Mayor Of Kingstown season 3 episode 4 recap: Mike pursues another bomber

Jeremy Renner in Mayor of Kingstown
(Image credit: Dennis P. Mong Jr./Paramount +)

Mayor Of Kingstown season 3's fourth episode, "Rag Doll," opens up with the city under lockdown. Police are stopping and checking cars for any information on the explosions at the station, as helicopters fly above. Ian Ferguson (Hugh Dillon) brutally beats a potential informant with brass knuckles.

Mike McLusky (Jeremy Renner) arrives to the scene and Kyle McLusky (Taylor Handley) informs him that because two of the bombs didn’t go off, they were able to get the name John York.

They’re still not sure if it’s connected to the bombing at Mariam (Dianne Wiest)’s funeral. The police close in on the bathroom of a gas station, where they open the door to reveal John York standing there with a gun. They shoot him dead rather than keeping him alive, much to the annoyance of Mike.

With Kingstown seemingly in more disarray than ever, what else happens in Mayor Of Kingstown season three episode four, “Rag Doll”? Take a look below to find out...

Mike needs to meet Merle

Mike interrupts Kareem Moore’s (Michael Beach) workout at his house, telling him the Aryan Brotherhood set off bombs at the police station. He needs to see their new leader Merle Callahan (Richard Brake) right now. Kareem promises to set it up. As Mike leaves, he tells Kareem it promises to be a hell of a day.

Mike sits down with Merle. Merle jokes he returned to Kingstown because he missed Mike. Mike quizzes Merle about the bombs. He places the blame on his predecessor Gunner (Dylan Kenin), which is made much easier to do because he’s dead. Mike tells Merle to give him a name in the next six hours.

Who is responsible?

Mike is pretty certain Merle ordered the bombs. When he sits down with Ian, Kyle, and Robert (Hamish Allan-Headley), he says they need to find someone who will admit that. Mike tasks Robert with finding the last suspect in the police station bombing. They need to be alive, too, so they can put it on Merle.

They’re in pursuit of Macon (Keir O’Donnell), a scared drug addict who steals a car with the help of his friend Stamper (Barrett Carnahan) in an attempt to leave the city promptly. The police find them and embark on a chase through the streets. They crash into a pole and are then pursued on foot, with each going in different directions.

Kyle impresses

Kyle talks to Stampler, insisting if he helps him they won’t charge him for the grand theft auto.

They just want his friend. Stampler gives himself up. Later, Robert speaks to Kyle about how he handled himself in the situation and he appears to be warming to the idea of Kyle joining the SWAT team.

Mike gets Macon

Bunny (Tobi Bamfeta) and his crew have been excitedly following the pursuit over the radio, delighted that the pressure isn’t on him. They’re even more overjoyed when the car crash happens near their hideout. They help to capture Macon, with Bunny calling Mike to say that they have him.

Mike interrogates Macon on the roof. Macon insists he doesn’t know who called in the order to bomb the station, saying word got to him third hand. Macon calls himself a soldier for the Aryan brotherhood. Mike says he can get him out of the state and safe, just as long as he gives him the name. Mike then warns Macon he won’t survive prison if he’s arrested.

Macon starts to get cocky. He says he knows Mike, as his last year in prison was Macon’s first. Macon makes a quip about the shootout at the house and the explosion at Mariam’s funeral.

That causes Mike to get in his face, telling Macon to just admit Merle ordered it. But Macon says he won’t be a traitor, unlike Mike. Macon then adds about Merle, “All he’s done for our people.

All he f****** did for you!” At this, Mike pushes Macon off the roof and he dies.

Mike knows Merle

Mike sits down with Merle, telling him they’re likely to be seeing a lot of each other. Mike adds that Macon was thrown off the roof by the Crips. He also says that the pair will work together going forward, like they always did. Merle says the Aryan Brotherhood are 1% of the prison population and 20% of the violence because that’s how they survive. It’s also how Mike survived. Mike respects their history and what Merle did for him and promises to answer Merle’s calls and give him what he asks for.

Mike wants to help

Meanwhile, at Anna Fletcher's (Paula Malcomson) arraignment, she admits to killing her son’s murderer, says she would do it all over again, and pleads guilty. Mike asks Evelyn (Necar Zadegan) to try and stop her from going to prison for life, insisting she’s not a murderer. But Evelyn is too busy to be dealing with this case. Mike pleads again, saying that Anna reminds him of his mother.

New alliance

The episode ends with Konstantin (Yorick van Wageningen) sitting on his boat at the harbor, where a party full of drugs and prostitution is unfolding. Konstantin receives a call from Merle, and he promises that the pair are going to do great things together.

New episodes of Mayor of Kingstown season 3 premiere Sundays on Paramount Plus.

Gregory James Wakeman
Writer

Born and raised in England but now based in Philadelphia, Gregory Wakeman has written for the BBC, New York Times, The Guardian, GQ, and Yahoo Movies UK, all while defiantly trying to keep his accent.