New Series Highlights the "Shame" of New Orleans

David Simons' series "The Wire" is considered by many to be one of the best television programs of all time for its grim examination of urban decay, corruption and crime in Baltimore. Now Simons turns his attention to New Orleans:

Critic Andrew Ryan writes, "[David] Simon's new series delves into the realm of real people affected by force majeure. 'The Wire implied what was at stake with the American city,' said Simon, who splits residences between the Maryland and Louisiana cities that have been the settings for his two big shows. 'But Treme is an examination of what disparate and different people compacted into an urban area can offer, or not offer, particularly in the aftermath of this huge natural disaster....The shame of New Orleans today [says Simon] is that in many parts of the city, the cleanup has yet to begin.'"