Quick Read
- Season 4 of Mayor of Kingstown currently holds a perfect 100% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes (as of December 2025), while audience ratings remain mixed.
- Episode 9 sees Mike McLusky orchestrate Frank Moses’s arrest, secure his brother Kyle’s release, and face a violent attack from a masked shooter.
- The season deepens its focus on power struggles, family trauma, and the moral costs of leadership in a city ruled by corruption.
- New cast members and intense character arcs have drawn praise, with critics calling this the best season yet.
- The finale is set to air December 28, with major questions about the future of the McLusky family and Kingstown’s balance of power.
Season 4 Raises the Stakes: Mayor of Kingstown’s Most Turbulent Hour
Since its debut in 2021, Mayor of Kingstown has steadily built a reputation as one of Taylor Sheridan’s most riveting series, quietly earning devoted fans and critical praise. Now, as season 4 barrels toward its finale, the show is making headlines: not only for its relentless plot twists and emotional depth, but also for an extraordinary achievement—a perfect 100% Rotten Tomatoes score, according to SSBCrack News. The acclaim comes as Jeremy Renner’s Mike McLusky faces his most challenging chapter yet, locked in a high-stakes battle for control and survival in a city where peace is a fragile illusion.
Mike McLusky: Calm Amid Chaos, or a Man on the Brink?
Mike McLusky’s reputation for keeping his cool in the face of disaster has never been more vital. As DMTalkies recaps in episode 9, Mike rises from personal and professional ruin, reclaiming his influence with a singular goal: cleaning up Kingstown and restoring a semblance of order. But every move is shadowed by loss—his sister-in-law’s murder and his brother Kyle’s imprisonment haunt him. The tension between keeping his family safe and navigating ruthless criminal and political games drives Mike’s every decision.
In the latest episode, Mike’s strategy is clear but fraught. He targets Frank Moses, the so-called King of Detroit, believing that Moses’s downfall will not only free Kyle but tip the balance of power in Kingstown. Yet, revenge isn’t straightforward. Mike knows the pain and trauma Kyle faces, and the possibility that Kyle may become as hardened and haunted as Mike himself looms large. The question for viewers is not just whether Mike can protect his brother, but whether the cycle of violence will ever truly end for the McLusky family.
Violence, Betrayal, and Power Plays: Who Controls Kingstown?
Season 4 has been marked by escalating violence and shifting allegiances. The death of Robert Sawyer—confirmed in episode 9—sets off a chain reaction. Sawyer’s demise, orchestrated by Ian, allows Mike to push for Kyle’s release, making a deal with District Attorney Evelyn: deliver Moses, and Kyle goes free. But the path to justice is anything but clean.
Mike sets an elaborate trap for Moses, exploiting grief and trust to lure him into a scenario where he’s caught red-handed. The chess-like maneuvering is classic McLusky—calculated, cold, and layered with personal stakes. Yet, even as Moses falls, Mike’s enemies multiply. Merle Callahan, who murdered Tracy, remains at large; the Colombian cartel is a lurking threat; and old alliances fracture as new ones form.
The show’s portrayal of Kingstown as a city where criminal factions, law enforcement, and the prison system are inextricably linked resonates with critics and fans alike. Collider notes the series’ focus on these interwoven power structures and the community’s dependence on them. The McLusky family, with Mike at the helm, are the only real mediators—yet their own moral compromises blur the line between hero and villain.
Season 4’s Cast, Critical Reception, and What’s Next
This season has introduced fresh faces—including Laura Benanti, Lennie James, and Edie Falco—while keeping the ensemble grounded in strong performances from Jeremy Renner, Hugh Dillon, Tobi Bamtefa, and others. The emotional intensity and sense of real danger have drawn particular praise. Collider’s Jeff Ewing lauded season 4 as “the best yet,” citing its tight plotting and character-driven suspense.
On the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, season 4’s perfect score is based on five critics’ reviews, with the caveat that more ratings could shift the number. Audience response, meanwhile, is more divided: a 76% score from over 50 viewers marks the lowest in the series so far, suggesting that the show’s increasingly dark tone and unpredictable storytelling may be polarizing.
The season’s penultimate episode ends on a cliffhanger worthy of its reputation. As Mike, Ian, Stevie, and Kyle gather at Don’s Diner, a masked shooter—dressed as a riot policeman—opens fire, forcing the group into desperate cover. The shooter’s identity remains unknown, fueling speculation and tension ahead of the finale. Is it Moses seeking vengeance? A move by the cartel? Or a wild card from Callahan’s camp? The show’s refusal to give easy answers keeps viewers guessing and invested.
Mayor of Kingstown’s Enduring Appeal—and Its Future
Taylor Sheridan’s influence is unmistakable. With multiple hit series to his name—including Yellowstone, Tulsa King, and 1883—Sheridan’s knack for gritty, character-driven drama is evident in every frame of Mayor of Kingstown. The series streams on Paramount+ and Prime Video, reaching a global audience hungry for stories that don’t shy away from moral ambiguity and real-world stakes.
As the fourth season nears its conclusion, the question isn’t just who will survive, but what survival means in a city built on compromise and violence. For Mike McLusky, leadership comes at a steep price. The show’s willingness to let its characters—heroes and villains alike—make hard choices and face the consequences sets it apart from conventional crime dramas.
With new threats emerging and unresolved vendettas simmering, fans and critics alike are bracing for a season finale that promises to test every allegiance and redefine the power structure in Kingstown. Will Mike’s plan hold? Can he protect his family without becoming the very monster he fights against? The answers, as ever, remain tantalizingly out of reach.
Mayor of Kingstown’s fourth season stands as a testament to Taylor Sheridan’s storytelling prowess and the show’s relentless engagement with themes of power, loyalty, and loss. The series’ perfect Rotten Tomatoes score, juxtaposed with divided audience reactions, highlights its complex appeal—one that rewards viewers willing to grapple with ambiguity and tension. As the finale approaches, the stakes have never been higher, and the narrative’s refusal to offer simple resolutions is what makes Mayor of Kingstown not just a crime thriller, but a reflection on the cost of leadership in a broken world.