Parents' Guide to Mayor of Kingstown

TV Paramount+ Drama 2021
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Common Sense Media Review

Marty Brown By Marty Brown , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 15+

Dreary crime drama features lots of violence, nudity.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 15+?

Any Positive Content?

Parent and Kid Reviews

age 17+

Based on 5 parent reviews

age 16+

Based on 1 kid review

What's the Story?

MAYOR OF KINGSTOWN takes place in a small Michigan city where the dominant industry isn't manufacturing or agriculture, but private prison -- 10 of them exist within a small radius. The McClusky family, led by Mitch (Kyle Chandler) and his younger brother, Mike (Jeremy Renner), is the political center of the town, and fight for power right alongside the criminal factions there, which include not only the prisoners but law enforcement.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say ( 5 ):
Kids say ( 1 ):

The difference between a mediocre crime family drama and a good one is often whether it's plot driven or character driven. Mayor of Kingstown is clearly looking to build an audience that loves to follow plot twists, warring factions, and shifting allegiances. But the character at the center of the action, Jeremy Renner's Mike McClusky, lacks complexity or even so much as a defining character trait. Without a compelling character at the heart of it, Mayor of Kingstown is simply an dreary march toward predictable violence.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the town of Kingstown. What is unique about the show's setting? Is this realism? Why or why not?

  • What is the McLusky family's relationship to the town? How does each member of the family operate within Kingstown? How is each character's morality unique within the family? What are the differences in values between them?

  • How are the people in prison portrayed in Mayor of Kingstown? The criminals on the outside? Law enforcement? What are the similarities and differences between how these factions operate? How do they treat the law? Do any of them have a moral or ethical code?

TV Details

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