Mayor of Kingstown Season 4 is a soft reset for the Paramount+ show—and its best season yet. The jaw-dropping events of the Season 3 finale mean that Season 4 has a lot of rebuilding to do, and the creative team uses that to their advantage, adding some incredible actors to an already strong ensemble. The result is a show that feels both new and familiar at the same time.

Season 3 said farewell to several of the main characters in Mike McLusky’s life, including his nemesis Milo Sunter, the enigmatic Iris and Anchor Bay warden Kareem Moore. Those are massive voids to fill, not only in terms of character but in the talent level of the actors. Season 4 adds performers who are equally good, but who attack the material in different ways—and they are inspired choices. Four-time Emmy winner Edie Falco (Nurse Jackie, The Sopranos) becomes Mike’s new rival as Hobbs, the new warden who makes very clear that she is not Kareem. Her blunt criticism of him is actually painful for fans who watched Seasons 1-3 and know the struggle that Michael Beach brought to that character. But it’s a distinct sign as to who Hobbs is, and Falco is an expert at that kind of no-nonsense authority figure. The more audiences learn about her, the more reason there is to fear her.

Lower down the food chain, Tony winner Laura Benanti plays completely against type as Cindy, one of the new correctional officers at Anchor Bay. It’s interesting to have someone else with that ground-floor perspective, so it’s not always just Carney (Lane Garrison) who that part of the story gets told through. But it’s more intriguing to see Benanti in this role—someone who is not yet blunted by the realities of Kingstown, and who in a way is the eyes and ears of the audience as they too take in this new reality. People will be surprised by what she brings to the part.

Last but certainly not least, Mayor of Kingstown scores with the arrival of Line of Duty‘s Lennie James. To say much about his role would be a spoiler, but James is one of the most underrated actors of his generation, and anyone who’s watched him in anything—from Line of Duty to the Walking Dead franchise to his memorable guest stint as a contract killer in Human Target—knows how great he is particularly in antagonist roles. He’s intense yet also makes these characters feel very human. Aiden Gillen may be a tough act to follow, but Lennie James is honestly even better.

What’s important, however, is that for all these additions Mayor of Kingstown Season 4 never loses sight of its original cast members. The story is still centered on this core of deeply flawed people. Jeremy Renner does some of his best work as Mike struggles with realities he never even imagined. Renner is the heart and soul of the show, always has been, and he’s as raw and vulnerable as ever. The fundamental story of this season is almost everyone Mike loves (and at least one person he hated) being stripped away from him, and how does he deal with that? How does he continue moving forward without these comforts and even conflicts that are so ingrained in him? The tables have turned, and Mike’s journey of self-discovery is the most compelling part, even as the stakes once again raise and the action ramps back up.

Taylor Handley is prompted to dig into a new side of Kyle McLusky as he faces the music for what happened at the end of Season 3. (It will help viewers to rewatch the Season 3 finale before starting Season 4.) Kyle is the character who’s changed the most over the course of this series, and it’s heartbreaking to see him pushed into a corner. Of course, never sleep on Mayor of Kingstown co-creator Hugh Dillon, as Ian continues to try and hold everything together by any means necessary—including keeping Mike in one piece. And on the other side, Tobi Bamtefa plays Bunny with a confidence that doesn’t last, because being at the top isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

The catch-22 of Mayor of Kingstown is something that Mike acknowledges in the season premiere: things will never get better. The whole point of the show is how hard it is, no matter what side you’re on, to survive in this town. There are moments of victory and happiness, but it never lasts. But actors like Dillon, Handley, Bamtefa and Renner keep viewers coming back anyway, because it’s watching them navigate these grey areas and find these genuine moments that makes this the best show in the Taylor Sheridan universe. On the outside, it just looks like a never-ending war. But there’s layer after layer underneath that, and Season 4 reveals more about these characters that audiences won’t have considered.

Bolstered by the new additions in Falco, Benanti and James, there’s different perspectives and new strategies. Mayor of Kingstown still delivers the same taut characterization, uncompromising performances, and crackling atmosphere. Yet in Season 4, it’s a whole new bloody ballgame.

Mayor of Kingstown Season 4 premieres Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025 on Paramount+. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Paramount+.

Article content is (c)2020-2025 Brittany Frederick and may not be excerpted or reproduced without express written permission by the author. Follow me on Twitter at @BFTVTwtr and on Instagram at @BFTVGram. For story pitches, contact me at tvbrittanyf@yahoo.com.