---
title: "Treme: the reviews"
canonical: "https://film.one/tv/treme/reviews"
title_page: "https://film.one/tv/treme"
critics_score: 80
critics_reviews: 7
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Treme (2010): what the critics said

Critics' score 80 from 7 reviews: 7 positive, 0 mixed, 0 negative.

The reviews are uniformly warm, with all seven coming down on the positive side. Praise clusters around the world-building: critics find post-Katrina New Orleans convincingly drawn, and most single out the music and the ensemble performances as the reasons the neighbourhood feels lived in rather than staged. Several see The Wire in the intertwining stories and the street-level dialogue, while noting that this is a softer, more intimate piece.

The reservations are about pace. Almost every notice calls the series slow, meandering or leisurely; Variety says it demands patience, and The Guardian notes occasional preachiness and false notes. The spread is narrow, from good to excellent, with The AV Club at the top and The Telegraph most cautious, suggesting the show’s success depends on whether it deepens viewers’ sense of the disaster. Nobody dislikes it; the argument is only over how much patience it earns.

## The AV Club — Scott Tobias

Rating A. 11 April 2010. 

The critic finds Treme a confident, humane series that affirms love of humanity and resilience after Katrina through humor, tenderness, insight, and rich regional music. It stands out for allowing its world to unfold gradually without a driving narrative.

[Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/treme-do-you-know-what-it-means-1798164713)

## The Times — Chris Ayres

Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 16 April 2010. 

The pilot of Treme suggests David Simon can maintain his run of hits, following residents three months after Katrina with strong integration of music and cuisine. The camerawork makes ravaged streets look exquisite, and the closing scene is a work of art.

[Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/katrina-gets-the-wire-treatment-ktdkdsz32lr)

## The Hollywood Reporter — Randee Dawn

Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 14 October 2010. 

The review notes that the show shares DNA with The Wire through its ensemble of intertwining stories and street-level dialogue, but focuses on post-Katrina rebirth in New Orleans. It praises the masterful world-building and performances while noting a slow start.

[Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-reviews/treme-tv-review-hbo-season-one-29472/)

## The Independent — Sarah Hughes

Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 11 April 2010. 

Treme creates a believable world but is more meandering and intimate than The Wire, with a softer heart and powerful emotional moments. It hits the right notes most of the time through character-driven drama and music.

[Read the review](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/features/treme-better-than-the-wire-1941822.html)

## The Guardian

Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 21 February 2011. 

Treme is a sprawling, elliptical drama about the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina on a New Orleans neighbourhood, with characters establishing themselves at a stately pace. It is as supple and confident as a jazz riff, despite occasional false notes and preachiness.

[Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2011/feb/21/treme-tv-review)

## Variety — Brian Lowry

Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 2 April 2010. 

The critic describes the series as rich and textured but too leisurely in pace, requiring patience like its post-Katrina New Orleans setting. Strong performances and authentic atmosphere are highlighted as rewarding elements for dedicated viewers.

[Read the review](https://variety.com/2010/tv/reviews/treme-1117942520/)

## The Telegraph

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 13 April 2010. 

Treme offers a complex, inside look at post-Katrina New Orleans through the lives of its residents, capturing the city's essence via human characters rather than fast-paced crime drama. Its success depends on whether viewers gain a heightened sense of the disaster's impact.

[Read the review](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/7585957/Treme-on-HBO-The-Wire-creator-David-Simons-new-show-US-TV-review.html)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/tv/treme.md