(The Root) — This weekend's shows taught many life lessons. Not only did we learn about jazz and Christmastime government corruption in New Orleans, but we were privy to impromptu, hood-rigged medicine in a zombie-filled prison. Vital skills, vital skills.
Suggested Reading
The Walking Dead (Sunday, 9 p.m. ET; AMC)
"There's no government, no hospital, no police. It's all gone." —Rick
"He can't even walk. All we do is run." —Maggie
Highlights: (Spoiler alert) By this week's episode, the team had gotten its bearings in the prison. There was still somewhat of a struggle, though — Daryl (Norman Reedus), T-Dogg (Irone Singleton) and Rick (Andrew Lincoln) were still responsible for protecting the cell block from prisoners who had been locked in the cafeteria for months while they waited to be rescued and were now looking to reclaim the prison. They also stayed focused on looking for food. Hershel's (Scott Wilson) leg was amputated, and Lori (Sarah Wayne Callies) will be giving birth soon — so there was the obvious concern about zombies and death. Hershel looked like he'd live by the end of the episode, so all they really have to worry about is zombies and Lori's probable C-section. Sounds like fun.
Treme (Sunday, 10 p.m. ET; HBO)
"This is New Orleans. We just let it all go to hell. Preservation through neglect." —Davis
"They're trying to wash us away. This is their golden opportunity." —Albert
Highlights: Why we love Treme: You just might learn something!
This week, we learned a lot. As usual, there were lessons on jazz, Katrina and New Orleans life in general. This episode, set at Christmas, was a sad dedication to Buddy Bolden, who was remembered in the episode for playing at a now-dilapidated Perseverance Hall. There was also a lot of demolition this week. Desiree's mother's home was torn down by the city, and the ever-cheating Antoine (Wendell Pierce) tried his best to comfort Desiree. Also, the city was apparently trying to erase poor, black members of the community, as evidenced by the vote to knock down the housing projects. People who protested the vote were dealt with by police using pepper spray and tasers. Merry TV Christmas, y'all.
Watch here.
Celeste Little is an editorial intern at The Root.
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