The small town of Maggody, population 775, Stump County, Arkansas, has a new Police Chief - Arly Hanks, who has returned home from New York City after a messy divorce, her former husband having been shamefully found in bed with a foot model. A high number of the inhabitants of Maggody carry the surname of Buchanan, which does tend to lead to a certain amount of confusion amongst visitors, especially as the most prominent member of this prolific and devious clan is Jim-Bob Buchana,, gas-station owner and larger-than-life Mayor of Maggody. But Maggody is under threat. A strip-mining company is trying to set up business just outside town, and while Jim-Bob is a slippery character, his heart is in the right place - after a fashion. He and his two cronies, car salesman Hobert and teacher Larry-Joe begin to scheme and plot to prevent the company claiming the land.