'The Mayor' Premiere: Publicity Stunt Turns Young Rapper's Life Upside Down in Upcoming Comedy Series
A struggling rapper's publicity stunt to generate some buzz for his music career gets turned on its head when he ends up unwittingly winning the Mayoral elections in his hometown of Fort Grey in California. What results is an entire humorous television season of hilarity and mayhem when ABC debuts its new comedy series "The Mayor" this fall.
All 27-year-old Courtney Rose (Brandon Micheal Hall) wants is some attention to help jumpstart his music career. Toiling for years in a small inner-city apartment and making music in his junk-filled bedroom closet just wasn't cutting it anymore. He knows he's good, and all he wants is a chance to prove it. In order to get his name out there, he decides to run for local office — and he wins.
In the midst of his uncertainties to take the position on, his unconditionally supportive mother, Dina Rose (Yvette Nicole Brown), tells him that since he's always been criticizing the status quo in his raps, being mayor now gives him the opportunity to inspire some much-needed change. His friends Jermaine Leforge (Bernard David Jones) and T.K. Carter (Marcel Spears) will also be on hand to help him get through his four-year term.
The official trailer also reveals that Valentina Barella (Lea Michele), who was the campaign manager for the losing mayoral candidate and was at one time his classmate, will be offering her services to him as Chief of Staff, assuring him that things will turn out fine because they have something special: her.
Will Courtney be able to last his whole term and change what needs to be changed in his city? Will he end up getting burned out by the pressures and challenges of his unexpected, new career as a politician?
A first impression review by TV Line states that while the series does have a "fun and instantly engaging" premise and a "super-likeable cast," it may be met with some tough challenges in its timeslot, which pits it against NBC's "This Is Us," CBS' "Bull," FOX's "Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and The CW's "Legends of Tomorrow."
"The Mayor" is set to air on Tuesdays at 9:30 p.m. EDT on ABC during the 2017–18 television season.