never shined through in what i've shown
After following the race (and context) fail that's the big topic of discussion all over my flist yesterday and this morning, it feels a little weird to talk about Treme, a show that is set in the aftermath of a huge tragedy, but which doesn't, imo, fall into the same traps as the big bang story in question. (As always, native New Orleanians may have a different take, and I respectfully defer to their feelings on the subject. Also, I haven't read the story in question, but I couldn't even make it through 
bossymarmalade's choice selection of quotes [linked above] without wanting to retch and scrub, so.)
Also, I thought it went without saying after last time (actually I thought it went without saying before last time, but whatever, fandom, a vague disclaimer is nobody's friend), but apparently not, so let me repeat: appropriating other people's tragedy to use as a backdrop for your epic (and indubitably white, frequently colonialist) romance story is hurtful, in many cases, racist, and at the very least, in exceptionally poor taste.
I don't think that's what Treme does, though. I watched the latest two episodes last night, though, and was planning to post about them, and this whole imbroglio has made me think about why I think the show works, even as I do occasionally feel uneasy about watching it (I know that I would be unlikely to watch a show set in downtown Manhattan in the latter months of 2001, though I might watch anyway, because 1. I've always been the sort who picked her scabs, and 2. just to see everything they got wrong.), wondering if it's more exploitative than I realize, and I'm being blind to it in my own privilege and ignorance.
Anyway, for those of you who are still reading and don't know, Treme takes as it main characters people of color - Ladonna Williams, Antoine Batiste, Albert Lambreaux - and puts them front and center and tells their stories. Yes, we also get the white male douchebags characters (in order of douchebaggery (from least to worst): Creighton Bernette, Davis McAlary, Sonny I don't know his last name and don't care to) and the show does spend a little too much time on them occasionally (especially Davis), but all of these characters - especially Ladonna, Antoine, and Albert - are fully realized as people (well, maybe not Sonny, but he's such an asshole I don't think anyone really cares), not just used as mise-en-scene for some white couple's enlightenment and hookup. They're not local color, added for bathos in the background while the white protagonists' stories play out in the foreground.
It's their characters and actions that drive the plot (such as it is - I don't want to get into another tangential discussion, but it makes me sad to see the backlash against this show because it's not The Wire, nor is it intended to be) - Ladonna's search for her missing brother, Albert's drive to be ready for Mardi Gras (and to have something done to resolve some of the homelessness and chaos), Antoine's drive to... make some money and play some music (okay, Antoine's not exactly driven, but he is very charming, and Wendell Pierce does a fantastic job playing him). These three are the main characters of the ensemble, and it's their stories that prove the most interesting and rewarding.
The show itself is clearly aware of the issue of outsiders (Simon et al. are not from New Orleans, so unlike with The Wire, they don't have the leeway of natives to grease their path) coming to gawk at a tragedy - it's come up repeatedly, and the show remains ambiguous on the topic, I think. Yes, people need to come and witness and help and boost the signal, but also, people need to make an effort to understand the culture and the city (and the loss) instead of judging or trying to claim the loss as their own or, indeed, profiting off of it.
I think there are ways to tell stories about great tragedies - thoughtful and moving and non-faily ways to tell necessary stories - because stories are needful things, important things. Stories are part of what makes us human, and stories help us process these events when the impact and loss seems too huge to comprehend. I think Treme is thoughtful in its handling of its subject matter both in terms of race and in terms of dealing respectfully with the aftermath of a tragedy (though I think there is some genderfail in terms of feeling like the women are punished repeatedly while jackasses like Davis and wankstains like Sonny appear to skip scot-free through life, even though the women are also strong and fully fleshed out characters - Ladonna and Toni and Janette are amazing), and it does hold up a mirror to the audience and ask us why we're watching and what we're getting out of it, and also to itself as to why it's telling the story it's telling.
On a much more shallow note, the chick who plays Annie should totally play Summer Glau's sister in something, because wow, they resemble each other.
***
This entry at DW: http://musesfool.dreamwidth.org/181138.html.
people have commented there.
bossymarmalade's choice selection of quotes [linked above] without wanting to retch and scrub, so.)
Also, I thought it went without saying after last time (actually I thought it went without saying before last time, but whatever, fandom, a vague disclaimer is nobody's friend), but apparently not, so let me repeat: appropriating other people's tragedy to use as a backdrop for your epic (and indubitably white, frequently colonialist) romance story is hurtful, in many cases, racist, and at the very least, in exceptionally poor taste.
I don't think that's what Treme does, though. I watched the latest two episodes last night, though, and was planning to post about them, and this whole imbroglio has made me think about why I think the show works, even as I do occasionally feel uneasy about watching it (I know that I would be unlikely to watch a show set in downtown Manhattan in the latter months of 2001, though I might watch anyway, because 1. I've always been the sort who picked her scabs, and 2. just to see everything they got wrong.), wondering if it's more exploitative than I realize, and I'm being blind to it in my own privilege and ignorance.
Anyway, for those of you who are still reading and don't know, Treme takes as it main characters people of color - Ladonna Williams, Antoine Batiste, Albert Lambreaux - and puts them front and center and tells their stories. Yes, we also get the white male douchebags characters (in order of douchebaggery (from least to worst): Creighton Bernette, Davis McAlary, Sonny I don't know his last name and don't care to) and the show does spend a little too much time on them occasionally (especially Davis), but all of these characters - especially Ladonna, Antoine, and Albert - are fully realized as people (well, maybe not Sonny, but he's such an asshole I don't think anyone really cares), not just used as mise-en-scene for some white couple's enlightenment and hookup. They're not local color, added for bathos in the background while the white protagonists' stories play out in the foreground.
It's their characters and actions that drive the plot (such as it is - I don't want to get into another tangential discussion, but it makes me sad to see the backlash against this show because it's not The Wire, nor is it intended to be) - Ladonna's search for her missing brother, Albert's drive to be ready for Mardi Gras (and to have something done to resolve some of the homelessness and chaos), Antoine's drive to... make some money and play some music (okay, Antoine's not exactly driven, but he is very charming, and Wendell Pierce does a fantastic job playing him). These three are the main characters of the ensemble, and it's their stories that prove the most interesting and rewarding.
The show itself is clearly aware of the issue of outsiders (Simon et al. are not from New Orleans, so unlike with The Wire, they don't have the leeway of natives to grease their path) coming to gawk at a tragedy - it's come up repeatedly, and the show remains ambiguous on the topic, I think. Yes, people need to come and witness and help and boost the signal, but also, people need to make an effort to understand the culture and the city (and the loss) instead of judging or trying to claim the loss as their own or, indeed, profiting off of it.
I think there are ways to tell stories about great tragedies - thoughtful and moving and non-faily ways to tell necessary stories - because stories are needful things, important things. Stories are part of what makes us human, and stories help us process these events when the impact and loss seems too huge to comprehend. I think Treme is thoughtful in its handling of its subject matter both in terms of race and in terms of dealing respectfully with the aftermath of a tragedy (though I think there is some genderfail in terms of feeling like the women are punished repeatedly while jackasses like Davis and wankstains like Sonny appear to skip scot-free through life, even though the women are also strong and fully fleshed out characters - Ladonna and Toni and Janette are amazing), and it does hold up a mirror to the audience and ask us why we're watching and what we're getting out of it, and also to itself as to why it's telling the story it's telling.
On a much more shallow note, the chick who plays Annie should totally play Summer Glau's sister in something, because wow, they resemble each other.
***
This entry at DW: http://musesfool.dreamwidth.org/181138.html.
people have commented there.