“People coming home for this.” – Antoine
For the last few episodes, including this one, Treme has gotten the tone just right. And that’s no easy feat at all in a show that really tries to walk a fine line (a wire, perhaps?), painting brush strokes of lighter and darker tones on a broad dramatic canvas, taking in a huge array of diverse and eclectic characters plotting their uncertain course in the wake of Hurricane Katrina’s devastating blow to The Big Easy.
More than anything, this was an episode about Mardi Gras: what it means to New Orleans (and the wider world), what it meant to be part of Mardi Gras specifically in early 2006 (six months after the storm), and how the characters of Treme assessed and conducted themselves on an occasion where typically it would be time to party like there’s no tomorrow, and with no dreadful thoughts about tragic hellstorms of the recent past.
Indeed, interspersed through the first half of the episode we pick up characters talking about the approach of Mardi Gras, almost as desert travelers would discuss an oasis on the horizon.
“Welcome home to Mardi Gras, honey,” – Annie to the man returned to New Orleans after losing his home and a number of neighbors alongside
“People coming home for this.” – Antoine
“I’m concerned about your eternal soul… I’m not positive but it may be a mortal sin to work on Mardi Gras.” – Davis
“Just the morning.” – Janette (responding to Davis’ admonition about working on Mardi Gras)
“You bet your ass, you keep the Big Chief locked up on Mardi Gras day, you send a message.” – Delmond
“Six months, almost to the day… and we’re gonna party like we know how, second line like there’s no tomorrow, Mardi Gras our asses off in the ruins of the Crescent City. And it’s good.” – Creighton
I’ve been really tough on Delmond’s (Rob Brown) storyline as I was bored with his attempts to distance himself from his people and culture. So it was refreshing and welcome to see him chill out over the course of the episode this week, even if he did convert from the Ebenezer Scrooge of the lot, talking about how New Orleans would be better off without Mardi Gras, to being something of his father’s son (that would be Big Chief Albert Lambreaux, played by Clarke Peters) rather quickly.
Maybe the attempt too was to show characters’ true colors and natures in an event where it’s appropriate to let loose and “do what’choo want.” Sonny (Michael Huisman) certainly took this mantra to the extreme, literally rejecting his suffering girlfriend in Annie (Lucia Micarelli) to get high as a kite and have sex with a bar pickup. The darkness was eased off considerably here by Annie’s sweet platonic date with Davis (Steve Zahn, who keeps getting better each week) which formed a walking tour of the rollercoaster of events and parties going on, even under a relatively subdued Mardi Gras year. And sitting somewhere in the fuzzy-complicated-middle is Antoine’s (Wendell Pierce) hooking up with ex-wife LaDonna.
Creighton’s (John Goodman) leaving Toni (Melissa Leo) and their daughter to go home and bum out early sends the signal that post-Mardi Gras will bring back the post-Katrina vibe and reality to this band of characters. His latest YouTube message was his most restrained and somber yet, mourning the loss of the “soap bubble” or dream of a New Orleans that is no more (and perhaps never was?). And LaDonna’s visit to a mortuary to take care of Daymo’s funeral arrangements (and man, we haven’t seen grandma’s reaction to his death yet) punctuates this theme again.
More thoughts on “All on a Mardi Gras Day”:
“But ‘ossifer, I thought the sign said Facilities Street!” – Davis
Great moment: Davis (as Jean Lefit?) twirling his toy 19th Century era revolver and dropping it.
Sad moment: Big Chief Lambreaux staring out his cell window on Fat Tuesday.
A lot of inside discussion of favorite and not so favorite Mardi Gras parades, which gave an authentic feel.
It’s not all sunshine and light at Mardi Gras… Mr. Riley, LaDonna’s (Khandi Alexander) “ex-contractor,” confronts her over getting arrested over the unfinished roofing project.
Great music throughout, which is something of a staple on this show.
A sign says: “FEMA SAYS THE BEADS WILL BE HERE IN APRIL.”
I had an extreme feeling of dread seeing Janette alone at night, drunk on the street… had something to do with seeing Breaking Bad’s “Half Measures” on the same night, I’m sure. It was great to see her cutting loose for once, in retrospect (and her boyfriend-of-sorts was faithful!).
This review originally appeared on TV Geek Army.