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I’m sorry guys, I had to take a day off to review this episode, because Jesus Christ was this the single darkest episode this show has ever done. Like, this show has had some pretty harrowing stuff; deaths, rapes, assaults, police brutality, and obviously the post-Katrina destruction that is ever present. But I had to take a cold shower after this one, and while that’s not a complaint, they really did a fantastic job making me scared to death one minute and distraught the next. All of the stories this week are horrific for most of the characters, and there are too few happy endings tonight. There are struggles, and hurdles, and the entire cast of characters are tested and I’m actually concerned for their outcomes. I don’t think I’ve ever been legitimately worried for character’s fates on a TV show before, because there is some crazy stuff going on this season and I can’t imagine what I would do if something bad happens to LaDonna, or the Chief, or God forbid poor Annie. The show runners really want me to lose my shit, and they did a hell of a job, if that’s what they were aiming for. We should all pray for David Simon to take pity on us, and not harm anyone, because we are near the end of the season and either shit will go down, or will hit the fan. There can’t be clean resolutions for everyone, as much as I would like.

So since “Don’t You Leave Me Here” has me mind-fucked, I guess we’ll start at the beginning, with the preparations for the soft opening to Janette’s restaurant. This was a hell of an opening; it raised the stakes early, and set-up a lot of room for disaster or for triumph for her and her staff. Speaking of staff, and steaks, my lord is Anthony Anderson the best thing to happen to this show. Ever. Now, sure, I admit I’m AA’s biggest fan (or fanatic), but they could just center the show solely on Derek and it wouldn’t dip in quality from week to week. His eccentric comedic presence and love for shoes was a much needed ray of light from the black hole that consumed the rest of the hour. We are on the event horizon for a number of people, but at least Janette got out relatively fine. Sure, her new place was a hit, and she got a much deserved standing ovation, and even her parents showed up, but lurking underneath the surface is some hesitation. Or maybe it’s regret, I don’t know, I’m not good at reading faces. But I can tell something’s up, and maybe if that owner guy keeps drinking all of her wine and hustling babes she’ll snap and stab him. That’s how my fan fiction of this show would go. Janette murders people, and Anthony Anderson is the lead.

The other character who is saved from total dumpsville is Sonny, who has finally gotten his act together and changed his entire life. I was waiting for something monumental to happen to him, and he essentially sells his old life for a new one, and makes a gigantic decision: buying that engagement ring. Now, I could complain that we haven’t gotten to know Linh that well (I have to keep looking her name up every week), and I could spend time writing about her dad, but I’m not going to. I’m glad Sonny has decided to stick to his commitment, and I want to see where this goes. I also want to see where Nelson goes, and I mean that literally. Apparently he is here to stay, and while on a scout to the new Jazz Center (through some ominous rain I might add), Nelson gets to shake his booty and Delmond gets to take command of what the venue books. I’m still cautious of how this whole deal plays out, but then again I’m not sure how anything will play out with anyone on this show. It seems every time the show is ready to drastically alter things, or kill people off, I’m taken by surprise.

And I can’t bring up Delmond without having to mention (and lament) Chief Lambreaux, who is so close to death, I’m sure he’ll be knocking on his door come Sunday. It was so hard to watch him this episode, especially since we aren’t gradually introduced to his new physical state, it just pops up on us. And boy does he look BAD. I have to applaud everyone involved with Treme, because they convinced me never to get cancer. He spent a lot of the time doing everything other than dying, and it was wonderful up until that point. He had an astounding scene with LaDonna at the bar, and watched Laurel & Hardy while at the hospital with his daughter, and everything seemed fine. But then Clarke Peters had to pull some method acting on us, and broke my heart with ten seconds of on-screen time. The effects are staggering, and so noticeable I felt myself getting sick just looking at him. This has been the saddest plot line I’ve seen on a show maybe ever, and can’t recall having my emotions ripped out through the TV this bad since Tony Soprano died. I think he died, or maybe I misread that smash cut.

Any who, the misery doesn’t end there, no no no. LaDonna is also subjected to some pretty tormenting and disturbing harassment, and if there is anybody who can take this kind of hell it’s LaDonna. Her ongoing plight of the hands of those thugs is seemingly never-ending, and thanks to our Constitutionally defended right to “due process”, the nightmare keeps getting dragged out longer and longer. And there is a really nice parallel between her and the Bernettes, because oh my God I do not want to be them. If you didn’t already gather from my previous paragraphs, Sofia having to be forced to leave New Orleans is absolutely soul crushing. What’s worse? She has to move to Florida. I live in Florida, and if there is one place to not go to out of exile, it’s Florida. Trust me, just don’t. I mean, at this point Sofia is just a magnet to trouble, and while that party seemed ridiculous, it wasn’t her fault the cops arrested her (and only her?). And the worst part about it is seeing Toni’s anguish through the whole process. She must live a tough life, having to seek truth and pursue justice, and just getting nothing but danger and flak and bullshit in return. LP and Terry also stir up quite a nuisance for the police, as they are bound to have an episode or two not go their way.

For me, the final straw was Davis and Annie. RIP their run together. We start off with them arguing and it only gets worse. Frustrating as relationships can be, I’m getting a sense it is the end for them. On top of that, Aunt Mimi rips into Davis, and I’m shocked he didn’t pull a Sonny and do something drastic during it all. All of his work, his super opera, reduced to almost nothing. Everything here tonight challenged everyone to the brink, and we get too many emotional scenes where our protagonists are pushed to the edge. Some break down, some grit their teeth and move on, and some just aren’t ready to react yet. But it’s Antoine’s strange mid-life crisis this episode that sums everything up for me, and it’s unexplainable. Life is as confusing as a modern jazz sheet of music, and no matter how hard he tries, he’ll never be as good as it as others. So just accept your failures, and try to be happy, I guess, is what the show is saying. So this episode gets a perfect score, as it was some of the most truly effective and gripping material I’ve seen all year. It made me care about fictional characters in a way I’m not likely to see again, unless we get that 6th season of The Wire everyone jokes about. Even typing that made me sad, and I was already sad to begin with. Damn you Treme.

-Jared