The End Begins – The story begins at Mitch McLusky’s funeral. All the guests and family leave, excluding Mike McLusky (Jeremy Renner). It begins to rain as Mike is watching his family leave the funeral. He walks to his car in the rain.

At Mariam McLusky’s home after the funeral. Jimmy (Lombardo Boyar) asks Kyle McLusky (Taylor Handley) if Mike is going to take Mitch’s position. He says “probably”. They joke about Mike’s secretary, Rebecca (Nichole Galicia). Ian (Hugh Dillon) talks about an event that took place on the police force. Their laugh causes the guests to stare. Stevie (Derek Webster) apologizes to Kyle who says he doesn’t believe all the guests are talking about Mitch being a great guy. Mariam McLusky (Dianne Wiest) looks appalled.

Mike joins the group. Ed (James Jordan) asks him if he is going to continue. He answers, “Ah, gotta tie up some loose ends either way.” Ed hugs and apologizes to Mike about Mitch. They walk out on the porch, where they discuss Sam’s previous attack. Ed says the inmate is on a ventilator, thanks to the beating the guards gave him. He says the world will not miss him. Mitch says the Crips will miss him and play the letter Sam sent to them from the inmate. Ed says they will take it further than the Crips. Mike asks which guards are running the prison. He wants guards, P-Dog (Pha’rez Lass), and his brother split up. The weakest brother will be sent to Ad-Seg. He thinks new leaders in the yard will entice the Bloods to tie with the Mexicans and Crips may lose the yard. Ed disagrees with Mike’s plans because it is risky.

Kyle, Tracy (Nishi Munshi), and Mariam are cleaning up after the guests left.

Kyle and Tracy are in their bedroom. He says, “I don’t feel sad.” She says there are no rules. She is not trying to change anything but asks him to promise to not waste a moment on their relationship. He agrees and they hug.

Mike is in his office, having an alcoholic beverage. He pours the alcohol on the bloodstain left from Mitch’s murder. The fire department is called in. The Fire Captain (Joel Rinzler) questions why he set the fire. Mike says it is the least of his concerns. He just wanted to remove Mitch’s blood from the carpet. Kyle walks in and asks if he is okay. They walk outside and discuss Mike’s life. Kyle cannot understand why Mike would take on Mitch’s position. He is just tying up some loose ends. Kyle tells him he will not get his time back. Mike leaves.

Mike is in a meeting with the sister of the inmate, Juan (Ivan Lopez). He cannot help her with Juan’s situation. He is scheduled to be executed by lethal injection tomorrow night. She says he will be put down like a dog. Kyle defends the parents of Juan’s victim, a young girl who was shot during a drive-by. He receives a call from Deverin “Bunny” Washington (Tobi Bamtefa) who apologizes for Mitch’s death. Bunny calls him a “backstabbing” bleep when he denies needing time off. He becomes irate, Mike says he is on his way.

Mike removes grenades and a handgun from the safe. He tells the workers if the safe is broken into in the next few weeks, he will go to their homes and kill them. He makes quite an entrance at Bunny’s front yard. He runs his vehicle through a chain-link fence and Bunny’s chairs. They scatter about. He tosses the grenades and puts a gun to Bunny’s head. He demands the letter from the inmate, or they will no longer be friends. Bunny angrily removes the letter from an ice chest before kicking it. He gives him the letter and says, “Spring my boys.” Mike makes a phone call and says to put the guys back. Bunny asks him if they are still friends. He hastily backs out of the yard and skids away. He is being watched by agents.

Mike visits a gun shop to buy a weapon to protect himself from a black bear. The clerk advises against feeding black bears. He wants to know what bears eat. The man shows him a picture of where he killed a bear with a bow and arrow. He buys a black bear decoy and bow and arrows. He visits a food truck to buy two 40-pound bags of fries and used fryer grease. He drives to his cabin, where he pours one back of fries and grease on the ground. He sets down on the front porch to wait for the bear to come. He runs a raccoon away when he thought it was going to eat the fries. He shoots the bow twice and misses both times. It is night before the black bear arrives.

He arrives at the office, where he is approached by two special agents. Mike tells about the agents, Mitch helped arrange the surrender of Milo Sunter (Aidan Gillen) following an armored car heist that left two guards dead. Milo was able to keep part of the money. They want to know if he is going to be an informant like Mitch for $2,500 a month. He tells them Bunny runs the Crips from his front yard in the hood, where he sells drugs. He agrees, signs the papers, and threatens them to never “run that cop up a flagpole.” Rebecca pours them a cup of coffee and asks if they are still in business. He gives her the check. He receives a call from Ian, regarding Mitch’s Cadillac.

Mike arrives at the scene, where Mitch’s Cadillac is located, and the officers from the Kingstown Police Department. They want him to help arrest drug dealer, “Mr. Magoo.”  Mike drives Mitch’s Cadillac while Ian tells him the directions. They are after a gray Subaru. He is ordered to drive faster, there are only 60 seconds left to get there. Mike says he doesn’t see him but rams right into his Subaru. Crystal meth is scattered all over the street from the crash. Mike thanks SWAT Agent Aldrich (Scott Gibson) for how he handled the arrest of Mitch’s killer.

At the prison, Joseph the Russian (George Tchortov) is preparing to visit Milo. Milo is brought out to meet with Joseph. Milo says Mike is like them, he wants more stuff moved. He wants to send Iris (Emma Laird) out instead of Joseph.

At the office, Mike meets with Juan’s sister who wants advice about how to survive Juan’s death. She wants to hire him to be there with her and her mother, (Sandra Agular).

Iris is getting dressed after spending time with a gentleman. On the outside of the building, she receives a call from Joseph who tells her to come to Kingstown.

Mike meets with Juan’s sister and mother at Juan’s execution. He leads them through the process to ensure they survive it. The victim’s family wants Juan to suffer before he dies. Juan vomits, his family becomes upset. He speaks to his mother and apologizes to the victim’s family. He is read his last rites. The IV is put into place. The execution ends.

Mike visits Bunny. He gives him two new lawn chairs. They sit in the yard and talk about their lives. Bunny says he is 37 and has never celebrated Christmas. Mike tells him about camp-cooking. Bunny visited his grandma when he was 9, she did all her cooking outside on a fire. The episode comes to an end.

 

The Mayor of Kingstown Review

The show is deep and intense for the most part, it will keep you on the edge of your seat. The execution and black bear scenes are a bit lengthy for my liking while the scene with Milo feels rushed. The scene where Mike throws grenades in the hood in the middle of the day is a bit farfetched. I guess the scene fits well with all the corruption going on in Kingstown. The episode earns a 7.2.

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