Contemporary reviews
Several critics praised the series' self-contained format and ability to generate suspense. Tom Shales of The Washington Post called it a "cunningly constructed, habit-forming mystery" and an intriguing departure from conventional episodic television, although he considered characterization secondary to the plot. Tim Goodman of the San Francisco Chronicle similarly regarded the guaranteed conclusion as part of the series' appeal. He described it as "ghoulish and scary fun" and believed the writing was sufficiently clever to sustain its weekly-murder premise.
Mary McNamara of the Los Angeles Times considered the pilot promising for horror viewers, praising its tension and the performances of Elaine Cassidy, C. J. Thomason and Christopher Gorham. However, she found its graphic violence gratuitous and argued that the series might have been more effective without showing the murders in such detail. Drew Toal of Time Out awarded the series three out of five stars. Although he criticized the acting, stock characters and horror-film camera techniques, he found its cartoonish violence, gruesome deaths and deliberately corny dialogue "actually kind of fun".
Other reviewers were more critical of the writing and characterization. Brian Lowry of Variety wrote that the series too often relied upon "slasher-movie absurdities", particularly a seemingly omnipresent murderer and a shortage of meaningful clues. Brian Holcomb of Slant Magazine welcomed the promise of a conclusive ending, which he considered unusual among contemporary serialized dramas, but believed the pilot failed to exploit its central gimmick effectively. He also criticized its broadly drawn characters and insufficiently compelling mystery. Daniel Carlson of The Hollywood Reporter argued that the premise might have succeeded as a self-aware parody but found that its earnest treatment instead emphasized its weaknesses.
Reviewing the series during its British broadcast, Phelim O'Neill of The Guardian praised its deliberate embrace of familiar slasher conventions, writing, "It's like every horror film ever made—and it really doesn't skimp on the gore. O'Neill also thought the opening episodes worked best when watched together rather than at weekly intervals.
Reviewing the finale, Michael Slezak of Entertainment Weekly found the series entertaining but disappointing. Although he praised its premise and cast, he wrote that its creators had "dozens, perhaps even hundreds, of opportunities to elevate the series from entertaining trash into something truly memorable".
