Mayor of Kingstown Season 4 Finally Gives Jeremy Renner What He’s Been Missing for 4 Years

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Now in its fourth season, Mayor of Kingstown is arguably Taylor Sheridan’s most creative series. Co-created by actor Hugh Dillon, the show is set in a Michigan city where seven prisons are the main source of jobs. Jeremy Renner stars as Mike McClusky, the unofficial “mayor” who acts as a liaison between the prisons, the police, and local gangs. This season, new faces and his brother’s imprisonment create a situation Mike has never faced before: a loss of control.

Okay, let’s talk about Season 4 of this show. It kicks off with a bombshell: Mike’s brother, Kyle, is facing attempted murder charges after shooting a fellow officer – a move he made to save a civilian’s life, even though the officer was wearing a vest. It quickly becomes clear this isn’t a straightforward case. The district attorney, Evelyn – who also happens to be a potential love interest for Mike – intentionally pursued a harsh prosecution of Kyle, and it’s all a calculated strategy. The real wrinkle? The officer Kyle shot, Robert, is a legitimately bad cop known for excessive force. And here’s where it gets messy: Robert, along with Kyle’s partner Ian Ferguson, are key allies for Mike as mayor, operating way outside the law to maintain some semblance of order – including covering up crimes, even murder. Kyle stays completely silent about his motives, refusing to expose Robert’s corruption and risk bringing down everyone involved in keeping Kingstown from spiraling into complete anarchy. Previous seasons presented tough problems, but they usually involved criminals as the core issues. What always set Mike apart wasn’t just his connections to the gangs, but his power over the police and, crucially, the prison system. Season 4, though, throws a wrench in all of that, and it’s clearly going to be a major setback for him.

In The Mayor of Kingstown, Police and Law Enforcement Are Just Another City ‘Gang’

One of the strengths of Mayor of Kingstown is its portrayal of the police. The show builds on what shows like The Wire began by depicting law enforcement as just another criminal organization. The main character, Mike, has close relationships with the leaders of Kingstown’s gangs – he’s known Bunny, the Crips’ leader, since childhood. As demonstrated in the season four premiere, Mike is capable of handling himself in tough situations, even physically confronting dangerous individuals. However, his true power comes from his ability to influence and control the institutions within Kingstown.

At this point in the story, we learn what motivates Mike. He’s helped by his brother, Kyle, and also by police officers Ian and Robert. They’ve previously assisted him in reducing gang violence in Kingstown, making the city safer than it would be otherwise. Evelyn acknowledges the good Mike does, but believes officers like Robert should be behind bars instead of enforcing the law. Letting Kyle go to prison isn’t just about avoiding prosecution for Mike and his associates; it safeguards Mike’s influence within the town’s power structure. Dealing with threats from people like Kyle and Robert is actually harder for Mike than confronting dangerous gang leaders who want him dead.

Even though Kyle went inside, Evelyn’s legal trouble still presents a danger. With new criminal groups, including a Colombian cartel and an unknown figure, appearing in Kingstown, Mike’s usual support system is less reliable. Ian, Mike’s closest friend, is primarily concerned with avoiding consequences for his own actions and cleaning up his past mistakes. This self-preservation creates a significant distraction, coming at a particularly bad time for Mike and the fragile stability he’s trying to maintain in Kingstown.

The Warden in Kyle’s Prison Isn’t Interested in What Kingstown’s Mayor Has to Offer

The new prison warden, Nina Hobbs, has arrived, taking over after her predecessor was killed by inmates in Season 3 – a situation he brought on himself. She’s determined to reform what she sees as a broken system. She tells the guards she’s successfully turned around five other prisons in the last decade. Mike quickly visits her to try and establish a working relationship, similar to the one he has with the other wardens. However, Hobbs isn’t interested in cooperating with him, creating immediate tension. Mike, or his late brother Mitch who previously held the same position, may have faced similar resistance before. Adding to the complexity, Kyle is currently an inmate in her prison.

As a fan, I’ve always been amazed by how much power Mike had inside those prisons. For three seasons, both the gangs and the guards relied on him to fix things. If there was a problem, everyone knew Mike was the guy who could actually get it solved. What was so different about him was that he didn’t seem to have his own agenda – he just genuinely wanted to help. But then Hobbs came in as warden, and she’s a problem-solver too. So far, it seems like she’s handling everything herself, and honestly, the issues in her prison don’t seem like the kind that would even need someone like Mike to step in.

Even if Warden Hobbs strictly follows the rules, problems still occur within the prison. One of these is violence directed at police officers who are themselves inmates, like Kyle. Mike finds himself in a difficult position when he meets Hobbs, needing her help more than she needs his, all to protect his brother. It quickly becomes clear that protecting Kyle, who shot another officer, isn’t a priority for the warden. Luckily, Officer Cindy Stephens works inside the corrupt prison and genuinely cares about Kyle’s safety, motivated by doing what’s right, not by any hidden agendas. However, because she’s not involved in the prison’s power struggles, Mike is unaware of this potential help.

In Mayor of Kingstown Season 4, Personal Dilemmas Could Compromise Mike Even Further

Following the events of Season 3 in Kingstown, a character Mike worked hard to rescue from the city’s turmoil has tragically died. Now, his last remaining family member is heading to prison, and Mike feels helpless to protect him. Things are also changing rapidly on the streets of Kingstown, and the prison itself is undergoing shifts. Adding to the complexity, Lennie James, known from The Walking Dead, debuts in Season 4 as a formidable new player in the criminal world. Just when Mike managed to control the Aryan Brotherhood, a Colombian drug cartel has moved in, and the mayor remains overwhelmed with challenges.

Even when things are going well, Mike McLusky is stretched thin trying to balance new and old relationships. But Season 4 of Mayor of Kingstown starts with a particularly difficult situation. New criminals are arriving, threatening the very violence the mayor tries to control. To make matters worse, Mike’s allies in law enforcement are preoccupied with their own problems, his working relationship with the District Attorney’s office is strained, and he has no influence with Hobbs. Because of all this, Mike will constantly be worrying about Kyle’s safety as he deals with these issues, making Season 4 the most suspenseful yet.

Jeremy Renner’s character in Mayor of Kingstown is a unique kind of hero. His strength wasn’t a traditional superpower, but his connections and influence over people on both sides of the law. Season 4 begins a storyline where the hero loses what made them powerful, but continues to fight anyway. For the first time, audiences will see Mike struggling to do his job when he’s truly at a disadvantage.

Mayor of Kingstown debuts new episodes on Sundays on Paramount+.

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2025-11-03 23:07