By Brandon Nolta
It’s Sunday morning in New Orleans, and what’s that mean for Officers Cobb (Cole Hauser) and Boulet (Anthony Anderson)? Gunfire in a church, that’s what. Man, I missed this show last week. Anyway, our boys respond to a 911 call and find … not much happening. They go in and find the congregation doing Mass just like you’d expect, which is surprising given the gunfire. Nobody seems eager to talk, but it’s not until Cobb finds the body of the assistant deacon hidden under a tarp that the law enforcement machine gears up.
Readers won’t be surprised to hear this, but there’s a complication: Boulet grew up in this church, and he knows damn near everybody there, including the priest. What’s more, Boulet appears to hold a titanic grudge, having to do with his deceased brother, and it’s coloring his actions. Evidence indicates that the killer has long since escaped, but Boulet insists on holding the congregation at the church until somebody fesses up. That’s not terribly exciting since all we have to go on is Boulet’s mounting anger at the priest and the congregants, so fortunately we have a few flashbacks to fill in the gaps. Why does Boulet blame the priest for his brother’s death? Who really shot the deacon? How the hell does Boulet manage to hold onto grudges so long? That’s like his mutant superpower or something.
Once again, there’s a lot to enjoy about this episode, although it’s not as involving as the last few. Because of the closed-in nature of the narrative, there’s not a lot of variety, and Cobb and Boulet get less chance to interact with each other than usual. Plus, since it’s essentially a closed set piece, there’s little opportunity for New Orleans herself to get some play, save for a brief chase through one of the Big Easy’s famous graveyards. The drama also lacks a little, as the claustrophobic setting keeps attention focused on plot rather than characters, and it hinges on a device that has been so often used it’s a new cliché: priest as molester. Personally, I’m tired of seeing a priest painted as a molesting sicko; guess I ought to be grateful the main priest turns out to be a stand-up guy.
Still, Anderson and Hauser are fun to watch as always, and Anderson gets a chance to demonstrate what a volcano might look like if you plug it good. Half the fun of the episode is waiting for Boulet to pop a cap in somebody. K-VILLE’s still an enjoyable way to pass Monday nights, but things aren’t looking great for the freshman drama: It’ll be three weeks before a new episode airs, which is usually a sign that Fox is preparing to abandon ship. Maybe the imminent WGA strike will delay that, giving K-VILLE a chance to gain some footing. Not that I’m advocating a strike, mind you, but if it keeps Anderson and Hauser working the mean streets of N’Awlins, it might be time to paint some picket signs.