In the recap of last week's episode of "Mayor of Kingstown," I had the pleasure of introducing you to the show's star-studded new cast members: Lennie James! Laura Benanti! And let's not forget Edie Falco, the one with the icy-blue eyes! But alas, I seem to have overlooked a crucial figure – one who may not be as well-known as a leading actor, but as a season-four character, he's already making quite a splash. Allow me to introduce you to Derek Rivera, playing Cortez, the silent assassin.
Cortez's character hasn't been officially named in the show yet, but according to the closing credits, he's a hitman with a chilling demeanor. We first encountered Cortez in last week's "Coming 'Round the Mountain," when he fired shots at Bunny's caravan and was chased down by the KPD. At that moment, I wondered if he might be working with Frank Moses, the newcomer who had only appeared in one scene and hadn't revealed any intentions. By the end of this week's "Promises to Keep," it's clear that this cold-blooded young killer is now aligned with the Colombians. But we know little else about him, because he refuses to utter a word to the cops. We just know he's dangerous and that he has an agenda. None of our regular Kingstowners is safe.
This doesn't mean Cortez is definitely not working for Frank, however. We get multiple scenes with Mr. Moses this week, and while he earnestly explains his plans for Kingstown, he remains a bit of an enigma. Yet, thanks to Lennie James' commanding presence on screen, he's a fascinating mystery.
Now, let's talk about Frank Moses. He hails from the Detroit mob, and while anyone in the know about organized crime would recognize that Frank is one of the worst of the worst, he still walks around freely because he has legitimate business interests and keeps his distance from what his employees are doing. His team has always been friendly with Bunny's team, but now that Bunny – with the help of "Mayor" Mike McLusky – has kicked the Russians out of Kingstown and marginalized the Aryans, the area has become an attractive target for outsiders. Frank wants to help Bunny maintain control of it.
The nature of this arrangement is kept fairly vague, but it involves the train yards, which Frank owns and uses to ship dope. And it involves Mike, whether Mike likes it or not.
The pivotal moment in this episode unfolds when Frank introduces himself to Mike, setting the stage for a confrontation that teeters on the edge of unspoken secrets and unyielding power dynamics. Mike, ever the diplomat, attempts to defuse the initial tension with a quip: "Coffee? Water? They're both flammable." This light-heartedness masks a deeper, more sinister truth as he humbly inquires if Frank has influence over the local prison, implying that this is where his real power lies. Yet, this is a lie woven with many threads of deceit. Frank, on the other hand, keeps his demands simple, requesting that Mike's police minions look the other way when the Detroit gang takes care of business.
The conversation between them is a masterclass in nuance, with Frank comparing himself to a closer in baseball, finishing a job Mike started with the Russians. But my favorite aspect of Mayor of Kingstown—even if it's not supposed to be—is watching Mike botch his unofficial, unpaid job with aplomb. After his initial meeting with Frank, I fear our protagonist is poised to repeat his mistakes.
Mike's wariness towards Frank is justified; the rapid negotiation of Bunny's business deal from 30% to 20% exudes an air of secrecy that belies Frank's true intentions. Yet, I also believe Frank possesses a sharper business acumen than Mike. If I had to choose between these two to keep the peace in the city, I'd trust the Detroiter blindly. So, I eagerly anticipate the moment when Mike's overzealous attempt to regain control will unravel everything.
In the meantime, we can savor the ongoing repercussions of Mike's latest failure. It's hilarious to hear him give Bunny a tentative green light to work with Frank while emphasizing that protecting their own people takes priority. ("All that matters," Mike repeats.) Meanwhile, Kyle McLusky languishes in the prison's "Administrative Segregation" block, catered to and wooed by Merle, the racist gang leader Mike desperately wants his brother to avoid.
Predictably, Mike's response to Kyle's beating is to meddle further. And predictably, his intervention only exacerbates the situation. In exchange for allowing Frank to make his case for working in Kingstown, Mike asks Bunny to retaliate against the inmate who clobbered Kyle. So Raphael arranges for the man to be shanked in the shower, with two consequences:
1. It impresses Merle to see ex-cons going out of their way to protect a cop, likely strengthening Merle's resolve to woo Kyle to the Aryan side.
2. Nina Hobbs's fury boils over as she informs her right-hand man, David Torres (played by Clayton Cardenas), "McLusky doesn't pull any strings in my prison." The new warden looms as large a presence in this episode as Frank Moses, and just as Lennie James infuses his scenes with an entertaining pop, so too does Edie Falco make every moment count. In a gripping scene opposite Jeremy Renner, Mike actively threatens Nina, saying, "Anything that happens to my brother in your prison, I'll make sure happens to you." She seems utterly, chillingly unfazed. When Mike reminds her of her promise to keep Kyle safe, she counters, "I told you I would keep him alive. Is he?"
Nina decides that her best move is to "reassign" Carney. ("Should've done it day one. Little man doesn't know where his bread is buttered.") What does "reassign" mean? Well, after Nina gives this order to Torres, we see him speaking Spanish to one of the Colombian inmates, which rattles Carney so much that he feels the need to warn Nina. Turns out he's warning the wrong person. Later that night, after making dinner for his invalid father, Carney is on his way out the door when he's greeted by Cortez (hello again, Cortez!) and executed.
Does this mean that Torres is in league with the Colombians? Does this mean Nina is? I should've learned, after multiple years of watching Mayor of Kingstown, not to assume anything about who's working for whom or why. But I will note this: When Nina checks her cell phone earlier in this episode, she has a slew of messages from Switzerland... perhaps from some bank. Once again, Mike has no idea who his enemies really are.
