As the prisoners await the heartfelt visits of their loved ones, Mike McLusky's (Jeremy Renner) somber voiceover echoes through the prison walls, painting a bleak picture of incarceration's devastating toll. "A conviction is not just a sentence for the individual," he muses, "it imprisons the entire family, leaving them either longing for freedom from inside or praying for a loved one's release from the outside." Even the guards and correctional officers find themselves trapped in their own cages of routine, gradually adapting and resorting to any means necessary to survive this unforgiving environment.
"But incarceration is a ruthless business," McLusky continues, "and prisoners are merely products in this machine." Once you've been swallowed by the system, he warns, you become a permanent part of its grim landscape, haunted by the sights and deeds you've witnessed.
In the second episode of Mayor of Kingstown's third season, titled "Guts," the drama intensifies as Big Hush (Jock McKissic), after ingesting a lethal dose of dope smuggled in by Sharon (Naomi Terrell), overdoses in a secluded corner of the prison. When Carney (Lane Garrison) stumbles upon Big Hush's lifeless body, he finds it has been brutally slashed open by Raphael (D Smoke) in a desperate attempt to sell the remaining drugs to fellow inmates.
Mike urgently instructs Bunny (Tobi Bamtefa) to halt the sale of the tainted product, but Bunny, jaded by the prison's harsh realities, insists that desperate addicts are blind to the source of their fix and have already sold it all. Mike warns Bunny to be cautious, but it's too late. As more and more prisoners succumb to the deadly dope, Bunny finds himself unable to reach Sharon, and the danger surrounding Raphael mounts with each passing moment.
The toll of the bad dope extends beyond the prison walls as well. Evelyn (Necar Zadegan) informs Kareem (Michael Beach) that people are dying from it on the streets of Kingstown too, victims of a cocktail of drugs that is claiming the lives of healthy young people. Both Evelyn and Kareem lay the blame squarely on Bunny's shoulders, and Evelyn warns Mike that it's only a matter of time before the deadly drug reaches the schools, threatening an entire generation with its destructive grasp.Mike meets Raphael, who has been placed in solitary confinement for his own safety. During their encounter, Mike urges Raphael to strike a deal with the Mexicans to secure a reliable supply of narcotics. However, Raphael is skeptical as the Mexicans have refused to cooperate with him. In response, Mike advises him to seek alliances with the Guatemalans, Colombians, El Salvadorans, or anyone else willing to partner with him. Raphael remains distrustful of Mike, unlike Bunny, who holds him in high regard. Mike, indifferent to Raphael's doubts, focuses solely on getting him to fulfill his duties.
Later, a shocking discovery is made: Sharon's lifeless body is found in her brother's car outside the prison, murdered. By the episode's conclusion, Mike is still clueless about the identity of the individual tampering with Bunny's narcotics supply. Nevertheless, he warns Bunny that someone has set their sights on him.
Meanwhile, Kareem reprimands Carney for bringing Mike into the prison without properly documenting his visit. Carney argues that Mike's assistance is crucial to maintaining order within the prison, as the new hires lack experience and the inmates are becoming increasingly unruly. However, Kareem views Mike as a criminal who aids other criminals, despite Carney's insistence that Mike saves lives and reaches individuals Kareem cannot.
Frustrated, Carney complains to Mike about his reassignment to def-watch, a job that requires him to literally sift through prisoners' feces. Mike tries to calm Carney down and urge him to understand Kareem's position. But Carney is enraged, accidentally revealing that Kareem has his own shady dealings going on. However, he refuses to divulge further details.
Later, Mike meets with Anna Fletcher (Paula Malcomson) after learning that Greg Stewalt, the man who murdered her son, has been granted release by the prison parole board. Mike explains that his hands are tied, but Anna wonders if there's a way to ensnare Stewalt further, perhaps getting him into more trouble before his release, thus extending his prison sentence. Mike promises to investigate the possibility, but he's ultimately unable to prevent Stewalt's release. Anna, undeterred, pays Mike despite his protests.
Later, Anna takes matters into her own hands. She trails the newly released Greg and, without hesitation, shoots him dead in the street, avenging her son's murder.
Iris, alias Emma Laird, was unexpectedly halted by a police officer for ignoring a stop sign while driving. The encounter quickly escalated into a heated argument, as Iris revealed she was unlicensed. Matters worsened when she resisted arrest and refused to provide her fingerprints, prompting the authorities to seek a court order to compel her compliance.
Meanwhile, Kyle, worried about Iris's welfare, called Mike to inquire if he had heard from her. He had asked her to pick up groceries hours ago, but she had not returned. Mike attempted to reach her but received no response. He left her a voicemail, expressing his understanding if she had chosen to leave town, unaware that she was actually detained in custody.
Kyle also approached Robert, inquiring about a possible transfer to SWAT. However, Robert cautioned him that in past incidents, Kyle had demonstrated either excessive fear or anger, advising him to remain in his current position.
Mike, still yet to meet Kyle and Tracy's newborn son, Mitch, found himself parked outside their house at the end of the episode. Through the window, he spied Kyle smiling fondly at his baby. Despite the urge to join them, Mike couldn't quite summon the courage to step inside. Instead, he chose to spend the night at Evelyn's house, seeking comfort in the familiar surroundings.
