Binge Worthy

Get out the popcorn: There is no municipal government in the region quite like what you’ll find in Southampton Village these days.

Since Mayor Jesse Warren arrived in Village Hall, there’s been tension that occasionally flares up in spectacular ways. There has been grousing over petty insults on Instagram feeds, nasty and puerile graffiti targeting the mayor on space designed for public art, and Mr. Warren’s abrupt firing of a long-respected village employee with no explanation.

But nothing matches the “Real Estate Wars” episode involving the mayor — a vulnerable renter in the village — and the Epley family, soon to be his new landlord. There’s no love lost between the current mayor and the former mayor, Mark Epley, and his clan, and the purchase of the house where Mr. Warren rents has more than a whiff of mischief. The added drama: the involvement of Mr. Epley’s son, Zach, a candidate for Village Board in September — and someone Mr. Warren ejected from a village regulatory board shortly after his election.

Crucially, there’s nothing inherently wrong in the real estate transaction: Buying a house in the village is hardly an insignificant investment; it seems unlikely to be driven solely by malice. And there’s evidence the Epleys were planning to offer the mayor a new lease all along. Mr. Warren’s residency in the village may or may not be at stake — but it’s pretty clear that the Epley family has taken up residency inside the current mayor’s head.

If this all were a reality show, we’d be binge-watching for sure.

That is not a compliment, folks. Midsummer, it’s light entertainment. But if cooler heads don’t prevail, this show won’t be on anyone’s much-watch list for long. Too much is at stake for this hogwash to continue.