What I’m Watching: Treme

Treme: Season 2, Episode 9 “What Is New Orleans?” (B+)

There are quite a few developments in this episode, and a number of them are less than positive. Colson getting transferred into the very unit he so overtly criticized is definitely a negative, as it’s going to greatly limit his ability to be effective and also probably put his livelihood in danger. His relationship with Toni, especially in light of the recent happenings with Sofia, is become extremely interesting and complicated. It’s good that Sofia got not one but two stern talking-tos since she’s been headed to a dark place and doesn’t seem to care how it affects her life. Ladonna is continuing to have a tough time getting off her couch and back to her life, and Larry is deciding that he needs to take a less forgiving, enabling approach. Albert’s adventures in New York are more entertaining than anything else, and it’s nice to see Delmond finally stand up for himself and talk back to his father. The vegetarian-hating pork infusion at Janette’s restaurant is quite disturbing, and I’ll defer to my comments about her storyline being completely tangential at this point and entirely unconnected to the rest of the plot. The investigation being conducted by Toni and King is being well-handled in that it doesn’t dominate the episodes or feel like it’s too unrelated. Of course, the big event in this episode comes at the very end, as Harley gets himself killed right in front of Annie for calling a mugger “son.” That death will certainly have repercussions in the season’s final two episodes.