This is going to a short review of Treme’s sixth episode, "Shallow Water, Oh Mama," because nothing much happened.
It has been a trend so far on Treme to bring on a local NOLA writer to do the episode’s teleplay. Last week’s "Shame, Shame, Shame" was written by Lolis Eric Elie who, amidst many other accomplishments, is a food writer and so we see lots of delicious restaurant scenes. This week on "Shallow Water," Tom Piazza shares the writing work with David Simon and Eric Overmyer and is credited with the teleplay. Piazza, like Elie, had no television writing experience. Bringing in local writing talent is adding authenticity, but there might be a problem, Houston.
Is Treme losing narrative pacing in its endeavor for authenticity?
I love the music, the locale, the characterizations (mostly), but I do not love these stories. These are stories of paralysis; for the most part, they are proving to be shallow stories, oh mama, and frankly it doesn’t make for great television. In other words, Treme is becoming more like the "Zzzzz" train to me.
I don’t need Smoke Monsters in all my television shows; I am perfectly happy to spend quiet time with an unhappy Annie and her cafe au lait and beignet in the Cafe du Monde, but it can’t all be like that. Depressed people — “ain’t we all,” commiserates Antoine — should be cared about and cared for, but a general despondency does not make for exciting storytelling. It may be authentic; it may be real, and viewers were warned, don’t come to Treme looking for The Wire. Fair enough, but we should be able to come to Treme expecting compelling television. Now, more than halfway through the first season’s ten episodes, the characters’ immobility is less than compelling.
"Shallow Water, Oh Mama" is a Mardi Gras Indian chant. It briefly appeared at the end of episode two with only Big Chief Albert and George in attendance at practice. This time around, more people show for Albert's practice, and New Orleans seems in early physical restoration: the Musicians' Clinic, Big Chief’s bar, the Bernettes’ lovely front porch, the Carnivale Ball, and the Krewe du Vieux parade, but the characters stall in their individual journeys toward restoration and renewal.
Crey Bernette complains that he has moved from “serious novelist to cartoon” but we haven’t seen any of that. We’ve only seen the cartoon.
Delmond (Rob Brown, above) has been a cipher so far. The character’s story is in tension between the traditional and the progressive, between the world of his father, Big Chief Albert, and the world of New York City jazz, but the actor’s immobile face does not indicate any of this conflict. Or if it does, it may be too deep in the shadows to see. More complaints on this to follow.
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Article comments
1 - Max
I'll be honest, I shut this one off half way through. I keep watching because I want to give it another chance but the fact is, I don't care about any of these characters really. It's poorly written with zero narrative pacing. Just a bunch of slow rambling scenes, ZERO tension. I've never seen a piece of dramatic tv/film with such a total lack of any dramatic tension. It makes it slow, boring, dull... a chore to watch.
Only the music scenes are worth anything.
2 - Kate
Hi Max:
Judging from anecdotal evidence, NOLA residents obsess over the show, jazz lovers watch for the music and skip over the narrative (as you do), and the rest of the viewership are wandering away. This truly is a love letter to NOLA as Simon says, and the rest of us aren't invited to read. Thanks for the feedback.
3 - doctorj2u
Kate,
You are invited, it will just take effort on your part to understand a culture different from the one you inhabit. Try it. You may enjoy yourself.
4 - From Nola
The Show is Terrible!!!!
Many people from New Orleans agree that the show is boring and does not represent New Orleans. The majority of the music you hear is not Jazz . It's traditional New Orleans Music.
Most Jazz musicians perform in other cities . There are no real Jazz clubs in the city. This was true Pre and certainly worst post Katrina.
Many musicians struggle to make a living in NOLA , especially professional musicians.
The series does not address the true complexities of the city and continues to neglect the African American Middle class.
The stories are not true stories of New Orleans and certainly not of TREME.
There is no pacing and a plot. Just a lot of entertainment.
There are a lot of serious musicians who are tossed aside or forced to become a part of the vast sea of Entertainers . No real artistry , just perfect for a bar where you casually listen and eat a good meal.