'Treme' hitting its stride

Ep. 21 – Preview

HBO's "Treme" ended its second season in fine form this week, capping an eventful season that saw the series hit its stride as complex storylines came into focus.

With "Treme," producer David Simon has returned to the heights that made his HBO series "The Wire" one of the best TV shows ever.

Like "The Wire," the acting is superb (in fact, at least four "Wire" actors have either starring or supporting roles in "Treme"). And while Season 1 star John Goodman appeared only briefly in Season 2, his now-dead character remained in the forefront. 

The series has been renewed for a third season, and I can't wait. I encourage "Treme" rookies to dive in while the show is still in rotation on HBO or wait and pop for the inevitable box set. I can't recommend this kind of smart TV enough.