TREME: DO YOU KNOW WHAT IT MEANS {SERIES PREMIERE} (TV)
Summary
The first in this dramatic series about a group of New Orleans residents and their attempts to rebuild their lives in the wake of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. In this episode, three months after the storm, members of the Rebirth Brass Band haggle over prices and are soon joined by trombone player Antoine Batiste. Musician/DJ Davis McAlary and his casual girlfriend, chef Janette Desautel, are pleased to awaken to the music from the parade, though when Janette heads into work at her restaurant, she finds that nearly all of her staff is absent, apart from sous-chef Jacques. Davina Lambreaux reluctantly drives her father, "Big Chief" Albert, back to his home, heavily damaged by the storm, and he resolves to repair the house and stay there despite her protests. Antoine and his musician pals head into Gigi's Lounge and encounter LaDonna, Antoine's ex-wife, while elsewhere Tulane professor Creighton Bernette gives a recorded interview about the storm, denying the rumor that the levees were intentionally bombed but declaring that the extensive damage was "a man-made catastrophe" stemming from the federal government's inattentive maintenance. When the reporter suggests that rebuilding the city will be more expensive than it is worth, Creighton furiously ends the interview.
Davis annoys his neighbors with loud music as Albert continues cleaning up his home, and Creighton's wife Toni, a lawyer, arrives home and talks to their daughter Sofia about her dislike of her new Baton Rouge school as Creighton argues with other news outlets. LaDonna tells Antoine that her new husband, a dentist, is unlikely to return to New Orleans, and Toni and Creighton head to Desautel's and chat with Janette, who admits that they are running out of many food items. Davina calls her brother Delmond in New York and urges him to come to New Orleans and convince their father to leave, though he tells her that he has musical gigs to fulfill first. LaDonna talks to a friend, Demetrius, who reveals that her brother David, or "Daymo," who has been missing since the storm, was in fact locked up in prison when Katrina hit. At his radio station, Davis rambles to his co-worker about the government's incompetent response to the storm, and he is upset to find that they must play several songs from a pledge drive compilation, feeling that it will compromise their "alternative" integrity.
Everyone else enjoys their night as Albert continues his tireless efforts, and Davis soon barges into a liquidated Tower Records, demanding his own recordings -- or the cash equivalent -- back. Albert talks to Robinette, who explains that he has a contract with FEMA to help clear the streets of debris, and when Albert states that he wants to reassemble his group of Carnival musicians, known as a tribe, Robinette tells him that no one is left in town. LaDonna talks to Toni about Daymo, though Toni reminds her that no record has been found of his arrest or imprisonment, and LaDonna worries that her brother may in fact be dead. Toni questions Rich, a police officer, about Daymo's whereabouts, though he points out that many criminals likely used the storm to their advantage to escape. Antoine asks fellow musician Kermit Ruffins if he can join his next paying gig and requests an advance on his salary, and Davis is excited to spot Elvis Costello at the performance later that night. Robinette finds Albert determinedly singing and dancing in his full Mardi Gras Indian suit and agrees to aid him in clearing out his house, and Toni continues perusing prison records in an attempt to find Daymo. Davis urges Kermit to introduce himself to Costello, saying that he "deserves to be famous" for his music.
Antoine tells his live-in girlfriend Desiree about the gig, though she points out that they are still greatly in need of money, and Davis ends up looting the closed-down Tower Records and taking a few other items besides his own music. Toni shows LaDonna several photos from the overpass on the day of the evacuation that seemingly show Daymo being transported, though LaDonna wonders why he has not called her if he is alive. Janette is annoyed when Davis celebrates his victory over "corporate arrogance" by opening an expensive bottle of wine at her restaurant, and Delmond arrives to take Albert back to Houston, though Albert refuses to leave and instead asks his son to help with the unpaid water bill. Toni is further frustrated when the sheriff ignores her findings about Daymo, and Antoine secures another paying gig playing in a funeral procession.
Details
- NETWORK: HBO
- DATE: April 11, 2010 13:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:19:25
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: 110573
- GENRE: Drama
- SUBJECT HEADING: African-American Collection - Drama; Drama; New Orleans, Louisiana
- SERIES RUN: HBO - TV series, 2010-2013
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Carolyn Strauss … Executive Producer
- Nina Kostroff Noble … Executive Producer
- David Simon … Executive Producer, Created by, Writer
- Eric Overmyer … Executive Producer, Created by, Writer
- David Mills … Co-Executive Producer
- Anthony Hemingway … Producer
- Jessica Levin … Co-Producer
- Laura A. Schweigman … Associate Producer
- Karen L. Thorson … Consulting Producer
- Joseph Incaprera … Line Producer
- Vivian Connolly … Visual Effects Producer
- Agnieszka Holland … Director
- Donald Harrison Quintet … Music by
- Rebirth Brass Band … Music by
- Kermit Ruffins & The Barbeque Swingers … Music by
- Treme Brass Band … Music by
- Black Men of Labor … Music by
- Money Wasters … Music by
- Sudan Social Aid & Pleasure Club … Music by
- Treme Sidewalk Steppers … Music by
- Khandi Alexander … Cast, LaDonna Batiste-Williams
- Rob Brown … Cast, Delmond Lambreaux
- Kim Dickens … Cast, Janette Desautel
- Michiel Huisman … Cast, Sonny
- Melissa Leo … Cast, Toni Bernette
- Lucia Micarelli … Cast, Annie
- Clarke Peters … Cast, Albert Lambreaux
- Wendell Pierce … Cast, Antoine Batiste
- Steve Zahn … Cast, Davis McAlary
- John Goodman … Cast, Creighton Bernette
- Elvis Costello … Cast, Himself
- India Ennenga … Cast, Sofia Bernette
- Edwina Findley … Cast, Davina Lambreaux
- Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine … Cast, Jacques Vaz
- Davi Jay … Cast, Robinette
- Sean Gormley … Cast, British Journalist
- John McConnell … Cast, DJ Jeffy Jeff
- Phyllis Montana-LeBlanc … Cast, Desiree
- Gralen Banks … Cast, Black Man of Labor
- Lionel Batiste … Cast, Himself (Treme Brass Band)
- Kermit Ruffins … Cast, Himself
- Stafford Agee III … Cast, Himself (Rebirth Brass Band)
- Glen Andrews … Cast, Himself (Rebirth Brass Band)
- Keith Frazier … Cast, Himself (Rebirth Brass Band)
- Philip "Tuba Phil" Frazier III … Cast, Himself (Rebirth Brass Band)
- Bunchy Johnson … Cast, Himself (Treme Brass Band)
- Benny Jones Sr. … Cast, Himself (Treme Brass Band)
- Karen "Juicee" Ruffins … Cast, Herself
- James Dumont … Cast, Captain Richard Lafouchette
- Anthony Michael Frederick … Cast, Sergeant Alonzo Wilson
- Henry "Simply" Griffin … Cast, Himself
- Nikai Clark … Cast, Louise
- John McCann … Cast, Demetrius Bray
- Cindi Woods … Cast, Photo Editor
- Levi Holiman … Cast, Angry Cabbie
- Leon Contavesprie … Cast, Record Store Manager
- Marel Medina … Cast, Record Store Manager #2
- Rio Hackford … Cast, Toby
- Albert Guillie … Cast, Sheriff's Deputy #1
- Sharon London … Cast, Sheriff's Deputy #2
- Christopher Paul-Horne … Cast, Son
- Randy Green … Cast
- Derrick Walker … Cast
- Daniel Mason … Cast
- Joyce Deal … Cast
- Ike Jackson … Cast
- Jack Radosta … Cast
- Dother Sykes III … Cast
- Kevin Kemp … Cast
- Mike Anderson … Cast
- Samantha Beaulieu … Cast