"Treme" television triumphs tonight.

Superb piece of television from HBO. The best TV I've seen since Weeds sprouted up. Specifically, the closing 4 minutes and 48 seconds of tonight's episode of "Treme".

If you're unfamiliar with the name, Treme is the nickname of an area within the city of New Orleans noted as an important culturally historic neighborhood from which a disproportional amount of great music came. Clean-up from Katrina (physical, political, emotional, and otherwise) is the backdrop for this series looking in on the stories of some of the people doing the cleaning.

Tonight's episode is entitled "Right Place. Wrong Time.". Dr. John makes a cameo appearance. Midway through the story, the body of a missing elderly relative of one of the characters is found in the rubble, and the next afternoon, a fitting Creole Indian ceremony takes place - not the funeral - just a ceremony outside the residence of the deceased. Just as the uplifting musical ceremony starts really taking off, a "Katrina Tours" bus rolls up, slows, and as passengers click their disposable cameras, the driver asks what the gathering is all about. Obviously dumbfounded by the sudden tourist intrusion, a few of the men tell the driver to just "drive on away from here". The driver pauses, apologizes and drives away. Closing shot is from behind the group on the street looking past them as the bus drives on. Silent.

Considering what we, the audience, have learned about the characters and their struggles, this scene is very powerful and compelling. We get to see what those tourists couldn't. We get to see the heart and soul.

So far, this series has had it's ups and downs story wise, but this episode really clicked as a cohesive show and not just some varying storyline depictions from somewhat disassociated characters. John Goodman, Steve Zahn, and a host of other actors you will recognize. I really didn't think I would enjoy a program about New Orleans and Katrina, but these first few episodes are growing on me, especially after tonight.