Despite the massive build up to the debut episode, the HBO series Treme never really managed to catch on with viewers like some of the other appointment-TV shows the network has offered up over the past decade. Part of this can be attributed to the impossible to achieve expectations that had been saddled on the show and its creator David Simon, with fans and critics expecting nothing less than The Wire, reset in New Orleans. Well, pity the viewer that bailed on the show early on.
What we got instead was an emotionally tough, sometimes funny, but always compelling, look at a disparate collection of people – different races, different social classes – all living in New Orleans and dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
The fourth season doesn’t so wrap up the storylines of the characters (and it shouldn’t), but does leave many of them in slightly better circumstances than when we first met them. The bad guys are still bad, just not as much, and the good guys are still dealing with the hassles involved with trying to rebuild their city (corruption, bureaucracy, violence, etc. all flooded in with the water). Though it only stuck around for four seasons, like many cult TV shows, Treme will likely be much more relevant and appreciated in the years to come.
Treme – The Complete Fourth Season/2 DVDs/HBO Studios/2014
Treme – The Complete Fourth Season (DVD)