With 2010 in its death-throes, I now feel confident in naming my Top Ten series of the year. I previously listed numbers 11 – 20 and mentioned some of my personal guidelines for selection, but now it’s time to get to the best of the best. Beware – here there be smoke monsters, Russian mobsters, evil dudes dressed like butterflies, and crystal meth. Ready?
10. Treme – David Simon’s follow-up to The Wire took him out of his comfort zones. He left Baltimore for New Orleans and ditched all the trappings of the crime dramas for which he’s famous. Instead, this sprawling ensemble drama told the story of a bunch of regular people trying to put their lives back together in post-Katrina New Orleans. It’s a remarkable series, that like Simon’s Wire and Homicide conveys a real sense of place. It’s not sentimental or manipulative – the characters speak for themselves. Whether it’s John Goodman’s righteously indignant college professor, Wendell Pierce’s hell-raising trombone player, or Kim Dickens’ struggling restaurant owner, they are diverse in their status and point of view. Some mythologize New Orleans, some are angry, some just want out. The only thing they have in common is that they get up every morning in a ruined city and just try to live their lives. Treme is an honest look at a place and time that so many have tried to forget, and it’s another home run for David Simon.
While I stand by my Top 10, I actually feel bad about Eastbound & Down and Louie not being on it! They are both so fabulous. And I know how much I’m missing out by not watching Breaking Bad…I will just have to hibernate with the DVDs one of these days, although it sounds like I may end up suffering from clinical depression if I do that.