“The Next Goodfellas?!” – Amazon Prime’s Gritty New Masterpiece Mayor of Kingstown Is Being Called “The Closest Thing to The Wire in Years”
In a forgotten prison town where corruption bleeds into every alley and loyalty can get you killed, Amazon Prime’s Mayor of Kingstown has emerged as the gritty new masterpiece everyone’s calling “the next Goodfellas” and “the closest thing to The Wire in years.” Created by Taylor Sheridan (Yellowstone, 1883) and Hugh Dillon, the series – which premiered its third season on June 2, 2025 – has exploded into a cultural phenomenon, topping Prime Video charts in 85 countries with 45 million hours viewed in its first month. Fans are calling it “entrancing,” “uncomfortably real,” and “the kind of drama that crawls under your skin and refuses to leave.” With every episode exposing deeper betrayals, darker secrets, and shocking twists, audiences say it’s not just a show – it’s an experience you survive. If you hunger for raw, high-stakes storytelling that hits like a sledgehammer, this thriller is about to become your next obsession.
Set in the decaying rust-belt enclave of Kingstown, Michigan – a town where the prison industry is the only game in town – Mayor of Kingstown follows the McLusky family, a clan of “fixers” who broker uneasy peace between cops, gangs, and inmates in a system rotten to its core. Jeremy Renner stars as Mike McLusky, the reluctant “mayor” (not elected, just tolerated) who navigates the moral minefield of a place where 60% of residents are incarcerated or employed by the system. What starts as a gritty procedural about a botched prison riot spirals into a sprawling epic of racial tensions, cartel incursions, and family feuds that expose America’s underbelly. “Kingstown isn’t a town – it’s a cage,” Sheridan told Variety. “Mike’s not a hero; he’s the lock on the door.”
Renner’s Mike is a revelation – a haunted everyman with a jaw set like granite and eyes that have seen too much, his quiet menace echoing De Niro in Goodfellas. Dianne Wiest shines as Iris McLusky, the matriarch whose “peacekeeping” empire masks a lifetime of compromises. Aidan Gillen (Game of Thrones) as corrupt Sheriff Mike Dodds adds oily menace, while Tobi Bamtefa (The One) as gang leader Bunny Washington brings fiery authenticity to the Black underworld. Returning faces like Hugh Dillon as the scheming Milo Sunter and Emmy Raver-Lampman as attorney Evelyn Foley deepen the web of alliances and betrayals.
Sheridan’s signature style – vast cinematography of desolate lakes and rusted mills by Ben Richardson (Wind River), a score of brooding guitars by Jónsi (Sisters Brothers) – turns Kingstown into a character as suffocating as the Cuyahoga River fog. Season 3’s premiere, a riot that leaves 47 dead, sets the tone: Mike’s desperate bid to broker peace amid a cartel war that imports fentanyl and exports bodies. Twists abound: a cop’s betrayal, a sister’s secret affair, a riot’s hidden architect – each reveal a gut-punch that rivals The Wire‘s institutional rot.
Critics are obsessed. The Hollywood Reporter called it “Sheridan’s magnum opus – Goodfellas grit in The Wire‘s soul.” IndieWire awarded an A+: “Renner and Wiest redefine anti-heroes – unmissable.” On Prime Video, it’s No. 1 in 85 countries with 45 million hours viewed, outpacing Reacher. Fans rave: “Episode 4’s twist? I screamed – this is peak TV.”
Mayor of Kingstown isn’t just a thriller – it’s a mirror to society’s fractures. As Mike growls in the finale, “In this town, peace is just war on pause.” Streaming now on Prime Video. Your obsession – and unease – awaits.
