Besides acting, Taylor Sheridan is well-known for his screenwriting chops. He received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay for writing for the movie Hell or High Water. In addition to this, he has also been nominated for the Writers Guild of America Award. In 2018, he emerged as a creator with the show Yellowstone.
The show has been running successfully for five seasons even if critics have not always been kind with their reviews. He also created the prequel series 1883 in 2021. That same year, he also co-created the TV series Mayor of Kingstown. This show has not fared well with critics and the lead actor Jeremy Renner might have hinted at the reason.
Jeremy Renner’s Words Might Have Hinted at the Reason Behind Mayor of Kingstown‘s Low Rotten Tomatoes Rating
Jeremy Renner is widely known for his portrayal of Clint Barton, better known as Hawkeye in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He has appeared in several diverse roles over the years. From the action spy movie Mission: Impossible- Ghost Protocol to the fantasy horror Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters, he has proved his proficiency as an actor.
One of Renner’s most recent ventures is the crime thriller series Mayor of Kingstown, in which he appears as Mike McLusky who takes over the duties of the town’s peace-keeping after the demise of his older brother Mitch McLusky.
The show, created by Taylor Sheridan and Huge Dillon, premiered in 2021. Its second season premiered in January 2024. The Rotten Tomatoes critics’ score of the show is 42%, and in a roundtable interview, Renner might have said something that explains the reason behind this poor rating. According to Looper, he said:
“This is a very new world for Taylor. This is a more urban community.”
Sheridan’s Yellowstone is set in a world that is much more different than Mayor of Kingstown. Viewers might have noticed the similar vibes in the two shows. However, it has to be noted that the critics’ score is a stark contrast to the audience’s score which is 90%.
Jeremy Renner on Why He Loves Working with Taylor Sheridan
Renner is no stranger to working with the Tulsa King creator. They have previously worked together with the 2017 neo-Western crime film Wind River, in which Elizabeth Olsen is also a lead character.
That being said, the Academy Award-nominated actor also revealed why he loved to work with Sheridan, saying:
“I mean, I just love how wonderfully honest his writing is, and it comes with the ferocity of his words. And the actions that he uses the words against, it’s violent, as is equally, beautifully, thematically, poetic and timely and important with social issues.”
Renner further likened Sheridan’s work to Greek mythology and claimed that there is consistency in the director’s work.
Mayor of Kingstown is available for streaming on Paramount+ and Showtime.