Mayor of Kingstown Season 2 Episode 2 Review: Staring at the Devil

Mayor of Kingstown Season 2 Episode 2, “Staring at the Devil,” raises the stakes significantly as Mike implements a risky solution for a growing problem. Does it work? 

“Staring at the Devil” primarily addresses the festering power imbalance following the Kingstown prison riot in the last two episodes of Season 1. The episode opens with an unsettling, ultraviolent mass shooting unleashed by one gang on a rival gang. After learning no one ordered the hit, Mike orchestrates a last-ditch effort to bring peace to the “inside” so that it radiates “outside.” 

MIKE: Wars inside means war on the outside. 

If there’s one thing we’ve learned from Mayor of Kingstown, it’s that the incarceration system rules the roost. Those multiple prisons are the primary source of income for Kingstown residents. Yet Taylor Sheridan and Hugh Dillon’s exploration of this topic, despite it being a sole focus, feels surface-level. We’re retreading old territory in “Staring at the Devil.” 

Performance-wise, Taylor Handley and Necar Zadegan dole out compelling work. Handley displays Kyle’s vulnerable side with immense care. Kyle has one scene, in particular, that’s painful to watch. Kyle’s partner loses his life when the pair pulls over a man for drunk driving. His knee-jerk reaction to “shoot first, ask questions later” results in two dead parents and a crying infant alone in the backseat. 

This isn’t the first time the show has addressed the lack of de-escalation training in law enforcement. Thankfully, the writers never attempt to make us side with the Kingstown police, as they’re just as corrupt as the criminals. However, “Staring at the Devil” does allow us to glimpse Kyle’s fragmented psyche as he unravels following his prison riot experience. 

BUNNY: Guess y’all must not pray to God up in here. ‘Cause if you motherf***ers did, y’all wouldn’t be staring at the devil. 

I don’t think Sheridan and Dillon are trying to paint Kyle in a sympathetic light. However, the message might be broader than that — that officers are victims of the system like those they brutalize. I would argue they aren’t, especially when an alarming number of people of color die from police brutality. The writers could stand to take a definitive position on this, as it’s not 100 percent clear. 

Necar Zadegan is a breath of fresh air in a male-dominated series. She’s the voice of reason, and we peek behind the curtain as she struggles under the weight of her job. Zadegan infuses the usually tough Evelyn with nuance and humanity. 

“Staring at the Devil” plays on the repetitive, formulaic approach we’ve seen in almost every episode thus far: Mike drives around town and solves problems. The police act like “tough guys.” The felons also act like “tough guys.” It all feels … stagnant. It runs like a procedural drama without being advertised as such. 

MIKE: Nothing stays hidden in a town. 

The bleakness can be overwhelming, and now the show is ostensibly moving away from Mike and Iris’s relationship, one of the best-developed, well-rounded, hopeful aspects of Mayor of Kingstown. While her return to Milo isn’t inexplicable (the toxic relationship between the abuser and the abused is also cyclical), it’s disappointing all the same. 

I get it. Sheridan and Dillon want to expose the darkest parts of humanity, the worst of the worst of which we’re capable. We, as humans, hold the capacity to commit unspeakable acts of evil and unmitigated kindness. However, we seldom see even a pinpoint of light piercing that darkness. It weighs down the soul and could turn viewers away from the seeming violence for the sake of violence. We need some of that light every once in a while.

While Season 1 undoubtedly highlights vital, systemic topics such as racism, misogyny, and the patriarchy, “Staring at the Devil” and last week’s premiere rehash old themes and embody the cyclical nature of toxicity. 

That’s not to say it’s all bad — the performances are solid, and characters like Bunny, played by the wonderful Tobi Bamtefa, are engaging whenever they’re onscreen. The ending of “Staring at the Devil” is promising, especially as we see Bunny move to a new environment that’ll certainly boast its own set of challenges that could breathe life into the narrative. I’ll chalk this up to sophomore season growing pains. 

Stray Observations: 

• New drinking game! Take a shot of your preferred beverage whenever you see Mike driving anywhere in Kingstown. You’ll be good and soused about 20 minutes into the episode. Alternate drinking game: take a shot whenever someone drops the f-bomb. 
• Here’s hoping we get more of Evelyn in Season 2. We need more women smoothing the rough edges of the raging, testosterone-fueled, toxic masculinity-infused dudes on this show. There’s an imbalance in the Force. Evelyn is one of the few characters who gives Mike a reality check when he needs it. 
• Bunny better stay safe. He’s the only source of levity in Mayor of Kingstown. 
• Two-time Oscar winner Dianne Wiest needs more to do. She’s severely underutilized here. I might sound like a broken record, but someone should shout it from the rooftops. 
• Who wants to bet Robert didn’t bother frisking the Aryan gang leader despite doing just that with the gang leaders of color? 

What did you think of this episode of Mayor of Kingstown? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Critic Rating:

User Rating:

 

Mayor of Kingstown streams new episodes every Sunday on Paramount+. Try Paramount+ for free, right here

 Follow us on Twitter and Instagram!

Want more from Tell-Tale TV? Subscribe to our newsletter here!

15 Supernatural Teen TV Shows to Sink Your Teeth Into if You’re Excited About ‘Wolf Pack’