Taylor Sheridan's Most Underrated Series, Now On Netflix, Is Peaking At The Ideal Time

Published Oct 11, 2026, 11:45 PM EDT

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In Taylor Sheridan's long line of work, there is one show that remains relatively obscure and underrated. The crime thriller show in question is now streaming on Netflix and has surprisingly hit the peak of its storytelling. While only time will tell whether it will maintain the same narrative momentum in its upcoming installment, the series deserves a lot more attention, especially after its latest season.

Created by Taylor Sheridan and Hugh Dillon, Mayor of Kingstown first premiered in November 2021 on Paramount+. Surprisingly, the show got an underwhelming response from critics after season 1. Despite this, it managed to return for another season. Even after season 2, Mayor of Kingstown struggled to impress critics and garnered a mixed reaction.

The show's season 3 showed some signs of improvement, but it remained relatively average in terms of critical ratings. When it comes to audience reception, however, the Taylor Sheridan series kept winning. Owing to this, it was renewed for two more seasons. Before its fifth and final season comes out, Mayor of Kingstown has hit a significant narrative high, proving that it has always been an underrated series.

Taylor Sheridan's Mayor Of Kingstown Peaked In Its Penultimate Season

One of the biggest issues with earlier seasons of Mayor of Kingston was that they focused heavily on building subplots. This, in turn, spread the show's overarching conflict too thin, drifting the focus away from the main drama. Owing to this, during the initial seasons, the series' primary appeal came from its performances rather than its story.

Seasons 3 and 4 have seemingly learned from these early mistakes. Especially in season 4, there is heavy emphasis on Mike McLusky's story, where he finally sees how his previous decisions are starting to escalate in the central town. Even the violence in season 4 feels less forced and more plot-driven, which adds to the latest installment's appeal.

Mayor of Kingstown season 4 almost feels like a reset for the series because it also avoids the mid-season slump that plagued all previous installments. Even Jeremy Renner's performance feels better than ever because he gets to fully explore Mike's internal conflicts and his reaction to his fractured family dynamics.

Although the show had immense potential from the beginning and could have earned far better critical ratings if it had fixed some glaring issues early on, it seems like a good time for Mayor of Kingstown to hit its narrative peak. The Taylor Sheridan series is scheduled to end its run with the fifth installment, and season 4's narrative highs ensure that viewers will show up for its final stretch.

Mayor Of Kingstown Is Unfairly Overlooked Compared To Other Sheridan Shows

Jeremy Parsons / Paramount+

Compared to most other Taylor Sheridan shows, Mayor of Kingstown is not exactly treated as a prestige TV drama. It is also a far cry from other Taylor Sheridan shows in the sense that it does not feature sweeping Americana mythos and also does not rely on neat narrative resolutions or anti-hero character tropes. However, it still deserves credit for delivering exactly what it promises.

As its early critical reception suggests, Mayor of Kingstown is not perfect by any means and does not even reach the narrative highs of shows like Yellowstone, 1923, and 1883. However, for viewers looking for bleak crime dramas, Mayor of Kingstown takes an unflinching approach towards delivering a relentlessly dark crime tragedy.

It has also consistently gotten better with each new installment and has reached the absolute peak of its storytelling in season 4. This is a rare feat even for some of the most acclaimed crime thrillers that struggle to overcome the sophomore slump.

While Mayor of Kingstown may not rank among some of Taylor Sheridan's better creations, it still demands more attention as a compelling crime thriller, especially now that it is streaming on Netflix.

Question 1 of 3

Mayor of Kingstown

A crime thriller series set in a small Michigan town where the McClusky family wields influence among police, criminals, and politicians. As power brokers, they navigate the complexities of a community reliant on the business of incarceration.