Welcome once again to the cold, gray embrace of Kingstown, friends! Remember to don a warm jacket, for the air here is always brisk. And who knows, you might want to stash a few cigarettes and snacks for your many acquaintances and relatives, who are either behind bars or working within the walls of Kingstown Prison. Oh, and it wouldn't hurt to remind us of your gang affiliation upon your return – Russian Mafia? Aryan Brotherhood? Colombian? Crip? Cop? A blend of them all?
As you may recall, our last visit here was marred by a bloodbath. By the end of Mayor Of Kingstown's third season, we witnessed the demise of the prison's warden Kareem, the feuding Russian mob bosses Konstantin and Milo, and the former prostitute Iris – the latter a pet project for Kingstown's unofficial "mayor," Mike McLusky (Jeremy Renner). The season concluded with Mike's cop brother Kyle (Taylor Handley) in the clutches of ADA Evelyn Foley (Necar Zadegan), after he took down Robert Sawyer (Hamish Allan-Headley), a fellow officer known for his violent tendencies against both criminals and civilians. It was a year of fallen comrades and missing pieces.
So how does the show pick up from there? Firstly, by replenishing its cast. Mayor of Kingstown is a show that alternates between thrilling action-packed episodes and quieter, explanatory ones. The season-four premiere, “Coming ‘Round the Mountain,” is largely devoid of action, save for brief flashes of violence. The series' head writer, Dave Erickson, is primarily focused on introducing all the new faces while catching us up on the old ones since the third-season finale.
Among the most prominent newcomers is Edie Falco, a four-time Lead Actress Emmy winner. Falco portrays Nina Hobbs, the prison's new warden, a fervent Christian with a reputation for reforming "flawed institutions." She makes it clear from the get-go that she holds little regard for the status quo before her arrival. She disdains Carney (Lane Garrison), the guards' main liaison between the prisoners and Mike. And she believes she doesn't need Mike to keep her atop Kingstown's various rivalries.
Unsurprisingly, Falco's debut as Hobbs leaves a profound impression with her no-nonsense demeanor and casual invocation of religious authority. When Carney tries to assert his disavowal of loyalty to the late Kareem, declaring, "You can't be loyal to a dead man," Hobbs retorts, "Tell that to Jesus," with a swiftness that sets the tone for her new role. Despite the episode's generally measured pace, it lays a solid foundation for the prison-centric narrative of season four.
Raphael (D Smoke), returning to his cell after his failed escape last season and his inability to assassinate the infamous white supremacist Merle Callahan (Richard Brake), immediately stirs trouble with the Colombian gangs who have taken over the prison's drug trade and are imposing unfavorable terms on the Crips. It's Hobbs's first day, and chaos ensues almost immediately.
The most promising narrative arc involves Kyle, who in this episode begins serving time for shooting Robert. The prison is no friendlier place for ex-cops, even under normal circumstances, and despite Hobbs's promise to Mike that she will "protect Kyle like I do all my wards," she complicates her task by relieving Carney of many of his responsibilities. On Kyle's first day, as he makes his way to his cell for the first time, he is brutally beaten by a vengeful fellow inmate. He then finds himself stuck in a cell next to Merle, who advises him to keep quiet and refuse medical treatment.
Hobbs told Mike that "violence reduces like a sauce wherever I serve." Using a metaphor that suggests chefs reduce sauces to intensify their flavor, it seems she is right.
While we don't get an exact timeline since season three, at one point, KPD lieutenant Ian Ferguson (Hugh Dillon) mentions it's been a month since he sent Iris out of town on a bus. Let's assume this is roughly accurate. In that month(ish), with the Crips having been assigned by Mike to control most of the crime in the city, things have been "pin-drop quiet," as gang-lord Bunny Washington (Tobi Bamtefa) puts it. Even when Mike visits an Aryan cook-house, the white gang seems content with the current dope-dealing arrangements, muttering, "We got our corners, we’re making a dollar."
However, the real trouble since our last encounter has been on the law enforcement side. Kyle has been hailed as a hero by his former police comrades for refusing to divulge any information about Robert to the media or the DA's office, despite Evelyn's relentless pressure. This hasn't sat well with Robert, who is currently off the force, hiding in the shadows, and seething at both Kyle and Evelyn. Venting to Ian about Kyle, Robert hisses, "He shoots me and I’m the fuckin’ bad guy?" As for Evelyn, Ian admits that she's a problem Mike stubbornly refuses to solve, but suggests that an unhinged vigilante lawman like Robert might be able to handle her ("Just sayin’").
Despite Evelyn's leniency, granting Kyle a sentence that amounts to a mere six-month stint behind bars, Mike is far from elated. The episode predominantly revolves around Kyle's final day of freedom, a prelude to his incarceration where he encounters unwelcome attention from fellow inmates. In a heartfelt farewell to the outside world, Kyle makes a pledge to his wife Tracy (Nishi Munshi) that's ill-advised in crime-drama terms: once he serves his time, they'll sell their home, depart Kingstown, and embark on a far-flung life of bliss. Yet, a hunch whispers that the future may complicate this dreamy plan.
Intertwined with this narrative is a poignant moment between Mike and Kyle, where Mike imparts wisdom earned through hardship: "Don't become them to survive." This advice contradicts what their mother Mariam told Mike before he left, urging him to do whatever it takes to stay alive—a directive she never forgave him for complying with. As for Kyle's future, it's unclear what Merle has in store, but it's doubtful he'll spend his six months quietly cowering in his cell.
Two other new regulars from Mayor of Kingstown make their presence felt this week, though their screen time is limited. Laura Benanti brilliantly portrays Cindy Stephens, a new guard whose loving motherly demeanor with her sweet kids and the fact that she'll be navigating the darkest corners of Kingstown (including Kyle's presence) makes her a promising character.
Meanwhile, Lennie James stuns with his portrayal of Frank Moses, who opens the episode with a monologue on the penny's composition and history before placing a coin on the railroad tracks beside the tied-up bodies of four Russian mobsters. As a train roars through, it beheads the crooks—and then Frank disappears from view. The episode concludes with an attack on Bunny's motorcade by unknown assailants, potentially working for the Colombians...or Frank himself.
Who is Frank? Mike describes him as "the devil we don't know," while Bunny hints at his being "a magnet drawing eyes." A newcomer to town, Frank seems poised to stay for a while. Let's hope he brought his mittens.
