Treme

Renowned for its French Creole culture, its Mardi Gras celebrations and music, New Orleans gained a new, unwanted legacy after Hurricane Katrina hit in August 2005. It became a victim when it was swamped by one of the most destructive storms in the history of the United States. Treme recounts the near-death experience of this American city and the lives of some of its diverse citizens—musicians, cooks, lawyers, university professors, contractors, plasterers—who love and understand their hometown’s soul. They’re doing what they can to rebuild their lives one crawfish etouffee, one trombone solo, one second-line parade at a time. Very few television series have had as strong and clear sense of place as Treme, yet its characters’ struggles can also be viewed as a metaphor for an entire country that has been smacked hard by adversity and is still on the mend. It shows how people can put one foot in front of the other, regain their stride and save something they love. For its rich tapestry of life in post-Katrina New Orleans, with storylines that snake and swoop like jazz, Treme is awarded a Peabody Award.