Lennie James is a perfect fit for Mayor of Kingstown. The Paramount+ show has seen plenty of great guest stars play memorable characters; one of the biggest strengths of the series is its cast. But James has brought something new and different with his character Frank Moses that has energized the series on multiple levels. As Mayor of Kingstown is taking bold leaps forward, James is a major reason why Season 4 is the best season yet.

First things first: Lennie James is one of the best actors working today. Any show is automatically elevated by his presence. TV viewers know him best as Morgan Jones on The Walking Dead and its spinoff Fear the Walking Dead, becoming a deserved fan-favorite in that franchise. But he has so many more incredible roles, from his award-winning performance in the BBC One drama Mr. Loverman to the AMC remake of Low Winter Sun to the three episodes of Human Target that everyone forgot about. But his best work is in the BBC smash hit Line of Duty; James’ portrayal of DCI Tony Gates helped to launch that show into the success it’s become. And what he’s doing as Frank Moses on Mayor of Kingstown isn’t far behind.

The one thing Mayor of Kingstown has in common with Line of Duty is that both shows need a guest lead to go toe-to-toe with Jeremy Renner. That is no easy task; Renner is a two-time Oscar nominee for a reason. He has a way of controlling the screen whenever he’s on it—which is what makes him such a great choice to play Mike McLusky, because Mike is always trying to control what’s happening in Kingstown. James absolutely has the gravity to push back against the screen presence of Renner, while the mutual respect between the two is obvious in their scenes together. The two actors are evenly matched, not just in terms of power, but in how their performances contrast one another—which has added a whole other layer to Mayor of Kingstown that wasn’t there before.

All of the antagonists have been memorable, from the smarminess of Milo Sunter to the creepiness of Merle Callahan (who still won’t go away). But Frank Moses is different. He’s not solely an antagonist to Mike; in fact, the bulk of his storyline is with Bunny Washington. Mike seems to be secondary in Frank’s perspective. But Frank has a completely different personality than anyone who came before him, and he ultimately serves as a threat to the whole city of Kingstown. And that points right to the heart of the series, because Mayor of Kingstown is at its best when it reminds viewers that it’s about the entire community and not just the guy in the title, no matter how electric he is. Frank is emblematic of the point that co-creators Hugh Dillon and Taylor Sheridan are trying to make.

Frank arrives with an almost serene demeanor and a deliberate approach to everything. He is in direct contrast to Mike and even to his predecessors, because Mike is a live wire. He’s rough around the edges and doesn’t mince his words and though his whole role is to be a sort of diplomat, he’s never quite been comfortable in that skin. And Frank Moses would laugh in the face of someone like Milo Sunter, who was just as short-tempered. Milo and Konstantin and Callahan are all the type to willingly, sometimes even gladly, get their hands dirty; Frank is the guy who’s proud of never having been arrested. He looks at the big picture all of the time. That means he plays off Mike differently, presents a different kind of problem for Mike to solve, and gives the viewers something new to think about.

Frank doesn’t intimidate the audience by fear. What makes Frank such a great antagonist is the way he prompts everyone to question the status quo—whether it’s the ideas he pitches to Bunny (before trying to have him killed) or how he casts Mike’s behavior in a different light. He’s a threat because he’s challenging everything that’s known about Kingstown both on and off-screen. Because of Frank, Bunny begins to dream bigger and think about life beyond Kingstown, which is the cardinal sin since no one seems to survive beyond Kingstown. Frank’s presence drives a wedge between Bunny and Mike, because Mike is reality and Frank is hope. The audience doesn’t trust Frank because they know, deep down, that what Frank is offering just can’t be true. Bunny somewhat knows that, too, but the fact that he wants to believe it makes Frank’s betrayal all the more painful and effective when it happens.

And because of Frank, the audience does question Mike a little bit, which fits perfectly with how Mayor of Kingstown Season 4 has been chipping away at what Mike has built for himself. Mike’s behavior looks even more brash and occasionally self-centered when compared to how calm Frank is during their interactions. It’s natural to ask if Mike is being a little too harsh or if he could benefit from doing things more subtly as Frank seems to do. Frank is polished and poised; two things Mike will never be. That’s what makes Mike McLusky compelling as a character. He’s spent four seasons fitting into a position he was never meant to be in, and Season 4 is hammering that home by bringing back Callahan and then providing a direct contrast in Frank. If Mike were more like Frank, he might have less conflict and pain to deal with. But if Mike were more like Frank, he wouldn’t be Mike. The audience, for the first time all series, has to ask themselves who they agree with.

But that only works if Lennie James steps into this role, and if he does it now. This story would not have been successful if Mayor of Kingstown had done it any earlier; the dismantling of Mike’s world only happens if it’s been built first. And after the devastating events of the Season 3 finale, the timing is right to take stock of who Mike McLusky is and what Kingstown is. Losing Iris and Kareem Moore was like kicking the legs out from under the table. Mike became vulnerable both personally and professionally, even if he’s still not fully aware of it. Four seasons in, he’s had time to walk the path of being “mayor” and to build something, or try to. Bringing in someone to challenge his beliefs and the audience’s belief in him requires there to be belief in the first place.

And nobody else could play Frank Moses but Lennie James. Aside from his incredible talent, he has such a wonderful sense of character that he’s able to imbue Frank with all of these layers to make him feel alive. It likely won’t surprise Mayor of Kingstown viewers to learn that James is also a writer and director, because he’s so nuanced in his acting performances. There’s a theatricality to the way Frank speaks that adds to his character; it’s another contrast to everyone else in his orbit. At the same time, in the moments when fans are reminded that Frank is the bad guy, James underplays his hand most of the time. He doesn’t need to emphasize his character’s villainy. The fact that he doesn’t, that Frank is so chill, makes it worse (and better to watch). It stokes a certain frustration—and anxiety.

On Mayor of Kingstown, the normal course of action is emphatic violence. But Frank doesn’t quite go there until the shooting that nearly kills Bunny, and even then he’s not the one doing it. Audiences are still waiting for him to go off, and getting anxious about what’s going to happen when he does. The nature of this show dictates that there will be a final showdown with Frank Moses, and that Frank probably won’t last. Bad guys have resurfaced in more than one season (unfortunately in the case of Merle Callahan), but with both Mike and Bunny wanting a piece of him, Frank’s odds don’t look good.

What looks great is how nail-biting it’s going to be when Lennie James takes his character up to that final level. He’s built an antagonist who is antithetical to the entire show, so there’s no real clue how any of that is going to go. And no matter what happens, Frank Moses has left a permanent mark on at least Bunny that will add to the tapestry of Mayor of Kingstown. Frank isn’t merely a one-season villain; he’s shifted the whole paradigm of the series. That’s possible because Lennie James took what was on the page and has added so much to it that viewers have to look deeper. Season 4 would not be the same without him, and the series is better because of him.

Mayor of Kingstown streams Sundays 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.