Sumith Prasad
In the third episode of Paramount+’s crime drama series ‘Mayor of Kingstown’ season 3, KPD Detective Ian Ferguson meets a prisoner named Charlie. The police officer asks about the prisoner’s well-being with concern, only for the latter to inform the former that there hasn’t been anything good to share. Ian cheers Charlie by offering to bring him burgers so they can have the food sitting somewhere warm. The affectionate interaction between Ian and Charlie might have given the viewers an incorrect understanding of their relationship. For Ian, Charlie is seemingly just another tool to safeguard the lives of people close to him! SPOILERS AHEAD.
An Intricate Serial Killer
Charlie is a serial killer who has killed at least seventeen people. His crimes include not only seventeen counts of homicides but also rapes, home invasions, dismembering, and much more. However, he is a murderer with intellectual disability, which convinces Ian that he cannot approach the former as he does with other criminals. Despite the horrendous crimes Charlie has committed, Ian shows warmth and friendship towards the serial killer to present himself as a non-threat. The seasoned detective brings him burgers and drinks, only for Charlie to appreciate the cop’s “acts of kindness.” Ian’s efforts to gain the murderer’s trust eventually succeed as the latter starts to reveal secrets to the detective.
Once Ian manages to present himself as a “friend” of Charlie, the serial killer starts to open up about his crimes gradually. He confesses to killing a man and disposing of his body in multiple locations in Ohio. Ian promises to Charlie that the latter won’t be troubled because of the crimes he reveals to the detective, which ensures further conversations between them. With a confession written by Charlie, Ian makes the police officers in Ohio take care of the case without bothering the serial killer. Ian then takes advantage of the bond he has created with Charlie to protect Robert, who has been facing heat after killing several inmates during the prison riot at the end of the first season.
Ian Uses Charlie to Scare Ben Morrisey
Ian and Charlie do not have a personal relationship. The initial fondness the detective displays in front of the serial killer can only be seen as a commendable tactic to deal with an extraordinary yet dangerous criminal. Once the friendship is established, Ian takes advantage of it to dig deep into the murderer’s case. What the detective does differently is use Charlie to safeguard his buddy and colleague, Robert. In the second season, Robert is targeted by the DA’s office and Internal Affairs due to his actions during the prison riot. As a committed friend and colleague, the SWAT head kills several prisoners to protect Kyle and other officers.
Robert’s future doesn’t look good, especially since the DA’s office has a witness named Ben Morrisey to testify against the sergeant. Ian realizes that he needs to silence Morrisey to protect Robert, only for the detective to take Charlie to the witness’ house. Ian scares Morrisey by telling him that the serial killer knows his house now, insinuating that Charlie is a threat to him and his family if he doesn’t help the detective. Since the criminal is a man with intellectual disability, Morrisey realizes that he cannot take a risk. He calls the DA’s office to withdraw his statement but digs his own grave by calling Charlie a “psycho rapist” and more.
Morrisey’s words trigger a reaction in Charlie, who snaps the neck of the former, only to kill him inadvertently. Ian then hides the murder by projecting the incident as a random robbery gone wrong. Still, Evelyn is determined to ensure justice for Morrisey, which is nothing but trouble for Ian. The detective meets Charlie in the third episode of season 3, seemingly to make sure that the serial killer won’t turn against him. By maintaining their relationship, Ian must be hoping that Charlie will not reveal what happened to Morrisey to anyone. Thus, the warmth and care the detective shows to Charlie can be seen as his way of protecting himself from potential scrutiny.
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