"treh-MAY" - Episode #8: "All On a Mardi Gras Day"

(All photos/general information can be found @ http://www.poptower.com/treme-pictures.htm or Wikipedia.)

"FEMA SAYS THE BEADS WILL BE HERE IN APRIL"

This sign expresses one of the many sentiments felt by the people of New Orleans during the first Carnival since Hurricane Katrina. And everyone has their own traditions prior to the celebration:

LaDonna (Khandi Alexander) and her mom decide to light a candle at the cathedral for Daymo's safe return (LaDonna still hasn't told her about his death).

Sonny and Annie (Michiel Huisman and Lucia Micarelli) perform outside of the cathedral in Jackson Square and they comfort an emotional former New Orleanean who lost his home and some of his neighbors during Katrina and decided to come home for Mardi Gras.

Davis (Steve Zahn) and Janette (Kim Dickens) both enjoy "king cake" for breakfast. Antoine (Wendell Pierce), Desiree and their daughter Honoré also partake of the delicious king cake, but Antoine is lucky enough to find the "Baby Jesus" in his piece. Traditionally, it is said that the one who finds the "Baby Jesus" must buy more king cake for the next Carnival. It is also said that one is entitled to certain "privileges" after finding one, but as we already know, Desiree is not having that!

As the Carnival parade officially begins, Creighton (John Goodman), Toni (Melissa Leo) and their daughter Sofia are all dressed in feather boas and masks in various shades of blue as a family. As they're leaving, Creighton pushes play (and repeat) on his stereo for a song he considers to be an anthem, "Go To The Mardi Gras," by the late, great Professor Longhair. If you haven't heard it, here's the perfect word to describe it: INFECTIOUS!! Check it out for yourself right here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OH_hVEF7mY

Creighton's spirits dropped down as the parade marched on--disappointed by the low turnout, he decides to leave the parade early and head for home. This leaves Toni and Sophia confused as they have never known Creighton to leave a Mardi Gras celebration early before.

The spirit of Professor Longhair's wonderful song has travelled throughout the whole of New Orleans.

Davis, dressed up as pirate (and slave trader) Jean Lafitte (a fact that was unbeknown to Davis) for Carnival. He once again runs into Annie, dressed in a similar costume, whom he affectionately refers to as his "pirate wench" and they spend the entire day together sifting through the madness and delightful mayhem that is Carnival. Meanwhile, where's Sonny? Well, shortly before Annie left, he decided that he wanted to spend Mardi Gras on his own, telling her how the Rebirth Brass Band's "Do Whatcha Wanna" should be her mantra. "F**kin A**hole," she mutters after he leaves suspecting that Sonny just wants an excuse to do drugs.

Although Delmond (Rob Brown) is upset to learn that his father, Albert (Clarke Peters), will have to spend Mardi Gras in jail for hitting an officer (see Episode #7) while having lunch at The Praline Connection, this "straight no chaser" jazz trumpeter does manage to loosen up when he's greeted by some, well let's say "blessed" women who greet him outside of his hotel in the French Quarter to get him to drop beads down on them. And of course he does! Soon after Delmond meets a lovely girl at a party and they run into another group of Mardi Gras Indians on their way to Delmond's gig with Big Sam at Le Bons Temps Roule. For him, this was the perfect day.

LaDonna's family comes in from Baton Rouge for the celebration and she continues to keep Daymo's death a secret throughout Carnival. While at the parade, Riley, her former contractor, accosts her because the police arrested him over her civil suit against him for not repairing her roof. "F**K YOU" he continues to shout at her and Antoine immediately steps in her defense and shouts the same words back at Riley.

As the celebration winds down, LaDonna's getting ready to close her bar and lounge, Gigi's Place, for the night. With "Tell It Like It Is" playing in the background, and Antoine massaging LaDonna's overly tense shoulders, the mood was all but set. After she ignored an incoming call from her current husband, Antoine, her ex-husband, gave LaDonna a long, intense kiss.

Mardi Gras comes to an end and LaDonna must now make funeral arrangements for Daymo at the Majestic Mortuary.

"treh-MAY" - Episode #2: "Meet De Boys on the Battlefront"

(All photos can be found @ http://www.poptower.com/treme-pictures.htm or Wikipedia.)

Here are just some of the highlights from Episode #2: "Meet De Boys on the Battlefront":

"Why don't you play the next cut on that CD as I summon the spirits?" New Orleans musician Coco Robicheaux slyly says to deejay Davis McAlary (Steve Zahn) during their interview at the radio station. Robicheaux is holding a rooster in one hand and a knife in the other, pressing it against its neck. An alarmed, yet intrigued, Davis pretends not to know the fate of that poor bird: "Are we entering some sacrificial realm here?" he asks with trepidation. After the opening credits pass on, you'll notice the huge spatters of blood on the walls. Yes, rooster blood! Davis feels beyond proud to have witnessed a truly unforgettable moment. Not too long after Coco's ritual at the station, Davis gets fired.

He now has to beg his parents (father's a doctor) for a loan. They promise to help Davis out only if he accepts the position at a fancy hotel, located in the "tourist-friendly" French Quarter. Davis reluctantly accepts the position. His main job is to be a "friendly" guide and highlight the many great things there are to see and do in New Orleans--but only within the narrow, yet "safe" confines of the Quarter. Squirming around in his hotel uniform, it is obvious that Davis won't last long in his position. When he sends three "church volunteers" off to "Bullet's," a restaurant/lounge located in the 7th Ward (far away from the Quarter), Davis pretty much signed his "letter of resignation." "Crime's all gone to Houston," he assures the wide-eyed, youthful trio of the neighborhood's safety. Fortunately, the volunteers return unscathed, but not until the next morning and, of course, they were completely hungover and covered in tattered, feathered boas and Mardi Gras beads. They immediately thanked Davis for showing them the "real" New Orleans.

"A gig is not a job," Desiree incessantly reminds Antoine Batiste (Wendell Pierce). A wonderfully gifted trombonist, Antoine's flaws unfortunately are more evident in his private life. When ex-wife LaDonna (Khandi Alexander) pays Antoine an unexpected visit at his home, not only are she and current girlfriend Desiree now face to face, but LaDonna discovers that Antoine has a new baby daughter with Desiree. In addition to his two sons with LaDonna, there are [at least] three children that Antoine has fathered. "I'll tell your sons they have a new half sister...another one," says LaDonna, just before she takes off. Desiree turns to Antoine, "What she mean by 'another one'?" Clearly he's not going to win any father or husband of the year awards.

What Antoine really lives for are his "gigs," especially a gig that gives him the opportunity to perform with great musicians like trumpeter Kermit Ruffins. Although for certain gigs, particularly those in the "tourist-friendly" Bourbon Street, Antoine feels as though his integrity as a musician is being tested: "There's pride left on Bourbon Street," everyone tells Antoine. "Well, that's what I hear," he says with skepticism. Antoine certainly enjoys the "perks" of the working musician's life: smoking, drinking and of course, women. In fact, there's a very flexible stripper who immediately catches Antoine's eye during one of his gigs.

When LaDonna returns to her bar, Gigi's Lounge, she's upset to find her roof in the same horrible condition as she left it, after having paid even more money to a local contractor to fix it. But when Toni (Melissa Leo) arrives to tell LaDonna that they found her brother, Daymo, LaDonna's anger over her shaky roof quickly disappears. She warns LaDonna that the process may take a lot longer due to the fact that the parishes get more FEMA money for every O.P.P. prisoner they hold.

LaDonna, her mother and Toni all eagerly wait in the visitor's area of the prison for Daymo's arrival. When the guards finally walk into the area to meet them, they bring David Brooks over alright--just not "their Daymo."

Albert Lambreaux (Clarke Peters) is also trying to rebuild--literally. Albert's son, trumpeter Delmond Lambreaux (Rob Brown), insists that he spends the upcoming holiday season with his family in Houston, thereby forcing him to leave New Orleans. But Albert just can't say goodbye--especially now when his home is now in its most vulnerable state.

While working on the repairs for one of the local houses, he discovers that his tools have been stolen. As the episode spoiler suggests, "Albert is forced to take the law into his own hands." And that he does, questioning everyone that he can think of to return his tools, which are now considered priceless in a city that has been hit by so much natural (and man-made) devastation. Finally, someone returns the tools back to Albert and he admitted that he bought them off some young kid nearby. When Albert tracks the young man down, he was set to confront him for stealing his tools, but then he discovered that the kid was ripping out the copper wires that were just installed in a renovated home. Albert forced this kid to acknowledge what he was doing, especially so soon after Hurricane Katrina. Needless to say that the kid, perhaps blinded by his youth, was ignorant and stubborn. His ignorance enraged Albert so much so that he proceeded to beat him to near unconsciousness. That anger, that hurt was not just Albert's, but it was for all of the people in New Orleans who felt abandoned and in utter disarray.

Now it begins to go deeper--that is called great writing and first-rate drama!

The music was, once again, a prominent feature in this episode: cameos from Coco Robicheaux, Trombone Shorty, Galactic, the New Orleans Jazz Vipers, and of course, the great Kermit Ruffins.

Next week on Episode #3: "Right Place, Wrong Time"

Spoiler: "While Davis trades piano lessons for his freedom, Albert makes an unnerving discovery and Annie gets a gig on her birthday."