Treme ends its run

"Welcome to the city that care forgot." — Albert, "Treme"

"Treme," the latest TV drama from David Simon, is coming to an end. The show is in its fourth season and has just three hours left. But that doesn't mean that the show doesn't still have plenty to say.

I am one of those that loved "The Wire." I still consider it the greatest show of all time. Looking back, you can see what Simon sought to accomplish with the show. He wanted to take a hard look at urban America, and the myriad of issues that keep us from moving forward. That show took a hard look at ports, government, the education system, and the media. All play a role in the drug war that America will, likely, never win.

"Treme" has been a very different show. It's set in New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and it's centered on the people that have tried to be part of the recovery — focusing mainly on the music industry. I thought the first season of the show was one of the best seasons of TV ever. Subsequent years haven't been as strong, but I think Simon has still sought to tackle larger social issues.

Some have complained that the show lacks story and forward narrative. While the style isn't the same as "The Wire," the intent feels very similar. The story might be more sprawling and seemingly less focused, but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

A great joy has been seeing these characters grow. They've struggled and tried to climb out of their problems. And in that way, "Treme" has attempted to explore the larger social and societal issues that hold back New Orleans in particular as it's tried to re-build and to become a robust city.

Among those topics have been police corruption, government corruption, the inadequacy of support, crime, poverty, and cultural changes. Simon has long been concerned about where America is going. "The Wire" used Baltimore as a metaphor for the decline of urban America. One might argue that "Treme" does the same thing with New Orleans.

The last episode centered on a senseless gang shooting that led to the death of a promising young student. It was heart-breaking and all too familiar. This is America today — particularly in our biggest cities — but it doesn't seem to be the country we focus on.

Some might say that "Treme" is a show without a story or a purpose, but they'd be wrong. It's not "The Wire," but that doesn't mean that it fails to continue the conversation we need to be having about where America is headed.