Mayor of Kingstown Season 2 Episode 7 Review: Drones
Mayor of Kingstown Season 2 Episode 7, “Drones,” drives a wedge between Mike and Evelyn in the wake of Lockett’s murder while Kyle spins further out of control. While it boasts solid performances, the outing is a step below its predecessor.
Once again, Taylor Handley proves he’s one of the best performers on Mayor of Kingstown with “Drones,” doling out a nuanced performance that buzzes with vibrancy. Season 2 has felt more like a miss than a hit after the show’s strong freshman season, but Kyle’s arc is the most developed.
EVELYN: Quiet is a luxury for peacetime. We are at war now.
You get the sense Kyle might snap at any moment, given how he refuses to acknowledge his feelings. He’s a taut bowstring. Your eyes are drawn to him whenever he’s onscreen. Whereas Emma Laird stole the show in Season 1, Season 2 belongs to Handley and Tobi Bamtefa.
Speaking of Laird, it’s nice to finally revisit Iris’s story in this episode. It seems the writers collectively gave up on Mike finding Iris, but “Drones” delivers a lovely little surprise cliffhanger in that regard. Whether they follow through with resolving said cliffhanger remains to be seen.
For the most part, “Drones” plods along in the same manner as most episodes this season. Pacing and repetition appear to be a blindspot, as they’re the most inconsistent aspects of Season 2. The narrative is slow-moving, with the occasional quick burst of energy to catalyze the plot.
KYLE: ‘Cause I can feel something, you know? I don’t need you judging me right now.
In terms of repetitiveness, “Drones” presents conversations we’ve seen play out multiple times. Funnily enough, they’re all involving Mike. For example, Evelyn refuses to do what Mike demands and puts him in his place.
The now-cookie cutter Mike and Bunny scene at the prison is the biggest offender. Mike coordinates a meeting with Bunny; Mike claims he’s “working on it,” while Bunny demands Mike work harder to fix this mess. These scenes have spiraled into redundancy — we know Mike’s doing what he can to release Bunny. We know Bunny’s understandably frustrated.
It does a disservice to talented performers like Bamtefa and Jeremy Renner. Like much of this season, their relationship has grown stagnant while simultaneously spinning in circles. That’s also a great way to describe this season: stagnant while simultaneously spinning in circles.
MIKE: I got my foot on the throat of how well you honor your deal.
That’s not to say there aren’t storylines that won’t yield dividends by the season’s end. We have three episodes left, so there might be surprises. However, it’s challenging to maintain hope when we get truncated episodes week after week compared to Season 1 and an overarching plot that’s moving at a snail’s pace. Here’s hoping Mayor of Kingstown recaptures some of its gritty, nihilistic magic.
Stray Observations:
- I’ve said it once, but it bears repeating: Evelyn’s one of the only people besides Bunny who calls Mike out on his crap. She keeps his ego in check. We need more of her.
- Mayor of Kingstown usually sprinkles a couple of humorous one-liners here and there, but “Drones” boasts a full-fledged comedic scene between Raphael and Carney. Their pop culture debate adds a nice touch of levity to a perpetually bleak series.
- Regina Corrado penned this episode. There aren’t many episodes written or directed by women as a whole, but it appears the Powers That Be are making a concerted effort to include them more behind the camera. It’s not much, but it’s progress nonetheless.
- I want whatever Raphael was cooking based on Bunny’s enthusiastic reaction alone.
- You know what? Maybe if everyone joined hands and sang in harmony, there would be less street violence. Everyone would deal drugs in their little corners without encroaching on someone else’s territory.
- I’m glad they could squeeze in that one short scene with two-time Academy Award winner Dianne Wiest. I apologize for the sarcasm; however, it’s frustrating. The writers don’t know what to do with their most seasoned cast member.
What did you think of this episode of Mayor of Kingstown? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Melody McCune
Melody loves TV. Maybe too much. Besides being a Senior Writer for Tell-Tale TV, she's the Managing Editor for Geek Girl Authority, an Independent Contractor for Sideshow Collectibles, and a Senior Writer for Eulalie Magazine. Additionally, she has bylines in Culturess, Widget, and inkMend on Medium. To top it all off, she's a critic for Rotten Tomatoes and CherryPicks.