I heard the best TV news in month (at least in my opinion) last week when HBO confirmed it will produce "Treme."
I'm eager to see what David Simon, creator of "The Wire," my all-time favorite show, has to say about a city so tragically rife with dysfunction. The series will examine the rebuilding of post-Katrina New Orleans through the eyes of the city's vibrant musical culture.
The Wire told the story of Baltimore's struggle from the perspective of people in the drug trade, whether they were dealers, narcotics detectives, addicts or shipyard smugglers.
I was hooked the moment I watched the show's brilliant first scene, which you can check out after the jump.
I didn't know it at the time, but that scene was a metaphor for the 60 episodes that followed in a five season run examining the decay of urban America, which most of us regard with apathy. Fans of the show know what I'm talking about. For those unfamiliar with it, you really owe it to yourself to give this show a try. All five seasons are out on DVD.
"Treme" will feature New Orleans native Wendell Pierce, who played one of my favorite characters on "The Wire," homicide detective Bunk Moreland. Here's Pierce in one the show's greatest scenes confronting Omar Little (Michael K. Williams), a principled anti-hero who robs drug dealers for a living.
Clarke Peters, who played the intrepid detective Lester Freeman in "The Wire," is also part of the "Treme" cast.
For those not familiar with "The Wire," Simon also co-created the mid-90s show "Homicide: Life on the Street," another Baltimore-based crime drama. "Treme" will be co-produced by David Mills, who worked with Simon on "Homicide" and "The Corner," an HBO miniseries.
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