What I’m Watching: Treme

Treme: Season 1, Episode 6 “Shoo Fly, Don’t Bother Me” (B+)

It’s interesting to see the intersection of polarized comedic and dramatic plotlines together on one show, and how the show still manages to work quite well. Davis running for City Council is that plot point that should stick out like a sore thumb but manages to work very interestingly here. His campaign strategies definitely make it seem like he doesn’t really know what he’s doing and he’s not taking it seriously, but as he points out, he registered and he’s officially running for office. Creighton represents the voice of reason, angry about how New Orleans shouldn’t be taken as a joke. Creighton as the one level-headed person is quite a thought, but it frames things in a very intriguing way. His annoyance at his book needing to include references to modern New Orleans instead of just the 1927 flood is indicative of how people suddenly care about New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina when no one seemed to beforehand. The Burnette family dressing up as sperm was a nice light moment akin to Davis’ campaign. Meeting Davis’ family was also an experience. They’re just as crazy as he is, but in a different sense. Toni’s excitement at what she finds in the squad car is a nice moment of victory especially considering all of the effort that she’s put thus far into trying to find David. The dissolution of the relationship between the street performers and the restaurant needing to close temporarily because the employees can’t be paid does serve, however, as a constant reminder that not everything is okay yet in New Orleans.