Is the Steve Zahn character on Treme...

[bam bam]

a composite of peychaud and powdered sugar?

I don't know if any of you besides JAG watched it but I didn't get the show. They took an esoteric look at an esoteric part of New Orleans culture which is pretty esoteric anyway. I love how the liberal uptown couple is going after the post katrina crimes of Marlin Gusman at OPP but you totally know they have voted for him twice since then.

Regardless, I think they got the dialect down, maybe not the phraseology. Nonetheless I'll keep watching.

[LauraMc]

I agree it was pretty much esoteric but being a fan of David Simon since Homicide Life on the Street, he builds along as the season progresses. I'm glad to see he included Melissa Leo in this series. I'm waiting to see when he introduces the crime element of Treme. Other than JazzFest, I stay away from there. But the show tonight did bring back long time memories of the lower Garden District when I lived there in the early 90's. Some of my antics as a wild woman in her 20's stirred my psyche.

[Blue Cross Sux]

The Davis character is getting a lot of bad press around town and from afar. Here's what I wrote about that on another site:

Davis, the Steve Zahn character, is modeled to a T after Davis Rogan-- a former WWOZ DJ/musician/scenester who currently lives in Treme. DR is a consultant on the show and actually co-wrote a later episode with the recently departed David Mills. He was in the scene in Vaughn's when "Davis" was trying to implore someone to introduce him to Elvis Costello. The real Davis was the tall guy with scraggly brown hair and a soul patch under his lower lip.

Davis is a friend of mine, but he can be grating to a lot of people. Most seem to find him an insufferably obnoxious slacker. If you go into the DBA bar on Frenchman, somewhere above the cash register there's a professional looking sign that reads: "If your name is Davis Rogan, please leave." That should tell you what you need to know about both the real Davis and the one on the show. Think of it as another example of the show's authenticity.

Since this is a food board, let me add the real Davis actually did have a relationship with Susan Spicer, the model for the Kim Dickens character. To this day, no one who knows Davis can believe he pulled that off.

[peychaud]

Ha ha. I've known Davis for years. His defining characteristic is his annoyingness, but he was one of the first white people I knew who actually lived in Treme way back in the day. I didn't know about him and Spicer, although back in the '90s she had a bit of a reputation as what one today might call a "cougar"...

Do you know Henry, BCS? Davis' red-headed lion-maned friend? I wonder if they're going to incorporate him more into future episodes. He's as much of a music scenester as Davis is.

On the whole, I thought it was slightly painful to watch, like they were trying a little too hard to get it right. Some of that I'm sure was due to the need to establish the story and characters. I hope it gets a little more naturalistic as it goes on.

[Shep]

"Annoyingness" this will have to be looked up in the urban dictionary.

I did watch the show, I think this must be just a setup show and actual shows about "carractors" will follow.

[LauraMc]

Someone I work with thought the show was "boring and the Goodman character was over the top". I think with a place this unique, you have to establish the characters and that can be boring. As for Goodman's character being over the top? I told him just ride around Lakeview or Uptown and talk to some of the people. I've met dozens just like him.
I nearly blew my lid when my coworker made the comment that he doesn't remember anyone ever mentioning not rebuilding New Orleans. This guy claims he grew up in Metairie and lost a condo in Lakeview but he seems to know nothing of the city. I'm beginning to wonder if he's in witness protection and trying to fake a lifetime here.
I had to take my blood pressure meds when he talked about Melissa Leo's character (the lawyer) and the missing brother of the bar owner and how that was sure to come down to a "black thing". I asked him if he realized Marlin Gusman was black? This guy just doesn't get it.
By the way, this is the same guy who when I mentioned I was again socialized medicine told me that I was prejudiced. I still haven't figured that comment out. And I'm sure many are wondering and yes, he's white.
Is it 5:00 yet? I need a drink.

[bam bam]

The OPP storyline is going to be the crux of the series. I hope to God, Simon is calls out Gusman out for his complete malfeasance in office during Katrina. If Gusman were a white Republican, he'd be in Gitmo right now and given a military tribunal for his crimes. But since he's a black democrat, he gets a pass and re-elected twice to boot.

I swear if the Criminal Sheriff in the show is white, I am going ape ****.

[Blue Cross Sux]

Do you know Henry, BCS? Davis' red-headed lion-maned friend? I wonder if they're going to incorporate him more into future episodes. He's as much of a music scenester as Davis is.

On the whole, I thought it was slightly painful to watch, like they were trying a little too hard to get it right. Some of that I'm sure was due to the need to establish the story and characters. I hope it gets a little more naturalistic as it goes on.

Yes, I know Henry. Not nearly as well as Davis, though, which is of the "Hey, man, can you bail me out of jail" variety. I imagine Henry will be back. I see them taking pains to put as many white faces in the show as possible. Otherwise, this thing could rapidly start looking like a BET series. Not exactly must see TV for the white American heartland.

I agree with you about the show in general. It kind of gave me the hives, as well. Many people thought it was boring with too little going on. I thought there was too much going on and was frenetic and overly amped in spots. They need to dial way back on the scenes for them to get the rhythms right. Though, frankly, I'm not sure if what they're attempting to do with the show is even possible.

[Shep]

As one who came back the day after the storm, the city looks a little to advanced for the period 2 or 3 months after. I found things to be considerably darker and dismal, with everyone packing in the French Quarter closer to the river. Everybody was parking in the pedestrian walks and two deep on that end of Canal St, including all over the center sections.

[bam bam]

Great episode last night. Hit all the right notes so to speak. I love the Mardi Gras Indians storyline.