Mayor of Kingstown season 2 review: Gritty thriller is slow on developments

In Mayor of Kingstown season 2, Mike tries to control the crimes taking place both inside and outside the prison while also dealing with the fact that Milo has escaped. The season is now streaming on Paramount+.

Story

The prison riots have left a mark on everyone. The officers who were inside the prison during the riots are still haunted. Apart from that, there is no order inside prisons since many of the gang leaders lost their lives during the riots.

The crimes taking place inside the prison affect the crimes outside the prison. If someone inside is killed, someone from their side will avenge their death outside the prison.

This situation has made Kingstown more hostile than ever. Innocents are dying as collateral damage in this war. Mike comes up with a plan to restore order that is going to sting the gang leaders, who may wreak havoc if it doesn’t go accordingly.

Meanwhile, Milo escaped during the riots and is hiding somewhere in Kingstown. Mike knows he will be coming for Iris, but Mike’s attempts to safeguard her only drive her further away from him.

Performances

Jeremy Renner as Mike McLusky still embodies the leadership a town like Kingstown requires. Throughout the second season, Mike goes through a rollercoaster ride, which mostly involves him getting frustrated. Renner is able to portray how Mike is struggling to stay calm through this mess.

Amidst all of this, Renner’s chemistry with Tobi Bamtefa, who plays Bunny, is something that keeps the show alive in the first half of the second season.

Taylor Handley as Kyle McLusky is down on his luck in season 2. Kyle loses his partner at his new job, gets suspended, and starts questioning whether he will be a good father to his child or not.

Handley manages to make the viewers care about his character’s situation, which one won’t notice initially. In the finale, it all feels wholesome when Tracy, played by Nishi Munshi, finally agrees to return to Kyle. It’s a short but heartfelt moment, and Handley gradually made this moment worth it.

The viewers may find themselves loving and hating Hugh Dillon, who plays Ian Ferguson, at the same time. His character’s eagerness to help his people makes him likable. Dillon portrays Ian as a very smart individual, but when he messes up, he messes up really badly.

Kenny Johnson appears as Charlie for a few episodes but leaves a long-lasting impact. Johnson portrays a mentally unstable serial killer. He leaves the viewers in awe by quickly transforming from a childlike personality into a threatening figure in seconds.

Positives

Mayor of Kingstown spends a lot of time establishing what kind of place Kingstown is. Every episode, one way or another, ends up circling around the same.

Much like the first season, the second season continues to excel at creating the town’s hostile environment. Only this time, the show pushes this environment further with the fact that prison riots are affecting the town.

Each and every character carries that scar from the prison riots, making you wonder how worse the situation can get next time. Some of the decisions and plans Mike comes up with to restore order in the prison promise a great deal of conflict ahead.

Lastly, when it comes to action, Mayor of Kingstown offers some of the best sequences that are fast, brutal, and entertaining.

Negatives

The show manages to establish how terrifying prisons in Kingstown can be, and one or two episodes dedicated to it are fine, but the show doesn’t stop there.

For a number of episodes, the plot doesn’t develop and gets stuck with Mike trying to break the gang leaders out of prison. The sub-plots, on the other hand, don’t develop either.

The subplot involving Milo is teased heavily, but it doesn’t really start moving until the last few episodes. Suddenly, the plots switch places. The gang leaders inside the prison are killed off quickly, and Milo is brought to the center stage, where he doesn’t get enough time to delve into his true self.

Verdict

Mayor of Kingstown season 2 keeps the same tone as the first season. Unfortunately, it isn’t on par with the first. The drama inside the prison looks promising, but the show digs a grave for itself by slowing things down and rushing during the finale.

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Also Read: Mayor of Kingstown season 2 finale recap, review & ending explained