Explore the gritty filming locations of 'Mayor of Kingstown' season 4, where Pittsburgh's industrial landscape and Canadian settings create a haunting, authentic atmosphere.

As I reflect on the gritty, immersive world of Mayor of Kingstown, I'm struck by how the show's haunting atmosphere is as much a character as Mike McLusky himself. The fourth season, which premiered in October 2025, continues to pull us into the bleak, prison-centric reality of its fictional Michigan town. While the narrative is a work of fiction, the palpable sense of place is rooted in very real filming locations, primarily across Pennsylvania and Canada. The production's dedication to finding landscapes that mirror the show's oppressive themes is a testament to its commitment to authenticity. For fans like myself, understanding where this brutal drama comes to life adds a fascinating layer to the viewing experience.

The Heart of Production: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

For the latest chapter, the production has firmly established its home in and around Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This industrial city, often called "Steel City," provides the perfect architectural and tonal backdrop for Kingstown's grim aesthetic. The show's move to Pittsburgh began in its second season and has only deepened its roots there for the fourth. Specific neighborhoods and establishments have become synonymous with the series:

• Brighton Heights: This residential area has featured prominently, its streets and buildings standing in for the tense, everyday locales of Kingstown.

• O'Brien's Bar: A recurring haunt for characters, this real-life Pittsburgh bar adds a layer of genuine, lived-in atmosphere to the scenes of underworld dealings and strained conversations.

• McKeesport Suburbs: The action-packed car chases that are a staple of the series are frequently filmed along stretches of River Road and Carson Street in this Pittsburgh suburb. The familiarity of these routes for the crew allows for complex, high-octane sequences.

• The Real Sheriff's Office: In a clever piece of production design, the actual McKees Rocks Police Department building in Pittsburgh is used as the stand-in for the show's King County Sheriff's Office, grounding the law enforcement elements in a very real, authoritative structure.

The choice of Pittsburgh is no accident. Its history as a blue-collar, industrial hub mirrors Kingstown's own economic dependence on the prison system, creating a seamless visual metaphor.

Expanding the Horizon: Erie and Canadian Landscapes

While Pittsburgh serves as the primary stage, the production scope of Mayor of Kingstown extends to capture the specific watery and carceral environments crucial to its story.

Erie, Pennsylvania: This city on the shores of Lake Erie provides the aquatic scenery essential for the show's depiction of smuggling and waterfront activity.

• Lampe Marina: A key filming site for scenes involving boats and dockside dealings.

• Presque Isle Bay: Its expansive waters are used to create a sense of isolation and the vast, cold boundary that both contains and offers escape for Kingstown's inhabitants.

Canadian Backdrops: The show's origins and some of its most iconic settings lie north of the border.

• The Central Prison: The massive, imposing prison at the series' heart was originally filmed at the decommissioned Kingston Penitentiary in Kingston, Ontario. This location is deeply personal, as co-creator Hugh Dillon based the entire concept of Kingstown on his hometown, which once housed nine prisons.

• Toronto: Canada's largest city served as a filming location during the show's first season, offering urban landscapes that could be tailored to fit Kingstown's grim visage.

The blend of American industrial grit and Canadian institutional architecture is what completes the unique, transnational identity of the fictional town.

From Real-Life Inspiration to Fictional Reality

The genius of Mayor of Kingstown's setting lies in its inspired authenticity. While Kingstown, Michigan, doesn't exist on a map, its soul is directly transplanted from Kingston, Ontario. Hugh Dillon's childhood experiences in a town economically and physically dominated by correctional facilities provided the blueprint. The real Kingston was even historically nicknamed "King's Town," a moniker the show adapts with a dark, ironic twist. The production design team meticulously transforms the vibrant, living locations of Pittsburgh and Erie into the show's characteristic palette of grays and blues, suppressing liveliness to evoke a community in the stranglehold of its own primary industry. It's a masterclass in using real places to build a believable, albeit dystopian, world.

The Cast and Creative Engine

Driving this world are powerful performances and sharp creative vision. Jeremy Renner embodies Mike McLusky with a weary, pragmatic intensity that anchors the series. He is supported by a formidable ensemble including Hugh Dillon (who pulls double duty as actor and co-creator), Taylor Handley, and the recently joined Edie Falco. The series is a hallmark of Taylor Sheridan's growing empire of gritty, location-driven dramas, though it stands distinct from the Yellowstone saga. With a TV-MA rating for its intense dramatic and criminal content, the show continues to be a flagship original for Paramount+.

Aspect	Detail
Premiere Date (Season 4)	October 26, 2025
Series Creator(s)	Hugh Dillon & Taylor Sheridan
Lead Actor	Jeremy Renner as Mike McLusky
Primary Filming Region (S2-S4)	Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
Key Inspiration	Kingston, Ontario, Canada
Streaming Service	Paramount+
Genre	Crime Drama Thriller

In 2026, looking back at the journey of Mayor of Kingstown, its success is undeniably tied to its sense of place. The production doesn't just use locations as a backdrop; it leverages their history, architecture, and inherent mood to build a universe that feels terrifyingly plausible. From the decommissioned cells of Kingston Penitentiary to the rain-slicked streets of Pittsburgh, every frame is infused with a location's truth, making the fiction of Kingstown one of the most compelling and authentically realized settings on television today. As a viewer, knowing that these places exist makes the drama resonate with an even deeper, more unsettling power.