Orleans experience was very interesting, and makes him intricately valuable as a character. Not all things are quite so tranquil on this show, however, as evidenced by Albert’s deadly fit of rage taken out on a burglar. That proves that this show isn’t all about just music and parades, though those will certainly do too, and this show continues to excel in all of its performance scenes.

On a side note, I had the opportunity to chat with young India Ennenga, who plays John Goodman’s daughter Sofia, at a press roundtable earlier this week for her upcoming film “Multiple Sarcasms,” and she had lovely things to say about her experience working on the show.