Ready for Its Closeup?


Pravda-Upon-Hudson previews K-Ville:

The show’s two main characters, both flawed policemen, are overt symbols of the city. Mr. Anderson’s character was abandoned by his partner during the hurricane. Mr. Hauser plays a criminal-turned-cop trying to remake his life. "New Orleans is not just a location. It’s a character," Mr. Hauser said, echoing a sentiment voiced by almost everyone involved in the show.

When the crew arrived to shoot the pilot in March, the conditions were considerably grimmer than they are now. Mr. Anderson said it was disheartening to come to New Orleans and see it still looked "like a war zone."

But, he emphasized, the show was not "picking on the city."

"It’s not about Katrina," he said. "Katrina is the backdrop. It informs the relationships and informs the situation."

Mr. Liguori said he hoped "K-Ville" would be "gritty and authentic." But Fox doesn’t want the show to focus too heavily on the harsher realities. Mr. Lisco said he had "gotten messages" from the network and the production studio that the stories could not be too negative, something he said he understood "from a marketing standpoint."

In his opinion, "the aggregate effect is very positive for the city," he said. "I worry more as a creator about ignoring the problems that exist in New Orleans."

Well, I unfortunately have other plans Monday; otherwise, I'd give the show a look despite it being on Faux.

Mr. Nagin: not that I'd personally refer to a major American city as a "brand," but IF I did, this is how to "keep the brand out there" as opposed to this.

Oh, and K-Ville producers, I've got an idea for an episode: you see, you've got this guy who's a Senator, publicly a real "family values" type...turns out, though, all along he's been whoring around...and, better still, he's got a weird diaper fetish (product placement/tie-in opportunity?)...I'd say its got real potential, and maybe Woody Harrelson could reprise his Larry Flynt role in a cameo.

Whaddya think? Hey, let's do lunch.