As we near the one-year anniversary of the 2016 election, most people are done relitigating the election. However, the world of TV and film is only just getting started. Earlier this year, “American Horror Story” began the conversation, showcasing the concept of a cult of personality and its effect on the election. While “AHS” is focused on the negativity surrounding the election, other series look to the potential lessons as positive for local communities. This is where ABC’s “The Mayor” comes in, a series centered around a 27-year-old rapper named Courtney Rose (Brandon Michael Hall). While Courtney runs as a publicity stunt to sell records, his unexpectedly strong performance at the local debate pushes him to victory.

The events of the pilot get right into the action, and by the first commercial we already know that Courtney has won the election. It’s a quick jump into the story, which is appreciated, to say the least. Soon after he wins, his former high school classmate Valentina (Lea Michelle) joins his transition team to give his team experience. She instantly recognizes that he can be more effective than traditional politicians, and seems like she is on board to help. Courtney gets guidance from his old life, with his mother Dina (Nicole Yvette Brown) and best friends T.K. (Marcel Spears) and Jermaine (Bernard David Jones) all offering him guidance. While Courtney may not be the ideal politician he’s got a great team behind him.

The series comes from Emmy nominated writer Jeremy Bronson, and the show immediately takes an optimistic view of local politics. This is a huge positive, and the optimism will make the series stand out in the modern landscape. Shows that seek to showcase the positivity that politics, especially what local politics can bring to their constituents, have an inherent heart other shows don’t. This gives “The Mayor” a high comedy floor, and a ceiling somewhere around “Parks and Rec” or “West Wing.” It’s that optimism that makes those shows so popular years later, and “The Mayor” has it in spades.

The cast absolutely gels from the word go, with each person filling into their role seamlessly. Michelle and Hall have great chemistry and should carry the series moving forward. Brown is masterful her role and provides a heartbeat to the show from the jump. Spears and Jones are both excellent, and they balance levity and situational awareness well. There’s a lot of potential in “The Mayor” because of its excellent cast. While there are 5 core characters to the show, the series has already had guest starring roles from David Spade and Daveed Diggs, who also serves as an executive producer.

Overall, “The Mayor” gets off to an extremely strong start. It has also landed as one of the better pilots this TV season. With a talented cast, solid writing and an optimistic view, this series should flourish. With ABC’s willingness to try more risky series, this one looks like it will be one of the winners. “The Mayor” kicks from the word go and should be one of the best new series of the Fall. Keep an eye on this show as it could easily become one of ABC’s strongest comedies moving forward.

What do you think? Did you enjoy “The Mayor?” Who is your favorite character so far? Let us know in the comments below!

“The Mayor” premieres on October 3rd, 2017. You can stream it’s pilot on Hulu now.

GRADE: (★★★½)

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