K-Ville pilot now online...legally

Television addicts around the country are eagerly anticipating September, for that officially begins the fall season of television programming. Whether it's seeing familiar faces with the newest seasons of returning favorites or the hope that springs eternal with a brand-new show, fall is where the television lives and dies, and all eyes will be focused on who watches what next month.

One show that has an interesting road ahead of it this fall is K-Ville, a new buddy cop drama from Fox. Not only will execs at Fox be keeping a close eye on its performance, but the entire city of New Orleans has vested interest in the success of the show.

K-Ville stars Anthony Anderson and Cole Hauser as a pair of cops in post-Katrina New Orleans. Not only will it face the same type of scrutiny a normal new show gets, there's already some concern over how the city will be portrayed and whether the show is exploiting a natural disaster.

"[The criticism has] a valid point, but I think it's very misplaced," executive producer Jonathon Lisco told TV.com. "Should we not then focus on any historical event? Should we not do The Battle of Wounded Knee? Should we not do The Alamo? Should we not do any of those stories that are so compelling because they have tragedy at their roots? A lot of people realize that as we move further and further away from an event, it becomes safer to do. But I applaud Fox for not waiting. ... It comes down to us, we need to treat the material with respect. ... I want us to find meaning in this show through the prism of our characters."

TV fans eager to see how it plays out won't have to wait until September; in an effort to build up prerelease buzz, Fox has posted the show's pilot--in its entirety--on its Web site (strong Internet connection recommended) or on TV.com. The show will be broadcast on television September 17, where it is paired with the season-three premiere of Prison Break.

Stay tuned for more coverage of K-Ville, including a Q&A; with executive producer Jonathon Lisco and video from the K-Ville premiere party held in the heart of the Warehouse District in New Orleans.