Paramount+ has renewed the crime drama Mayor of Kingstown, starring Jeremy Renner, for a fifth and final season, comprising eight episodes. The series, co-created by Taylor Sheridan and Hugh Dillon, will conclude after this upcoming installment. This decision marks the first time an ongoing series from Taylor Sheridan's slate has received an end date following recent leadership changes at Paramount Global.
Series Conclusion Announced
Mayor of Kingstown, which premiered in November 2021, has been renewed for a final, fifth season by Paramount+. The upcoming season will consist of eight episodes, a reduction from the 10 episodes featured in previous seasons. Jeremy Renner stars as Mike McLusky, a character who mediates between various factions within the fictional setting of Kingstown, Michigan. The series is co-created by Taylor Sheridan and Hugh Dillon.
This announcement follows recent leadership transitions at Paramount+’s parent company, Paramount Global, after Skydance's acquisition in August. Other Taylor Sheridan productions, including Landman, Tulsa King, and Lioness, have received new season orders from the streaming service.
Production and Cast Details
The confirmed cast for the final season includes Jeremy Renner and Edie Falco, who joined the series in Season 4. Other cast members from the most recent season included Lennie James, Laura Benanti, Hugh Dillon, Taylor Handley, Tobi Bamtefa, Derek Webster, Hamish Allan-Headley, and Nishi Munshi.
Mayor of Kingstown is produced by Paramount Television Studios, 101 Studios, and Bosque Ranch Productions. Executive producers include Taylor Sheridan, Hugh Dillon, Jeremy Renner, Antoine Fuqua, David C. Glasser, Ron Burkle, David Hutkin, Bob Yari, Michael Friedman, Dave Erickson, Christoph Schrewe, Wendy Riss, Evan Perazzo, and Keith Cox. Dave Erickson serves as the showrunner. Paramount Global Content Distribution handles the series' distribution.
Narrative Overview
In its fourth season, which concluded on December 28, the narrative focused on Mike McLusky (Renner) as his authority in Kingstown faced challenges. New factions emerged, competing to fill a power vacuum created by the absence of the Russian organization, which led to an escalation of gang warfare. McLusky was depicted confronting this conflict and navigating interactions with a new warden. The upcoming final season is anticipated to address the aftermath of these events. The series premise involves McLusky mediating between street criminals, law enforcement, and prisoners.
Critical Reception and Viewership
The series has received varied critical reception throughout its run, with its Rotten Tomatoes score for Season 4 reaching 100%. While previous seasons of Mayor of Kingstown have charted on Nielsen’s weekly Top 10 of streaming originals, the fourth season did not appear on this list. In comparison, other Sheridan dramas such as Landman (Season 2) and Tulsa King (Season 3), which overlapped with Mayor of Kingstown Season 4, both appeared on Nielsen’s Top 10 for streaming originals, with Landman also reaching the Top 3 overall Nielsen chart.
Creator's Initial Plans and Contractual Context
Series creators Sheridan and Dillon had previously indicated plans for a seven-season arc for the narrative. Hugh Dillon stated in a prior interview that Sheridan had conceived an ending for the series in its seventh season. The conclusion of Mayor of Kingstown coincides with adjustments to co-creator Taylor Sheridan's broader production agreements; his deal with Paramount Skydance is reportedly nearing its term, though his television contract with Paramount remains active for several more years. Sheridan is also reportedly transitioning his film-side deal from Paramount to NBCUniversal in the coming months.