NEWS

HBO aired the premiere of the series “Treme,” which portrays New Orleans three months after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina.

The show focuses on several characters trying to rebuild their lives and emphasizes the city as a whole as it attempts to restore its rich cultural traditions.

“Treme” was created by David Simon, who rose to television prominence as the creator of HBO’s critically acclaimed series “The Wire.” Despite the success of “The Wire,” Simon said in an HBO press release that “Treme” would follow a different formula.

“It is not, in any respect, ‘The Wire: New Orleans,’” Simon said. “Those expecting a story with a heavy police presence or ruminations on the drug war… should return to their ‘Wire’ DVD’s.”

“Treme” is named after the Tremé neighborhood, one of the oldest neighborhoods in the Crescent City. Tremé was once the central neighborhood for free black New Orleanians. It played an essential role in black and Creole culture, especially in the musical tradition of brass bands.
 
“Treme” follows several characters, including a struggling musician, a restaurant owner and a Tulane professor, as they attempt to restore their lives in the chaos of post-Katrina New Orleans.

“There are so many facets to the show, the storm, the aftermath, the culture — they are all intertwined… but the storm disrupted the very way of life in New Orleans for folks that have lived there generation after generation,” said Rebecca Morgan, New Orleans resident and fan of the show.

The show’s creators included many staples of New Orleans culture to create an accurate portrayal of New Orleans. Victoria Illk, who appears as an extra on the pilot episode, said the care producers put in retaining historical and cultural accuracy impressed her.
 
“I… was asked to wear clothes fashionable in the year 2006,” Illk said. “They also made sure to prop us with the most authentic brands of drinks like Abita beer and Kentwood water for the shoot… There was lots of cigarette smoke pumped by a smoke machine, a live band, sticky wood floors and everyone with a drink in hand.”

“Treme” depicts the lesser known cultural aspects of a city that is usually recognized merely for Bourbon Street and its party scene. The episode begins with a staple of New Orleans culture — a second-line parade led by the Rebirth Brass band. Renowned trumpet player Kermit Ruffins also appears in the show for a special performance. Even subtler aspects of New Orleans culture are apparent like the Hubig pies that John Goodman orders in a restaurant.
 
To create such a genuine production, “Treme” required a significant amount of work and attention to detail. Jennifer Day, director of the office of film and video of New Orleans, said that the production of “Treme” is very challenging due to its fast-paced episodes.

“Episodes are being written as the show films, which means little to no preparation time,” she said. “But this type of challenge really forces crew members to up their game and perform at very high and efficient levels.”

One scene in the premiere depicts one of the main characters returning to his home for the first time after the flood. The floodwaters destroyed his house and most of the surrounding property. For many New Orleanians, scenes like this were all too familiar, evoking memories of the devastation following the hurricane and the pain of returning to lives that would forever be altered.

“I cried when the father returned to his house… Visually [the scene] captures it exactly as it was,” said local resident Erin Flanigan, who watched the show, “Four-and-a-half years later, it still chokes me up to see these images.”