"Based on the infinite promise of the premise — and the show’s genesis was as simple as Fox Entertainment President Peter Liguori suggesting to writer-producer Jonathan Lisco that he consider doing a cop show set in contemporary New Orleans — I think there’s still reason to believe there’s an acceptable, and maybe even exceptional, TV series trapped inside the overblown and implausible premiere episode."(New Orleans Times-Picayune) "Fox has exhibited a knack for getting noticed with reality TV concepts, pushing emotional buttons and prodding sacred cows. Here, the intent seems to be baiting a drama with a tantalizing marketing hook, but the resulting gumbo — despite a few promising ingredients — is all gristle, no beef." (Variety) "Is it too soon for a show with Katrina as a major plot point? I would have to say the answer to that question is a resounding yes." (Herald-Dispatch) "Yes, the Big Easy is pretty well served by K-Ville. Alas, TV viewers are not." (Entertainment Weekly) "In the past, there have been good shows that have had bad pilots. Sometimes it just takes some time for a show to find its true voice. I’m hoping that happens with K-Ville, because the cast does a decent job and there’s plenty of material here. Unfortunately, as it stands, K-Ville is a sub-standard and cliched cop show that’s wrapping itself in social self-importance in the hopes that nobody will notice just how bad it is." (IGN) "Unless the second or third episodes focus on a voodoo priest killing off topless Mardi Gras coeds by stuffing them full of beignet and holding elaborate jazz funerals and above-ground cemeteries, "K-Ville" ought to have enough narrative material to give the city a bit more of a financial boost before cancellation." (Zap2It)
"Whether rage alone can sustain a series remains to be seen, although class war and race hate seem to be in inexhaustible supply here, and the show has hardly begun to touch the rich reservoir of music. Imagine guest appearances by Fats Domino and Dr. John." (NY Magazine) "The rush of moving the sleep-deprived cops into action, with the promise that if they move fast, they’ll have more time to sleep, gives the series an interesting jolt. First there’s the always heartening promise that this episode won’t be long. Embry tells his men to catch the fugitives and lock them up, and then they can go back to sleep; for viewers on the fence about sitting through a premiere, that’s a decent come-on." (NY Times) "Nowhere is it written that you cannot take a national tragedy and use it as a backdrop for a TV series. And that’s a good thing — what would television be without "MASH"? But if you do, it would be wise to pause and quietly reflect, to consider whether your characters, subject matter, perhaps even genre, are up to the task. As tempting as it might be, tearing your pathos straight from the headlines comes with a price: Your show will be judged not only on its own merits, but also on how it measures up against the significance of the event…
In other words, if you want to explore post-Katrina New Orleans in a dramatic and meaningful way, think of something more sophisticated than a mediocre cop show. Because although cultural and historical significance can make a good show great, it can also make a not-great show terrible." (LA Times) "K-Ville’s" heavy tone and sober acting capture enough of that essence to make it interesting. The drama does toss in crazy plots about nefarious villains. But I’m a bit forgiving of melodramatic parts, since it’s on Fox and not the grittier FX." (Chicago Sun-Times)
