Mayor Of Kingstown's Taylor Handley On Kyle's Turn To SWAT In Season 3 & Season 4 Chances (2024)

Warning: Some SPOILERS lie ahead for Mayor of Kingstown season 3!

The McLusky family is growing as Kyle and Tracy's son arrives, though not all is well for them in Mayor of Kingstown season 3. Played by Taylor Handley (Vegas, Bird Box), Kyle is the youngest of the three McLusky sons, working as a detective for the titular town's police department and largely staying away from his older brothers' law-shifting deal-making. Following the death of Kyle Chandler's Mitch, however, Kyle slowly becomes more entangled in this world as Jeremy Renner's Mike struggles to maintain peace.

In Mayor of Kingstown season 3, Kyle is beginning to regain his composure after going on a spiral from failing to cope with the trauma of the season 1 prison riot. After welcoming his son, named after his late brother Mitch, into the world, Kyle slowly begins to realize that he wants to do something more impactful on the law enforcement side of things by joining SWAT, a decision his family warily supports. But with Kyle also looking to make changes to how they enforce the law, he begins to encounter some friction with those around him.

Alongside Handley, the ensemble Mayor of Kingstown season 3 cast sees the returns of Jeremy Renner as Mike, Hugh Dillon, Taylor Handley, Emma Laird, Tobi Bamtefa, Derek Webster, Nishi Munshi, and Hamish Allan-Headley. While Kyle begins to find a new purpose with SWAT and as a family man, Handley unlocks a new layer to his performance that sets up an intriguing future for the character.

As the season builds up towards its future, Screen Rant interviewed Taylor Handley to discuss Mayor of Kingstown season 3, Kyle's transition to the SWAT team, his thoughts on Mariam's fate revealed at the start of the season, whether he thinks Kyle will ever leave Kingstown, and the chances of season 4.

Mayor of Kingstown Is "The Highlight" Of Handley's Career

In reflecting on his time on the show thus far, Handley calls Mayor of Kingstown and his character of Kyle "probably the highlight of my career", pointing to his working with the "talented group of cast and filmmakers and writers and producers" on the crime thriller. In looking particularly at Kyle's arc in each season, Handley praises the work co-creator/showrunner Hugh Dillon has brought to his character and evolved him over time:

Taylor Handley: Oh, thank you so much, Grant, it's really nice to meet you. Thank you for saying that. Getting to play the character of Kyle is probably the highlight of my career, just because of the talented group of cast and filmmakers and writers and producers, everybody we get to work with. We're operating at the highest level of making entertainment with this show, and really, it's something that I've aspired to my entire career, and here I am getting to play with all these incredible players, starting with Taylor Sheridan, Hugh Dillon to Jeremy Renner, and the list goes on. Everybody's so fantastic. But being able to get to play this character and the arc is just incredible.

I was actually just talking about this in another interview, but how he starts off, and he is kind of this fresh-faced, wanting to do good [detective], and then, all of a sudden, tragedy starts striking. He loses his brother, loses his partner in the middle of a prison riot. Cut to PTSD in season 2, trying to find his place in the world, to pulling the trigger and being responsible for the bullet that goes through his mother. And then, in season 3, having to subdue all those feelings and emotions and welcome his newborn baby. It's conflict, drama, it's chaos, and getting to be able to play with all those layers is just the reason why I love this profession and the reason why I love doing this show.

Handley Was Not Surprised By Mariam's Death In The Season 3 Premiere

One of the biggest unanswered questions going into Mayor of Kingstown season 3 was whether Dianne Wiest's Mariam would survive her gunshot wound in the season 2 finale, with the premiere revealing that she indeed died from it. When asked about his reaction to her fate, Handley found it "not surprising", pointing back to Mitch's death in the series premiere and the high stakes the show has delivered with each season:

Taylor Handley: It's not surprising not for a show that kills off Kyle Chandler in the middle of episode 1. This s--t happens in Kingstown, nobody's safe. And if you think something bad's going to happen, what actually happens is probably going to be worse. That's what happens in Kingstown. Look at Rhonda's character. She's just so happy, she's got her salon going, everything's happening. You just knew there's too many smiles on somebody's face, it's like, "The drive-by is coming soon." Oh my gosh.

Kyle's SWAT Position Comes From Wanting To "Be The Tip Of The Spear"

After having worked as a detective for years in Kingstown, season 3 finds Kyle starting to realize that SWAT may be a better fit for his skills, namely as he wants to reduce the gunfights and body count the team often incur. When asked whether Kyle is really trying to make a difference or is looking for an outlet for his energy and rage, Handley confirms Kyle is simply "trying to implement a good change" and that he "wants to be the tip of the spear":

Taylor Handley: Well, he says it in the show, he says he wants to be the tip of the spear. He says how being a cop and trying to solve the case after it's happened, just nothing ever gets done. Nobody ever talks in Kingstown, so he wants to be at the tip of the spear, and is already making changes where, in other situations, some of the people — for example, one of the guys who bombed the police station, they cornered him in the alleyway. It was for sure that that guy was done for. And yet, Kyle was able to keep everybody at ease, and get the guy away in cuffs. So, he is trying to implement a good change.

I think there's something deep down in him that has to do that, because he feels so terrible for the things that he's already been responsible for, i.e. his mother, all the PTSD, and the feelings of not being able to operate properly under the stress of the prison riot. There's so many things that this guy is dealing with, and he just keeps trying to cover them up with what he thinks is the right next step.

With Hamish Allan-Headley's Robert having ruled SWAT with an iron fist for so long, Kyle's strive for change is sure to begin causing tension between them. Though he can't share too many details, Handley does tease that Kyle's changes will see the team get "a little off balance":

Taylor Handley: Well, it seems that when a machine is operating in a certain way and then something changes, i.e. Kyle coming into SWAT and changing things. All of a sudden, the machine gets a little off balance. So, there's absolutely some conflict and drama that's going to unfold. You're going to find out real soon, so you don't have to rest in anticipation for too long, because it's coming, and it's going to be big, and it's going to just make you want to watch more, I can guarantee that.

The other major development for Kyle in Mayor of Kingstown season 3 is the birth of his son, and he and Tracy's raising of him, all while coming to terms with PTSD from the season 1 riot. With these elements, Handley feels that Kyle is focused on putting "one foot in front of the other", which is the main way to survive Kingstown. In reflecting particularly on Mike's delay in coming to visit his newborn nephew, Handley feels that Kyle understands it as "an unsaid thing" between them, and praised his eventual arrival as "a great little scene":

Taylor Handley: Yeah, it's what he has to do. All he knows is to just put one foot in front of the other, that's all you can do in Kingstown. He has an idea of how he wants to remove himself, and get over the tragedies of his past moving forward. He just has to get busy, and he has to work hard in order to provide some semblance of security and safety for his family. He's got to do what he's got to do. Well, you kind of answered it. He does know that Mike is doing things, and he likes to give his brother a little bit of s--t.

But ultimately, I think that there's so much love there between the brothers. They don't always show it, but they just understand each other. It's just an unsaid thing, and it's like, "If Mike's not going to come over, I'll give him s--t until he does." But in episode 6, when he did come over and meet the baby, I thought it was done really well. It was very authentic, it was beautiful. It was very truthful and very human, and I thought it was a great little scene. He didn't have to make a big thing about it.

He just came over, and he's like, "Oh, there you are. How are you doing?" Because what I think, as a fan of the show, I'm thinking Mike's going, "Oh s--t, this kid has really been born into a crazy family." There's going to be a lot on his shoulders and, like, how the hell do you bring a kid into such a chaotic town in the chaotic world? Kyle's going to do everything he can to make that possible.

Mayor of Kingstown Season 4 Is "In A Really Positive Place"

Dillon recently shared with Screen Rant that he and co-creator Taylor Sheridan crafted a seven-season plan for their crime thriller. Though Paramount+ has yet to announce whether Mayor of Kingstown season 4 will be moving forward, and the star doesn't know anything concrete, Handley did share that the little he's heard about the show's future is "in a really positive place":

Taylor Handley: I think everything is just in a really positive place right now. I know everybody's looking forward to doing the show. It's above my pay grade to know anything, have any solid information about that. But from what I do hear, things sound positive.

In reflecting on the future of the show, Handley explained why he doesn't think Kyle and his family will ever leave Kingstown, believing that the McLuksys have "probably been there since the beginning" of the town's inception and have too many roots keeping them there, while also jokingly wondering if they're "gluttons for punishment":

Taylor Handley: Yeah, I remember that conversation that he had in season 1 with Mike, and he was talking about how he had the opportunity to go be a state trooper, but he wasn't even quite sure then if he wanted to leave. There's something that's always kind of bringing you back to your roots or holding you in this town. Maybe they're just gluttons for punishment, I don't really know. But I do know that with the McLuskys, there is a legacy in Kingstown, whether they like it or not. When I'm prepping a character, and I'm prepping with all the information that I'm getting, I look at Kingstown and just at the name, it's King's Town.

It's a town that was formed with the idea that this town was going to be a town for kings. It was supposed to be prosperous, it was supposed to be this utopia almost. And, for whatever happened, it just got thrown through the meat grinder. The McLuskys, I think, have probably been there since the beginning of it, and there's still probably this idea that they can hold on and do good, and do good for the people, do good for the citizens of Kingstown who can't escape, and it's their cross to bear.

When asked whether he thinks Kyle would ever take on the position of Mayor should something happen to Mike, Handley is hesitant to broach the subject, instead feeling that his character might not even be able to process the loss of another brother at this point in his life:

Taylor Handley: Hard to say, I don't know. I don't even know how to answer that question. Hypothetically, I don't know if Kyle survives without Mike really at this point.

Renner's Recovery For Mayor of Kingstown Season 3 Was "Very Inspiring" For Handley

One of the other major talking points for Mayor of Kingstown season 3 has been Jeremy Renner's return following his harrowing snowplow accident. Handley recalls spending time with his co-star during his recovery, including being surprised at his quick turnaround into physically training for his return, and calling Renner's dedication "very inspiring":

Taylor Handley: Well, it was very emotional but at the same time it was very inspiring. In the middle of his recovery, I got to see him a few times and hang out with him. And I never forget, it was about 90 days out from his accident, and I was over at his house, and we were hanging out, and some weights came to the front door. He had ordered some weights, and he was sitting on the couch, and we were chatting, and then the weights came in. And so I was like, "Oh, I'll move the weights inside."

So I go to move the weights inside, and I'm opening up the weights. So I was like, "I can put these together." And all of a sudden he's standing up behind me, and I'm like, "What are you doing standing up? This is crazy." And then he starts putting the weights together, and he starts lifting the weights, and it's like 90 days out from that. So, from then on I was like, "Oh."

And just knowing him and his mindset and how he's not one to let anything get him down, I was like, "Oh, we are golden." It seemed like the recovery was just exponential from there. He had great care, and he's just really strong-willed and made it happen. And that's why it was so inspiring. And I'll say this, it was a year from when it happened to when we were shooting. Any other person, I don't know. But he is a marvel, no doubt.

Stephen King's Glowing Review Was "A Real Feather In The Show's Cap"

While season 3 has already proven to be the best reviewed chapter yet for the show, Mayor of Kingstown also recently found a surprising new fan in Stephen King, who came out with a glowing review for the show. When asked about the acclaimed horror author's review, Handley was thrilled by King's reaction, even recalling how Dillon reacted to the review:

Taylor Handley: It was a real feather in the show's cap. Absolutely. It was a great time. I was talking with Hugh, and we were just laughing and just were so pumped because, as you said, he is one of the greatest authors of all time. So, having him come out and support the show and love the show and just tweet all about the show, it was a real fun day.

About Mayor of Kingstown Season 3

In season three, a series of explosions rock Kingstown and its citizens, as a new face of the Russian mob sets up shop in the city, and a drug war rages inside and outside the prison walls. The pressure is on Mike McLusky (Renner) to end the war, but things get complicated when a familiar face from his incarcerated past threatens to undermine the Mayor’s attempts to keep the peace among all factions.

In addition to Renner, MAYOR OF KINGSTOWN stars an impressive ensemble cast, including series regulars Hugh Dillon, Taylor Handley, Emma Laird, Tobi Bamtefa, Derek Webster, Nishi Munshi, Hamish Allan-Headley and Michael Beach.

Check out our previous Mayor of Kingstown season 3 interviews with:

• Jeremy Renner
• Hugh Dillon

New episodes of Mayor of Kingstown season 3 air Sundays on Paramount+.

Mayor of Kingstown

3.5

Thriller

Drama

Crime

Where to Watch

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*Availability in US

Mayor of Kingstown is a drama-thriller series starring Jeremy Renner as Mike McLusky, who takes over for his brother as the head of the family. The McLusky family are power brokers in Kingstown, Michigan, where the business of incarceration is the only thriving industry. Tackling themes of systemic racism, corruption, and inequality, the series provides a stark look at their attempt to bring order and justice to a town that has neither.

Cast

Pha'rez Lass , Jeremy Renner , Derek Webster , Hamish Allan-Headley , Hugh Dillon , Dianne Wiest , Aiden Gillen , Taylor Handley , Kyle Chandler , Tobi Bamtefa , Emma Laird

Release Date

November 14, 2021

Seasons

2

Network

Paramount

Streaming Service(s)

Paramount+ , Prime Video , Apple TV+

Writers

Taylor Sheridan

Directors

Taylor Sheridan

Showrunner

Taylor Sheridan

Main Genre

Drama

Creator(s)

Hugh Dillon , Taylor Sheridan