Shame, Shame, Shame
Treme | Season 1 | Episode 5

Shame, Shame, Shame

TV-MA | 59 MIN

Story by David Simon & Eric Overmyer and Lolis Eric Elie
Teleplay by Lolis Eric Elie
Directed by Christine Moore

LaDonna Batiste-Williams has a troubling dream about her brother Daymo, locked up and lost somewhere in the system.

Creighton Bernette records another video - a direct appeal to President Bush to keep the promises of his Jackson Square speech. The next morning Creighton brushes off queries from Toni about his novel insisting there are more important matters:  Krewe de Vieux, the first parade of Carnival. He tells her the tone-setting theme for this year: "George Bush, Kathleen Blanco, Ray Nagin and sperm." 

Annie awakens to find Arnie Reyes, the Texican bouncer from the Houston roadhouse, waiting to cross through her room to use the bathroom. She asks Sonny how long his "new friend" is supposed to stay.

At the Royal Street police department in the French Quarter, Toni hands over an arrest report to Shift Lieutenant Terry Colson, filling him in on her futile search for Antoine Batiste's trombone.

LaDonna identifies Thadeus Riley, the roofer who has abandoned Gigi's, to a process server she has retained. Arnie Reyes has picked up a day's work from Riley and when LaDonna warns the workers that Riley is going to plead poverty when it comes time to pay, Reyes asks in Spanish if Riley pays his workers. They reply that he does.

Antoine Batiste hears from Toni there's still no word on his trombone, but she gives him a lead on how to contact Japanese jazz fans who are donating funds to help musicians out. Desiree is heading to the temporary personnel office for the school system, intent on getting her old job back. "You got the baby today," she tells Antoine.

Davis McAlary rounds up "Team McAlary" an all-star group of musicians to play (for virtually no money) on his "legendary four-song epistle against all that is unholy and corrupt in the government of New Orleans!"

Toni appears in court to demand that Orleans Parish Criminal Sheriff's Office and state corrections officials produce David Brooks. She asks the judge to compel Keevon White's testimony but A.D.A. Renee Dufossat argues that there is no credible evidence to prove Brooks was in custody during or after Katrina, and reminds the court that the boy had a record of drug convictions.

Albert Lambreaux runs into a group of Social Air and Pleasure Club members outside the Municipal Building who are frustrated that their permit for Sunday's second line is in danger of being voided. Albert has come to talk to City Councilman Ron Singleton about why the projects are still boarded up when they could be housing people wanting to return to New Orleans.

Albert and Lula work on the Chief's Mardi Gras suit at Poke's when Davina Lambreaux stops by for a surprise visit from Houston - pleased to see her father has a "new friend."

Annie plays violin and Sonny comes home, high.  Reyes gives Sonny rent money from his roofing gig. Sonny hits him up for extra money and takes off. "He copped in Houston, didn't he?" Annie asks.

When Toni and Creighton go to dinner at Upperline restaurant, Roy Blount, Jr. calls out. Praising Creighton's YouTube videos: "F**k you, you f**king f**ks," he quotes, admiring Creighton's poetry. "He pullin' my leg?" Creighton asks Toni.

Davis and his "Team" (including Kermit Ruffins) record his epistle, riffing on Smiley Lewis' ‘Shame, Shame, Shame.'

Sofia helps Toni read a damaged parole and probation document, giving her mother a glimmer of a lead on tracking down Daymo. She heads to Desautel's restaurant, discovering that Daymo was working for them before the storm. Janette and Jacques explain that Jacques had called Daymo the morning the storm hit and asked him to take the meat in the freezer to a shelter. But when they returned, the meat was rancid - and they haven't seen Daymo since.

LaDonna discusses Daymo with Antoine, confiding her concern that her brother may have started using again. They are interrupted by a Japanese man, Koichi Toyama, who shows up at Gigi's to meet Antoine and buy him a replacement trombone. Toyama praises Antoine's playing -- and corrects him on his knowledge of jazz recordings. When Antoine leads him to a pawn shop to make his purchase, Toyama refuses: "Please, spare me no expense."

Albert and Davina eat lunch while watching TV and when he spots Councilman Singleton at a press conference, Albert has Davina drive him to the location immediately. He confronts Eric Newsome, Singleton's aide, and then Singleton, about the need to press the Feds to open up the projects. Singleton insists it's not his call. Albert can barely stifle his frustration.

At Desautel's, chefs Tom Colicchio, Eric Ripert, David Chang and Wylie Dufresne (in town for a charity event) show up without a reservation and Janette squeezes them in. She heads back to the kitchen to figure out what to serve them, and deciding not to "out-New York a bunch of New York chefs" she orders Jacques to help her prepare a meal made of andouille, rabbit kidneys, sweetbreads and lamb neck. "We low-ball ‘em," she orders. Later she grills the waitress for their reactions before she heads out to the table to greet them personally and hear their praise.

In the music store, Antoine and Toyama nearly come to blows over another bit of jazz trivia.  They make their way back to Antoine's with the new trombone and Antoine plays for his patron in the empty courtyard outside his apartment. As he says goodbye, Toyama hands him a wad of cash.

Sunday's second line parade draws a larger crowd than anticipated, and grows in intensity and fervor as it winds through the Treme.

Creighton meets with officers of his subkrewe of Krewe du Vieux. Creighton objects to the proposal that they have a serious acknowledgement of the storm. "The sacred purpose of Krewe du Vieux is to mock the serious!" he insists. His view carries the vote. They take a break to appreciate the second line and Toni finds him, thrilled at the turnout but noting the police are nervous about the size. LaDonna walks with Larry and her boys. She spots Marcus, a friend of Daymo's and asks him if her brother was using before the storm. He assures her he wasn't copping from him.

As the parade winds up, suddenly shots ring out in the crowd and everyone runs screaming. In the panic, Sonny loses Annie, who is ushered to safety by Reyes.  Watching the news in a bar later, Davis is stunned. He didn't see it. Drunk, he quotes Antoine Batiste, using the "n" word and another black patron dares him to say it again.  McAlary talks back and the guy punches him. A wasted McAlary staggers out of the bar.

Back home, Sonny holds a sobbing Annie, still shaken from the shooting, and glares at Reyes in the next room.

McAlary wakes up the next morning on his gay neighbors' couch -- they found him laying on the street last night. When McAlary gets home he points his speakers away from his neighbors' garden.

Antoine heads into the pawn shop to buy a trombone for a friend who lost his in the storm --  and discovers his own trombone for sale. Later, Toni confronts Lt. Colson about the officers selling off Antoine's trombone. He explains the morale issues he's facing with officers: "The wheels are off the cart...and the crime is coming back and we ain't ready.  But you wanna talk about a trombone."

Creighton reports with dread to Toni that his agent called and is coming for a visit. He's convinced she's coming to ask for his advance back. "My f**king agent's gonna ruin Mardi Gras," he snaps.

Sonny bids adieu to Reyes, who heads out to find his own way in New Orleans.

HBO Max