Mayor of Kingstown consistently delivers compelling storytelling in the Taylor Sheridan universe, and Season 4 is no exception. It's something of a reinvention, even bringing new power players to the fore, like Edie Falco's Nina Hobbs and Lennie James' Frank Moses. However, the creatives refrain from tampering with what makes the show work so well. Viewers can feel the show's trademark white-knuckled tension from the premiere, and that tension hasn't abated yet. Bolstered by raw, gritty performances and a bleak yet captivating world, this renewed narrative vigor stokes excitement for a fifth season.
With the Season 4 finale on the horizon, the sky's the limit for where the story can go in Season 5. Of course, Sheridan clearly has an endgame in mind for this series and, based on Season 4's more focused approach, it feels like it's heading in that direction. Let's dive into everything there is to know about Mayor of Kingstown Season 5.
Star Jeremy Renner Confirms There Will Be a Fifth Season
Paramount
There's not much by way of official media confirmation for Season 5. However, Jeremy Renner, who plays the perpetually beleaguered (and constantly driving) Mike McLusky, appeared at Florida Supercon in July, where he told attendees about filming "the second season since the incident." Here's what he had to say at his panel:
"I just did … the second season, we just finished since the incident. And I think I'm signing on to finish it off in two more. We found a cool end. I'm not going to tell you, but we found a really cool end, I think, to the show."
His signing on to finish the series in two more seasons would take Mayor of Kingstown to Season 5, two seasons short of Sheridan's original seven-season vision. Taylor Sheridan essentially has the golden pass at Paramount, so if the plan is to finish the series with 5, this will likely be a fulfilling conclusion.
Major Players Will Return in Mayor of Kingstown Season 5
A scene from Mayor of Kingstown
Paramount+
It's safe to say that series lead Renner will reprise his role as the titular mayor for Season 5, as will Tobi Bamtefa as Deverin "Bunny" Washington, the head of the Crips in Kingstown. Bamtefa, in particular, plays a fan favorite. His plot armor could keep him safe leading into the fifth season. Co-creator and series scribe Hugh Dillon will more than likely return as morally questionable Kingstown Police Department detective Ian Ferguson. Taylor Handley as incarcerated cop (and Mike's younger brother) Kyle McLusky also seems like a sure thing for Season 5, as does Derek Webster as Ian's KPD partner, Stevie.
However, who's to say what could transpire in Season 4's last two episodes? As this season has proven, anything — and anyone — goes. This series loves to subvert expectations, often pulling the rug out from under viewers and ramping up the stakes for its characters. Even Bunny, a seemingly safe character, winds up in the hospital after Frank tries to dethrone him and wrest control of his kingdom.
On the creative side, fans can expect Sheridan, Dillon, and Renner back as executive producers for Season 5, and most likely longtime series writers Christian Donovan and James Arcega Tinsley. Additionally, directors Christoph Schrewe and Guy Ferland, who've helmed many episodes, including some Season 4 heavy hitters, could return for the fifth season.
What 'Mayor of Kingstown' Season 5's Plot Will Be
Season 4 hasn't pulled punches when it comes to who survives in this cutthroat world. It's kill or be killed for many in Kingstown, and unfortunately, some fan favorites won't make the trek to Season 5. Carney's shocking death at the end of episode two sets the stage for a high-octane, blood-soaked season, and the series doesn't take its foot off the gas after that.
Then, in episode eight, tragedy strikes as a major character's journey comes to an end. Merle Callahan, head of the Aryan Brotherhood, escapes Anchor Bay, making a beeline for Kyle's wife, Tracy McLusky, and their young son. Callahan brutally kills Tracy and spares baby Mitch. It's a controversial move that will undoubtedly reverberate into Season 5.
Frank Moses is easily Bunny's greatest adversary. He's an old-school Detroit gangster with connections that span countries. He breezes into Kingstown in the wake of Milo and Konstantin's deaths with audacious plans andthe power to see them through. He won't be easy to dispose of, although Bunny has Mike on his side (and you don't mess with the mayor). Frank would make for an entertaining antagonist for Bunny in Season 5, to be sure.
While Warden Hobbs is reluctantly on Mike's side, who knows how long their precarious alliance will last? Hobbs herself isn't precisely clean, and she might tire of Mike's constant presence in her prison. The back-and-forth between Renner and Falco is also a ton of fun, even more so when they're at odds. However, Callahan could survive Season 4. Callahan has a long history with Mike, but now he's pushed Kyle over the edge by murdering his wife. Viewers could see the McLusky brothers team up to take down Callahan.
Another potential antagonist who could continue their arc in Season 5 is SWAT leader Robert Sawyer, everyone's favorite loose cannon. In episode seven, Ian tries to kill Robert, staging it like a suicide via the exhaust fumes from his vehicle. But remember the TV golden rule: "No body, no death." Robert could easily return with a vengeance to wipe both Mike and Ian off the map. His descent into unhinged, unadulterated villainy feels like the organic next step in his journey.
Mike spends so much time inMayor of Kingstown reacting to everything around him. He seldom has the upper hand in, well, anything. There's an underlying theme of family in Season 4 that could carry over into Season 5. Mike's brother is in constant peril while behind bars, and his sister-in-law is now dead. He lost his older brother and mother to the dangers of Kingstown, too. Season 5 could see Mike having to make a pivotal choice between his family and the company town he tries to keep afloat.
There's also the Kyle part of the equation. He's teetering on the same path Mike took while in prison, which is what Mike doesn't want for him. While Callahan is on the lam and there's a chance he won't return to Anchor Bay (like Milo), Kyle might fall in with the AB for his safety. It seems the series could set Kyle up as a potential replacement for Mike as mayor one day, or perhaps as a true partner for Mike to help shoulder the workload in Season 5 (if he's released by then).
