Treme: Season 1
Map of NOLA Neighborhoods
Street Map of Treme
Treme (overall series) Co-Creator/co-Executive producer: David Simon Co-Creator/co-Executive producer: Eric Overmyer Co-Executive producer: David Mills Co-Executive producer: Nina Kostroff Noble Co-Executive producer: Carolyn Strauss Premiered April 11, 2010 on HBO Four seasons, 36 episodes Final episode aired December 29, 2013
Treme (overall series) Awards: 45 nominations with 6 wins, including: Won 2014 Emmy for Outstanding Sound Mixing Nominated 2014 Emmy for: Outstanding Miniseries; Outstanding Writing; Outstanding Casting Nominated 2010 Emmy for: Outstanding Directing (Agnieszka Holland, pilot episode) Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics (Steve Earle, This City ) Nominated 2011 Grammy for: Best Compilation Soundtrack; Best Song for Motion Picture/TV ( This City )
David Simon Above left: David Simon in 2012 Right: Simon on the set of Treme, 2009
Simon resume summary Journalist, author, producer, screenwriter Worked at the Baltimore Sun (1982-95) primarily as a police/crime reporter Wrote book Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets (1991) which was the basis of the NBC TV series Homicide: Life on the Street (1993-99), with Simon as writer and producer Co-wrote book The Corner: A Year in the Life of an Inner- City Neighborhood (1997) which was the basis of the HBO mini-series The Corner (2000), with Simon as co-writer Creator, executive producer, head writer for HBO series The Wire (2002-08) Won a MacArthur Genius Award in 2010
Eric Overmyer Above left: Eric Overmyer in 2014 Right: Overmyer at NYC premiere of Treme, 2010
Overmyer resume summary Writer and/or producer on numerous TV shows, including: St. Elsewhere (1986-87) Homicide: Life on the Street (1996-99) Law & Order (and its spinoffs) (2001-08) The Wire (2006) Boardwalk Empire (2013) Bosch (Amazon series, 2014-17) Lives part-time in New Orleans
David Mills Above left: David Mills (date unknown) Right: Mills with Simon (date unknown)
Mills resume summary Journalist, producer, screenwriter: Homicide: Life on the Street (1994-98, wrote 3 episodes) NYPD Blue (1995-97, wrote 9 episodes) ER (1997-99, wrote 4 episodes) The Corner (HBO mini-series 2000, wrote 5 episodes) Mills won two Emmy Awards: Outstanding Writing; Outstanding Miniseries Kingpin (Creator of NBC mini-series, 2003) The Wire (2006, wrote 2 episodes) Died March 30, 2010 of a brain aneurysm while taping a Treme episode at Café Du Monde
The Season 1 ensemble cast regulars (in alphabetical order) Khandi Alexander Rob Brown Kim Dickens John Goodman Michiel Huisman Melissa Leo Lucia Micarelli Clarke Peters Wendell Pierce Steve Zahn
Khandi Alexander as LaDonna Batiste-Williams
Alexander resume summary TV and film actress (1985-present, 53 credits), including: NewsRadio (1995-98, 60 episodes as Catherine Duke) ER (1995-2001, 29 episodes as Jackie Robbins) The Corner (2000, 6 episodes as Fran Boyd) CSI: Miami (2002-09, 145 episodes as Alexx Woods) Scandal (2013-17, 17 episodes as Maya Pope) 2015 Emmy nomination: Outstanding Guest Actress
Rob Brown as Delmond Lambreaux
Brown resume summary Film and TV actor (2000-present, 12 credits), including: Finding Forrester (2000, his first role, no previous acting experience, starred opposite Sean Connery) Coach Carter (2005) Treme (2010-13, 36 episodes; his first TV series) He never played trumpet before this show The Dark Knight Rises (2012) Blindspot (NBC series, 2015-17, 48 episodes as Edgar Reade)
Kim Dickens as Janette Desautel
John Goodman as Creighton Bernette
Michiel Huisman as Sonny
Melissa Leo as Toni Bernette
Lucia Micarelli as Annie Talarico
Clarke Peters as Albert Big Chief Lambreaux
Wendell Pierce as Antoine Batiste
Steve Zahn as Davis McAlary
Episode 1: Do You Know What It Means Written by David Simon and Eric Overmyer Directed by Agnieszka Holland Musician guest appearances include: Elvis Costello Well-known British rocker, who performed and recorded with NOLA great Allen Toussaint in 2005 Kermit Ruffins Locally well-known NOLA jazz and brass band trumpeter Glen David Andrews Locally well-known NOLA jazz and brass band trombonist
Agnieszka Holland Above left: Holland in 2017 (from her Wikipedia article) Right: Holland filming in 2013
Holland resume summary TV and film director, writer, and actress (1973- present), including: Angry Harvest (1985), director and co-writer Oscar nominee, Best Foreign Language Film Europa, Europa (1990), director and co-writer Oscar nominee, Best Screenplay The Wire (2004-08), director of 3 episodes In Darkness (2011), director (written by D. Simon) Oscar nominee, Best Foreign Language Film
Episode 1: Do You Know What It Means Enough talking, let s watch
Cultural reference: Buck Jumping Theme song: Treme Song by John Boutté Used in all four seasons of the series From Boutté s album Jambalaya (2003) Line = We re all goin crazy, buck jumpin and having fun No Wikipedia article on buck jumping Several YouTube videos, including: Lady Buckjumpers 2011
Cultural reference: Mardi Gras Indians There are about 38 currently active MG Indian tribes Began parading in mid-19 th century, maybe earlier Early history is shrouded in mystery and folklore Suits influenced by Native American ceremonial apparel Critically important part of working class African-American NOLA culture Almost exclusively male, tribes range in size from about 6 to 36 members Suits are sown by hand by members, with a new one created each year Cost thousands of dollars in materials, and can weigh up to 100 pounds
Cultural reference: Mardi Gras Indians Traditionally, Indians are only seen in public on Mardi Gras Day, St. Joseph s Day (March 19), and the Sunday closest to St. Joseph s Day Until late 1960 s, the Indian parades often involved violence and bloodshed between the tribes when they met on the streets Tootie Montana worked to end the violence Today, tribes argue over who has the prettiest suit Hierarchy: Spyboy, First flag, Wildman, Big Chief
Cultural reference: Hubig s pie
Cultural reference: Hubig s pies at Mardi Gras