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HBO has picked up its praised New Orleans drama Treme for a third season. David Simon and Eric Overmyer’s series chronicling the life of New Orleans residents in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina was down in its second-season premiere, drawing 605,000 viewers, down from the 1.1 million who tuned in for the series premiere last year. But as HBO brass always say, ratings don’t have much weight in their renewal decisions, especially for a show like Treme that they are proud of.
TV Editor Nellie Andreeva - tip her here.
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What is there to be proud about? The ratings are abysmal, and the characters/story are insulting to NOLA residents.
There’s plenty to be proud of Cash. I’m from NOLA, born and raised. 95% of my extended family still reside there including all of my siblings. I’m a writer who currently lives in L.A. The show is SPOT ON, and characterizes EXACTLY what has happened and what is continuing to happen in New Orleans. It’s ratings and following are consistent with character driven HBO dramas similar to… oh… let’s say… The Wire… in their first two seasons… I’m guessing you’re a big five network guy. I forgive you. KUDOS TO HBO, David Simon, Nina Kostroff Noble and the entire Treme (that’s pronounced Truh-may) cast and crew!
You got that right!
You are EXACTLY right. I lived in NOLA for ten years, had a BF down in the Treme and the show has it all down cold. But that’s likely also the reason the ratings haven’t done so well. What–not enough special effects, predictable storylines, comic book superheroes, vampires, procedurals, “beautiful people” (tho personally I think Khandi Alexander is the most beautiful person on TV and her acting is simply the best), yodeling singers, dancing airheds, borderline reality wannabes and bloody interrogator/torturers? And at the same time too many “chocolate” people (some white chocolate, but mostly darker, like the great city itself) who struggle for the long run, for their (and our) native culture, celebrate it all in style and pay a very heavy price for it all. To some extent, you have to already “know what it means” to really appreciate it. When I first drove into New Orleans in 1972 for college at Loyola I was totally freaked out but the more I saw, heard and tasted, the more I liked. Thank goodness real human quality is still valued in some places–the ONLY reason I still subscribe to cable and HBO.
What people don’t understand is that HBO and Showtime are totally different from the nets. Subscriber TV doesn’t have to soley rely on ratings because they don’t have to rely on advertiser for money so they can keep a show that doesn’t get great ratings.
The fact that they had the helicopters going overhead just like it was sold me. I’ll never forget laying in bed hearing those freaking helicopters.
I’m glad they are filming in the city instead of on a set somewhere & using locals as extras. I live north of the lake now, I don’t make it down to the city as much as I want to. But man, when I watch this show half of me wants to drive down & grab a drink, the other half of me wants to cry.
They are doing a great job.
Me too, reallyyall. I’m in L.A. and it makes me feel the exact same way…
I’m sure their viewer is thrilled.
Indeed I am.
Thank God. I was already worried since the numbers for season 2 haven’t been too great so far. I like the show and therefore am happy about the renewal.
Hunh. The New Orleans press and local media outlets are proud of Treme. Kudos to HBO for supporting another great show.
If it makes it another year, they’re calling it Foureme.
This show is just awful. Nothing but cartoon characters like Steve Zahn’s talking music and playing wind instruments.
What did you expect? Pretty vampire show people? Van Halen music??
If ratings don’t factor into HBO’s renewal decisions, why aren’t John From Cincinnati and The Comeback still on the air? Not that I’m complaining.
Treme is awful.
Clearly you have no idea of what constitutes a good show. Please stick to watching the dreck on CBS.
WOW! Shocked and ecstatic! GREAT show!
Yeah, I tried to get into this show, but it’s way too slow, too many characters to follow, and quite frankly, not enough drama to keep watching week to week…. buy hey, the hardcore fans of this show, should be happy, and that’s all that matters.
YES! I love this series! Congrats to David Simon & Co. With standout performances by the likes of Oscar winner Melissa Leo, Clarke Peters, Kim Dickens, Wendell Pierce & Khandi Alexander, this show surely has one of the most talented casts on TV!!!
If you say Treme is awful then you clearly know nothing about New Orleans. Pretty great show that gets so much right about this city. Glad to see HBO supports good, quality tv.
I just cannot seem to get into this show.
I am a huge fan of “the Wire,” so you’d think I’d like this…but I don’t.
I honestly think the very heavy doses of jazz music are a turn off for me, and others who don’t enjoy that kid of music.
YES! Great news! The critics commenting on this site obviously have no awareness of New Orleans or the culture and characters there. From the first episode I recognized old friends and characters I know or composites of friends in New Orleans, not to mention some of my favorite bands and New Orleans best musicians are represented there.
That show has contributed to the economy, provided jobs and serves as reminder that we must not forget what Katrina did, continues to do and why.
The writers are current, the choice of directors inspired.
The show is pretty great (especially this past week’s episode (05/08)); it’s a fitting complement to the (equally-great) BOARDWALK EMPIRE.
I love this series, and the music and culture of New Orleans is a big factor of its appeal for me. That said, the dialog can get sanctimonious at times.
This show is absolute garbage and should have been cancelled after season one. Stupid move by HBO, but that’s par for its programming course lately.
wonderful show, and absolutely nothing else like it. i feel sorry for those commentators above with short attention spans.
some of the best writing, acting, and music i’ve seen on a television series.
great news.
@Brock is just upset that Wonder Woman didn’t get picked up. No accounting for taste there.
Wonderful news for Treme.
The show is messed up but I’m glad for NOLA to get some love.
What the f#%@ are the writers doing? Especially this season. There are WAAAAAY too many characters and story lines and actually (never thought I’d say this) too much music! Okay we get it, NOLA is a funky town.
Of course I’m thrilled to see so many black folks getting work and I want the show to succeed (and I do watch it but only because I keep thinking something good will happen) but come on guys, you can do so much better especially with that fantastic cast like Wendell Pierce, Khandi Alexander and Melissa Leo. They deserve writing as good as their acting.
Spot on…exactly what I was thinking. I’m a fan and they are losing me.
Height of arrogance: We don’t care about ratings.
Fine… it’s not a blockbuster and it gets picked up.
But it’s not even a marginal performer either!!
C’mon, HBO…. you’re also a business. Not some elitist art studio. What ever happened to great critically acclaimed shows that also get an audience?? Like Sopranos, Curb, Sex in the City, Six Feet Under….
They weren’t huge audiences either.
But Treme? Wonderful… a few people love it.
But I have no need to pay extra for HBO with self-indulgent nonsense like this.
Just. Don’t. Get it.
Then. Stick. To. Getting. Spoon. Fed. By. The. Networks
Treme ROCKS!
I love this show. I feel sorry for the instant gratification generation. Some people need the world to fit into one hour blocks. I don’t need to get there in a hurry, I am enjoying the journey.
I think one of the differences in the viewership this season is the difference in the audience delivered by Game of Thrones, from that that was delivered by The Pacific last year.
~
I can’t think of any promotion I’ve seen anywhere, outside of HBO. Treme isn’t getting the attention it deserves on sites like this, TV Line, EW, or anywhere else. You don’t see the actors on the late night shows, and they got stiffed by the award shows. I don’t know how they’re supposed to build an audience by keeping the show under a rock, I’m just glad I found it last year.
Game of thrones, board walk empire, kenny powers, and true blood are not hits? give me a break; HBO is back.