Mayor of Kingstown: Season 2 interview with Hugh Dillon and Taylor Handley

Last Updated on September 8, 2023

If you haven’t dug into it yet, Mayor of Kingstown is one of the best shows on TV. Often overlooked in light of co-creator Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone saga, it’s one of the most uncompromisingly brutal shows on TV. This fact has ruffled a few feathers (including those of our resident TV critic), but if you have a taste for raw, violent drama, it’s a show that should be binged as soon as possible.

In it, Jeremy Renner plays a fixer living in a town that exists in the shadow of a sprawling prison, and the town’s entire infrastructure is based on the inner workings of the jail. While the first season was rough, climaxing in a brutal prison riot, the second season is even rougher, with the first few episodes focusing on the fallout from this riot, which has upended the prison structure and left many characters riddled with PTSD.

Recently, I was lucky enough to chat with Mayor of Kingstown‘s co-creator, Hugh Dillon, who also has a starring role on the show as well. As it turns out, the show is loosely based on the town Dillon grew up in, Kingston, Ontario, with him growing up in the shadow of the notorious Kingston Penitentiary. Already famous in Canada for Hard Core Logo, Flashpoint and Durham Country, Dillon reveals his long-standing relationship with Sheridan and how the show came to be. He also weighs in on Jeremy Renner’s recent injury, telling a touching anecdote about a recent message he received from the injured actor and his hopes that he’ll be back in the saddle before long.

I also spoke to co-star Taylor Handley, who plays Kyle, the brother of Renner’s character and the partner of Dillon’s, with the two playing cops who found themselves trapped in the riot in last season’s finale. In our chat, he explains how Kyle feels he missed his opportunity to prove himself and how that makes him a live wire, poised for a lot of drama this season.

Mayor of Kingstown Season 2 is now available (in weekly installments) on Paramount Plus. It’s a great show that comes with my highest recommendation.