Fun
Frisky
Nostalgic
Intense
Adventurous
Choked Up
Curious
Romantic
Weird
Political comedy sounds like a nearly impossible feat at this point. Nothing about politics feels spectacularly comedic these days. So the fact that The Mayor has planted an unlikely candidate into politics and made it work, in a way that is both funny and sweet, is a real accomplishment.
The third episode of the ABC comedy will air tonight, and if the show continues on its current path, it could be a fine successor to Parks and Recreation. That the events take place on the local level are not the only similarities the shows share. Unlike Veep, this family series has not gone nasty and cynical, or chosen to expose the (truthful!) bad words and even worse people working in the highest level of government. Instead, The Mayor revolves around Courtney Rose (Brandon Micheal Hall), an aspiring rapper who runs for mayor simply for the publicity. Except he wins. The single mother that raised him, and worked her butt off to do so, Dina (Yvette Nicole Brown) is even more thrilled than his pals T.K. and Jermaine (Marcel Spears and Bernard David Jones) who quickly earn roles in his administration, as best pals often do. As Valentina Barella, Lea Michele serves as his chief of staff, pulling out her best Rachel Berry Type-A persona. If it feels familiar, Amy Poehler’s Leslie Knope wouldn’t be the wrong character to point to.
Like P&R, The Mayor serves up not just political comedy, but in 2017, a dose of political fantasy. What would happen if the wrong guy landed in office, but it turned out to be a good thing? What would it look like if representatives actually had the best intentions in their heart — and worked super hard to make them come true? And what if politics wasn’t an all-out brawl over every issue, all the time? The show is exploring a different kind of politics than we’re used to, you know, the kind that you’ll find on any other TV channel at any other time. Sure, there are the douchebags in this series, portrayed with excellent casting here by David Spade. But for the most part, the characters in this show are…working together toward a common goal? What a novel concept!
Watching Courtney interact with a room full of school children and musical instruments in episode 2 is as adorable and wishful as it gets. If only that’s what politicians had the time to focus on! He later goes on to face his hurdles, as all school musical programs do, but with a little determination and a sweet pep talk from mom, anything feels possible. The show makes it clear that it intends to stay rooted in reality, and won’t give in to the urge to be a total fantasy. Not everything is a win. But that magical ingredient, otherwise known as hope, makes the politics in the show nearly unrecognizable from those we’ve become all too familiar with today. The Mayor even includes a courtroom scene where Courtney pleads about having “a little heart” when it comes to budget decisions, and we can all understand why that is hilarious and would never happen…yet it does feel all fuzzy and mushy inside. Maybe, just maybe, this new fall show can keep us from getting entirely jaded by political happenings.
If you haven’t yet jumped on board with The Mayor, it’s very much worth it to do so. This is a show that’s found a way to achieve that rare mix of being a nice, light escape from the world (including all the real politics), while not veering into totally mindless territory. There’s just the right amount of hope and optimism weaved in between the comedic moments and the lesson-learning moments, and who knows, it just might inspire the next young, political mind…or rapper. Which, as this show proves, might not be the worst idea.
