What I’m Watching: Treme

Treme: Season 2, Episode 1 “Accentuate the Positive” (B+)

A year away from any show might make it less than entirely easy to get back into the spirit of the series. This show, however, doesn’t skip a beat, making its opening scene all about the dead, with cemeteries and memories of Creighton, and getting right back to establishing its signature tone. Though the show continues to be all about New Orleans, I’m happy that Janette is still included, as she experiences a tyrannical chef at a restaurant in New York. There’s actually quite a lot that doesn’t happen in New Orleans in this episode, and that all serves to reinforce the notion that people who haven’t lived it can’t understand it. That line “It’s never going to be the same” followed by “I get to say that, you don’t” was particularly powerful. Seeing New Orleans through the eyes of an opportunistic outsider is quite intriguing, and Jon Seda’s Nelson seems like a terrific addition to the cast. I’m also pleased to see David Morse’s cop added to the opening credits as a full-time player, and his scene with Toni was one of the best in this episode. It’s good to see Sophia making videos and taking the torch from her father, even if she seems altogether miserable. I’m also glad to see Davis still making trouble by refusing to play anything but the music that means something to him. It’s good to have these characters back, and I’m looking forward to another meaningful year of drama and rebuilding in the treme.