I’m Awed By How Good Jeremy Renner’s Series Has Become In Its Best Season Yet

The Taylor Sheridan boom has delivered a number of exciting projects over the past few years, though Mayor of Kingstown has come to stand out as a sneaky underdog. Co-created with star Hugh Dillon, the series, centered on Jeremy Renner’s titular unofficial ruler of the Michigan prison town, didn’t get off to the best start. It was almost too bleak in its story, even if grounded in dark reality.

As the show progressed, Sheridan, Dillon, and showrunner Dave Erickson have greatly improved by learning, somewhat like their characters, from the sins of their past. Because of that, season 4 is one of the best ones yet for the series.

Picking up shortly after the Mayor of Kingstown season 3 finale, the new episodes see Mike contending with the Kingstown prison’s new warden, Edie Falco’s Nina Hobbs, as she looks to tighten the screws on his connections with the guards and gangs inside. All the while, Kyle finds himself having to adjust to prison life after being arrested for trying to kill Sawyer, and Lennie James’ Frank Moses, a mob legend from Detroit, looks to take advantage of the power vacuum with the Russians gone.

Going into its return, I expected Mayor of Kingstown season 4 to struggle to find a big new hook for the story, and for Mike to spend the majority of the time trying to protect Kyle while he’s inside. What I didn’t expect was the number of bodies being dropped and punches to the gut delivered that left me constantly guessing what was coming next.

Season 4 Delivers The Highest Stakes Yet For Mayor Of Kingstown

Mayor of Kingstown has successfully shown the grim reality of a town so deeply entrenched in a balance between its criminals and its law enforcement. Every season has certainly come with its fair share of victims, but apart from the explosive third season, it’s never really felt like the writers were willing to take risks by killing off as many main characters as season 4 does.

There are still a few characters who survive attempts on their lives in ways that are a bit too convenient. Despite these few, those who are killed off this season not only make Mike’s life all the more difficult, but also come with an appropriately emotional reckoning for those around him.

What’s also fascinating about Mayor of Kingstown season 4 is the way the show looks to be building towards an outright war between all parties — one that Renner’s character simply won’t have the power to stop. While season 3’s series of bombings created a point of suspense as to the entire town being in danger, it’s not since season 1’s prison riot that the scale of the show’s action has reached the peak it did this season when someone actively begins pulling strings from inside the prison.

The Mayor Of Kingstown Finally Remembers The Most Important Thing About Mike

Although he’s always been a part of his family’s business, one thing that was clear in Mayor of Kingstown season 1 was that Mike only saw him taking the eponymous position as a temporary thing in the wake of his brother Mitch’s murder. While not necessarily having an exact plan, the town held so much darkness and trauma, particularly with his prison stint, that he desired to leave everything in his rearview mirror.

His relationship with Iris in seasons 2 and 3 saw some reflections on these original plans, but up until now, it felt like the show had largely forgotten about this, which is another exciting new angle in season 4. As the tensions escalate, Mike starts to show those signs of wanting to leave the town behind again, not because he believes peace is on the horizon, but because he’s tired and ready to move on.

It’s this dichotomy that makes Mike’s efforts in season 4 more effective, as every new development leaves him with genuinely no choice but to keep pushing. No longer playing the game of being the Mayor, Mike is back to having to reluctantly act as such as he protects what little family he has left.

This is further bolstered by Jeremy Renner’s great work in the leading role. Mike is arguably in some of his darkest days yet, with Kyle going inside, and while the two-time Oscar nominee nicely captures the boiling rage underneath the surface — especially when it explodes onto those deserving — it’s more fascinating to watch Renner explore the quiet moments as he contemplates the next move and its potential consequences.

The Writing Is Still A Bit Loose In Its Dialogue

With its efforts to capture an authentic look at its gritty world, Mayor of Kingstown‘s dialogue has always been a bit excessive in some parts. Whether it’s characters trying to appear more assertive with heavy-handed, and needlessly explicit, threats, or talking in circles about the violent cycle in the town, some scenes have always felt like they could use another editing pass, and, unfortunately, season 4 is no different.

One character who gets a bigger spotlight this season is Ian Ferguson, the spiky detective played by co-creator Hugh Dillon. Much like his time on YellowstoneDillon’s appearances were always used sparingly, his profanity-laced outbursts humorous, offering a fairly self-aware look at whatever situation the characters were wrapped up in. Hiss Kingstown tenure has felt largely similar, with the occasional dramatic beat keeping things fresh.

Season 4 sees him going more rogue than in previous seasons, and while that leads to some nice shocks, it also leads to scenes with him, Derek Webster’s Stevie, and Hamish Allan-Headley’s Robert, all of which have a very loose feel to them. Their dialogue so often feels forceful in their expletive deliveries that they don’t land with the punch they’re aiming for.

Despite some of its foibles, though, it’s truly astonishing how good it is Mayor of Kingstown season 4 is. It has some of the most exciting action sequences yet, and the stakes left me feeling as though anyone could die by the end of the season, even Renner’s Mike. And while the finale isn’t quite as big of a cliffhanger as those from previous seasons, it does leave an interesting path forward for the series.

Mayor of Kingstown season 4 begins streaming on Paramount+ on October 26.

Release Date

October 25, 2025

NETWORKS

Paramount+

Episodes

10

Pros & Cons

• The stakes are the highest they’ve ever been as surprisingly the main characters meet their end.
• Mike’s desire to leave comes full circle to unlock some fascinating new character layers.
• The action sequences are skillfully directed and pulse-pounding.
• Jeremy Renner’s performance is still gripping, as is Taylor Handley and Richard Brake’s.

• Some of the story arcs feel a bit rushed towards the end.
• The dialogue feels a bit too loose and forced in parts.