What I’m Watching: Treme

Treme: Season 2, Episode 5 “Slip Away” (B+)

Starting the episode out with a funeral was a stark way to open it, and definitely set a melancholy tone for the hour. The musicians holding up their instruments was a strong and potent manner of displaying the sense of community felt in New Orleans, and it’s considerably truer after the effects of Katrina. Antoine showed appropriate devastation when hearing about the fate of one of his students, and it’s all the more meaningful since he’s one of the bubblier and more happy-go-lucky characters on the show. Albert is certainly having a hard time, getting his water turned off because he doesn’t have the proper permits and giving the messenger an earful for it. Ladonna doesn’t seem to be doing too well, but that’s only to be expected given her recent trauma. Ditto Sophia, who’s growing up all too fast, and not even the sight of her mother doing what she does best can snap her out of her funk. The impact of Toni’s lawsuits has never been more felt than when Lieutenant Colson finds himself extremely short-staffed since all of his officers are either in jail for corruption or concerning themselves with one particularly brutal multiple homicide. At least one character is able to progress positively in this episode, and that’s Janette, who finds herself a brand new job with an entirely forgiving and kindly new chef boss, requiring her to start at the bottom but offering her a wholly different and respectable work environment. While I think her path will eventually lead back to New Orleans, it’s good to see her getting some satisfaction now.