Mayor of Kingstown season two

Jeremy Renner is back as criminal mediator Mike McClusky for the second season of Paramount+ drama Mayor of Kingstown. Following the violent prison riot that concluded the last season, the various gangs have been left in tatters with no leadership structures, while the prison guards are looking for revenge. This power vacuum has led to chaos both in and out of prison, with it now being Mike’s task to find a way to keep the peace between all parties. The first two episodes serve to bring viewers into this chaotic status quo. There’s more than enough grit and violence to satisfy genre fans; however, the introduction to the new season is nothing short of a melodramatic mess.

Renner’s name adds a degree of pedigree to the cast. His presence is easily one of the better parts of the series; however, the material he’s given to work with doesn’t do justice to his talent. This is a show in which the drama is conveyed through angry people shouting aggressively at each other. Consequently, the ensemble of characters here come across more like two-dimensional caricatures than fleshed-out human beings. Outside of Renner, the only actor putting in noticeable effort is Tobi Bamtefa, who returns as gang leader Bunny. Despite his charismatic presence, Bamtefa is still stuck reading the same uninspired lines as everyone else.

Equally lacking in nuance is the Mayor of Kingstown’s attempts to tackle complex themes of systemic racism and corruption. There’s no subtlety or depth in how any of these issues are approached thus far. Not only are these points so in your face that they verge on becoming obnoxious, but the programme has a nasty habit of throwing in some unnecessary dark humour. These jokes are purely in bad taste and ultimately detract from whatever surface-level points that the scene was trying to make. Ironically, the only thing funny about this show is the unintentionally hilarious dramatic musical cues that accompany scenery-chewing performances.

Overly melodramatic and shallow in its content, there’s currently no reason to recommend tuning in to Mike McClusky’s latest small-screen outing.

Andrew Murray

Mayor of Kingstown season two is released on Paramount+ on 16^th January 2023.

Watch the trailer for Mayor of Kingstown season two here: