15 TV Shows Like Mayor Of Kingstown – TVLine

A key part of screenwriter and producer Taylor Sheridan’s growing television empire is the Paramount+ original series “Mayor of Kingstown.” Premiering in 2021, the show stars Jeremy Renner as Mike McLusky, the de facto mediator between the different factions in his Michigan town. The fictional Kingstown is a company town revolving around the private prison industry, which deeply affects the entire community. In order to keep the peace, Mike has to often resort to morally dubious means as he works with local gangs, the prison system, and other interested parties.

With “Mayor of Kingstown” ending with its fifth season, there are plenty of similar shows for fans to check out next. These series feature protagonists that often stand alone or against the system, usually mired in various types of criminal activity. Like Sheridan’s Michigan crime saga, these shows are intended for mature viewers and often take place in bleak worlds without clear heroes. Here are 15 TV shows like “Mayor of Kingstown” that you should watch next to keep those morally ambiguous thrills coming.

The root of modern television antiheroes can be traced to Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini), the mobster protagonist of HBO’s “The Sopranos.” Premiering in 1999, the show follows Tony as he balances his life as a suburban family man in New Jersey while being a mob boss. At the start of the series, the mafioso begins to suffer from severe anxiety attacks, resulting in him starting to see a psychiatrist (Lorraine Bracco). This offers unique insight into the various aspects of Tony’s life, from his family plotting behind his back to his outfit’s conflict with a powerful New York City syndicate.

“The Sopranos” makes it clear that Tony is a villain, but one that we at least get to understand over the course of the series. Actor Bryan Cranston credited the show for “Breaking Bad’s” existence and those parallels of an unrepentant crook serving as a protagonist are definitely clear; after all, Tony Soprano could get absolutely petty in his displays of machismo and power retention. Long before Mike McLusky’s underhanded activities in “Mayor of Kingstown,” “The Sopranos” offered its own nuanced and morally compromised lead character.

Author Elmore Leonard’s pulp hero Raylan Givens is effectively brought to life with the FX series “Justified.” Timothy Olyphant stars as Raylan, a U.S. Marshal who’s reassigned to his home county in eastern Kentucky. Back in a part of the world that he had thought he escaped for good, Raylan dispenses his usual rule-breaking brand of justice. This places him in conflict with several local crime outfits, including the Crowder family with its memorable ne’er-do-well Boyd (Walton Goggins).

Olyphant is cooler than ice in his performance as Raylan Givens, bringing a cocksure charisma to his lawman role. This is contrasted by Goggins’ star-making role as Boyd Crowder, Raylan’s greatest frenemy after being forced back home. After a six-season run, Olyphant returned as Raylan Givens for “Justified: City Primeval,” not losing a step in reprising his U.S. Marshal role for the continuation series. A complex character piece about someone who keeps the peace even if it means bending the law, “Justified” is an enduring FX favorite.

As far as television antiheroes go, one of the most iconic of them all is Walter White, the protagonist of “Breaking Bad.” Played by Bryan Cranston, White is diagnosed with cancer at the start of the 2008 series and decides to make crystal meth to support his family. Working with local drug dealer Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul), White increasingly finds himself drawn into the Albuquerque criminal underworld. More than just producing exceedingly potent and popular meth, White maneuvers himself to become a new drug kingpin.

More than just detailing a seemingly good man becoming an unabashedly wicked one, “Breaking Bad” questions where its protagonist was actually a good person at all. This moral question is framed within a darkly thrilling crime odyssey as Walter White faces his own heart of darkness. Matching its ensemble cast’s masterful performances is sharp writing by series creator Vince Gilligan, offering a tight focus to the story. One of the best dramas of the 2010s, “Breaking Bad” deserves all the hype its esteemed reputation has garnered over the years.

Another one of the defining original series produced by FX is the high-octane crime drama “Sons of Anarchy.” The show centers on a biker gang based in California from the perspective of its morally conflicted member Jax Teller (Charlie Hunnam). While Jax desires for the club to reduce its criminal activities, he and his fellow bikers constantly find themselves drawn into violence against rival organizations. Between the external threats and increasing scrutiny from the law, Jax also maintains a contentious relationship with his stepfather Clay Morrow (Ron Perlman).

Like Mike McLusky in “Mayor of Kingston,” Jax Teller is a protagonist that wants to keep the peace for his family and community. That doesn’t mean that he’s afraid of getting his hands dirty, with that constant war within himself providing much of the tension in “Sons of Anarchy.” 

Beyond its sullen protagonist, the show is a true ensemble effort and one that regularly raises the emotional stakes to riveting effect. And for those that enjoy “Sons of Anarchy,” we’d be remiss if we didn’t also recommend its entertaining spin-off “Mayans M.C.”

After working on “The Sopranos,” screenwriter and producer Terence Winter created the HBO period piece crime drama “Boardwalk Empire.” Based on the nonfiction book by Nelson Johnson, the 2010 series dives into Atlantic City during Prohibition in the 1920s and 1930s. The show follows corrupt city official Nucky Thompson (Steve Buscemi) as he works with mob outfits around the country smuggling illegal booze into New Jersey. To maintain his life of power and privilege, Nucky engages in increasingly criminal acts, becoming more overtly ruthless and lethal in his corruption.

Over a decade after its conclusion in 2014, it does feel like “Boardwalk Empire” is a prestige television show that nobody talks about anymore. But for five seasons, the show was a staple on HBO, with Buscemi joined by a supremely talented supporting cast. As for Buscemi himself, he delivers a marvelously two-faced performance as Nucky, someone outwardly charming but privately as wicked and deeply troubled as they come. Sumptuously bringing its Prohibition historical setting to life, “Boardwalk Empire” deserves more love and attention than it currently gets.

Before he was playing a super-powered antihero on “The Boys,” Antony Starr played a much more grounded one in the 2013 crime thriller “Banshee.” Starr portrays an ex-convict who runs away to a small town in Pennsylvania after being released from prison to evade a mob boss nicknamed Mr. Rabbit (Ben Cross). This shadowy character takes on the identity of recently murdered sheriff Lucas Hood who was en route to take his new post in the community. While taking on local criminals in his law enforcement guise, the protagonist tries to repair his relationship with his ex (Ivana Miličević) before settling his score with Rabbit.

Bringing in plenty of sex and violence, “Banshee” is acutely aware of what its audience tuned in for. But in between all of its unabashedly gratuitous elements, there is an appealing story of reconciliation and old grudges coming to roost. The show also offers Starr with an intensely focused role that presages his violent turn as Homelander, albeit under a much different scope. A scintillating tale of second chances punctuated by carnage and carnal indulgence, “Banshee” is an overlooked Cinemax original.

The dark underbelly of the rich and famous in Los Angeles and New York is explored in the 2013 Showtime series “Ray Donovan.” Liev Schreiber stars as the title character, a professional fixer who is hired by wealthy clients to protect their reputations. This often involves illegal activities, with Ray resorting to bribery, intimidation, and illicit crime scene clean-ups to get the job done. Outside of his work, Ray contends with his domestic life, including his complicated dynamic with his wife Abby (Paula Malcomson) and his father Mickey (Jon Voight).

Schreiber is reliably good in his starring role, capturing all the personal issues and motivations that come with the deeply complex character. His performance keeps audiences invested, really shining more with Ray’s professional life than the crooked world that he’s become a firm facet of. After the show’s abrupt cancellation, Schreiber returned for a wrap-up movie, sticking the landing to Ray’s turbulent arc. One of the best Showtime shows of all time, “Ray Donovan” presented audiences with a crime drama with deeply personal stakes.

The mean streets of Birmingham in the early 20th century provide the gritty setting for the British series “Peaky Blinders.” The show starts in the immediate aftermath of World War I, with protagonist Tommy Shelby (Cillian Murphy) returning to take control of the titular street gang. The Peaky Blinders expand their criminal influence across Britain throughout the 1920s and 1930s, despite facing scrutiny from authorities. This places the gang against other criminal outfits, each vying for power or with their own hostile designs on Shelby’s operations.

Bringing a real bloody grit to its period piece crime saga, “Peaky Blinders” is a fantastic historical drama. While Murphy is an absolute revelation in his lead role as Tommy, the rest of the show’s main cast matches him scene-for-scene. This is a show that oozes with style as it weaves its crime thriller tale at a brisk pace and with plenty of memorable characters around its main gang. A “Peaky Blinders” sequel series has been ordered by BBC and Netflix, ensuring fans will get a new generation of the Shelby family to root.

When it comes to multilayered protagonists caught up in criminal activities in small towns, “Fargo” offers audiences multiple stories for the price of one. An anthology series created by Noah Hawley and thematically based on the 1996 film of the same name, each season features a different standalone tale. With rotating ensemble casts, the show explores self-contained crime stories throughout the Midwest, often switching up time periods each season. This ranges from vicious hitman Lorne Malvo (Billy Bob Thornton) prowling Minnesota in 2006 to two crime families facing each other in 1950s Missouri.

Everyone has their own favorite season of “Fargo,” which is really a testament to the all-around quality of the series. Each season assembles a solid ensemble of character actors each at the top of their respective game. Hawley and the rest of the creative team take advantage of the anthology format, offering richly told crime stories that feel fresh every time. A neo-noir showcase punctuated by decidedly dark humor, “Fargo” is a modern masterpiece and one of the greatest shows produced by FX.

While the story of Walter White ended with the conclusion of “Breaking Bad,” the show’s irascibly corrupt lawyer Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk) got its own spin-off with “Better Call Saul.” The show reveals Goodman’s origins, starting out as low-life con artist and aspiring defense attorney Jimmy McGill in Albuquerque. As Jimmy tries to start his legal career in earnest, he can’t help but fall into bad, vindictive habits, often joined by his girlfriend Kim Wexler (Rhea Seehorn). These antics are undercut by Jimmy falling in with some very dangerous figures in the city as he develops his courtroom persona of Saul Goodman.

Fans debate whether “Breaking Bad” or “Better Call Saul” is better, but they are both, at least, of comparable quality. Odenkirk delivers the most nuanced performance of his career as Jimmy/Saul, a character the audience can’t help to root for despite how consistently reprehensible he is. He’s matched by Seehorn’s Kim, a hyper-capable attorney who can’t help but get caught up in Jimmy’s schemes. Bringing a darker sense of humor than “Breaking Bad” without compromising its stakes, “Better Call Saul” is Vince Gilligan’s legal drama masterpiece.

Another richly told small-town crime drama with a family focus is the Netflix original series “Ozark,” which premiered in 2017. The show follows Marty (Jason Bateman) and Wendy Byrde (Laura Linney) who relocate their family from Chicago to central Missouri. The Byrdes are secretly money launderers for a Mexican cartel, with the rural relocation taking them away from federal authorities as Marty tries to make amends for his late partner. However, the Byrdes’ presence and illicit activities don’t go unnoticed, with local crime outfits coming into conflict with the married couple.

“Ozark” provides a perfect dramatic showcase for Bateman, playing against type from his usual comedic fare, with him also executive producing and directing several episodes of the series. Linney is as reliably good as ever in playing Wendy while the two actors are matched by a breakout performance from Julia Garner. Like many shows on this list, “Ozark” isn’t a show with clear heroes, just bad people and characters who are somehow even more villainous. That morally compromised distinction helps make “Ozark” one of the best Netflix original series of all time and an absolutely riveting watch.

A bonafide television phenomenon that continues to spawn spin-offs, “Yellowstone” introduced audiences to the Dutton family when it premiered in 2018. Owners of the largest cattle ranch in Montana, the family is led by their no-nonsense patriarch John Dutton III (Kevin Costner). The family’s prominent business interests and real estate holdings make them targeted by dangerous figures as well as the Duttons themselves plagued by murderous internal strife. This comes to a head when John is elected Governor of Montana, heightening the family drama as political alliances drastically shift.

“Yellowstone,” at least in its first four seasons, is worth all of the hype around it and still stands as the best Taylor Sheridan TV show. Though reports of on-set clashes between its cast might taint the legacy of the show’s final season a bit, the series overall remains an engrossingly over-the-top watch. Looking back, fans can see how Sheridan’s work on the series informed him subsequently creating “Mayor of Kingston” and its own flawed main characters. Reinvigorating modern Westerns for the 21st century, “Yellowstone” leans into its soap operatic qualities to great effect.

For something a bit less rustic from Taylor Sheridan, the prolific screenwriter and producer’s crime dramedy “Tulsa King” has been a staple on Paramount+ since 2022. Sylvester Stallone stars as Dwight Manfredi, a New York City mobster released after a lengthy prison sentence. Dwight is dispatched by the mafia to expand their operations into Tulsa, Oklahoma, overcoming the culture shock to start a thriving criminal enterprise. This places him against local crooks but also leads to him accumulating a growing number of allies as his organization steadily grows.

With a more overt sense of humor than most of Sheridan’s other projects, “Tulsa King” makes good use of Stallone’s multifaceted talents. But for those worried that the show may veer too heavily into action comedy, the Paramount+ series delivers the crime genre thrills when it counts. The show’s tonal disparities eventually level out as it progresses, taking better advantage of its premise and cast’s creative strengths. One of the best gangster TV shows around, “Tulsa King” gives Stallone’s career a fresh wind on television.

Following his universally acclaimed work on “Homicide: Life on the Street” and “The Wire,” television creator David Simon returned to Baltimore for the 2022 limited series “We Own This City.” Based on the nonfiction book by Justin Fenton, the HBO series depicts the activities of the Baltimore Police Department’s special task force dedicated to tracking firearms throughout the city. Led by Wayne Jenkins (Jon Bernthal), this ensemble engages in escalating corruption, shaking down local residents and framing them with gun possession to excuse their own crimes. This web of deceit and graft is uncovered by investigations from the department’s internal affairs division and the FBI.

“We Own This City” brings the same multilayered perspective to Baltimore that made David Simon’s past work so immersive. Given the real-life story that the show is chronicling, the series provides a much more harrowing and bleaker look at police work. Bernthal turns in what is arguably the most incendiary performance of his career, capturing the man in the middle of a maelstrom of corruption. A biting indictment of systemic corruption and abuse of power, “We Own This City” is an at times difficult watch but a thoroughly necessary one.

One of the last shows created by Taylor Sheridan before he left Paramount was “Landman,” which premiered on Paramount+ in 2024. Billy Bob Thornton stars as Tommy Norris, an oil company executive who troubleshoots issues around his company’s interests in West Texas. In this capacity, Tommy is constantly wheeling and dealing between competing entities, be it rival companies or the Mexican cartel controlling access to land. Beyond his work, Tommy sorts through his messy personal life, including his complicated relationship with his ex-wife Angela (Ali Larter).

Thornton is one of those actors that just feels born to deliver Sheridan-penned dialogue and does so effectively with his usual grumpy charm. He’s joined by an absolute all-star cast, including a standout performance from Sam Elliott as Tommy’s equally irascible father. But for all its characters’ controversial takes, there is a genuinely charismatic emotional core to the series that shines through. Another rustic soap opera, with crime thriller undertones, “Landman” features Sheridan leaning into his tried-and-true creative strengths.