The Gritty BBC Crime Drama That Pulls Viewers Into Liverpool’s Criminal Underworld

With its tense power struggles, complicated loyalties and deeply rooted Liverpool setting, This City Is Ours is a powerful reminder of what British crime drama does best. The BBC series plunges viewers into the dangerous world of organised crime, where ambition threatens to destroy long-standing relationships and the fight for control can have devastating consequences.

At a time when the BBC faces questions about its funding, future and place in an increasingly competitive television industry, dramas like This City Is Ours demonstrate why original British storytelling remains so valuable. Alongside acclaimed series such as Blue Lights and Time, it proves that compelling television does not necessarily require an enormous budget, an international setting or an elaborate concept. Sometimes, a gripping story and believable characters are more than enough.

A Criminal Empire on the Brink of Collapse

At the heart of This City Is Ours is Ronnie Phelan, a powerful Liverpool crime boss played by Sean Bean. After years at the centre of the criminal underworld, Ronnie begins considering retirement, hoping to step away from his dangerous life after one final major drug deal.

But leaving behind a criminal empire is never straightforward. His plans trigger a struggle for power between Michael Kavanagh, his trusted right-hand man, and Jamie, his impulsive son. With competing ambitions threatening to fracture the organisation, the future of Ronnie’s empire becomes increasingly uncertain.

The series builds its tension around more than the mechanics of organised crime. Personal relationships, family ties and questions of loyalty are just as important as the battle for control. Every decision carries consequences, and the characters must constantly weigh their ambitions against the relationships that have defined their lives.

One of the drama’s boldest moves comes early in the first series, when Sean Bean’s Ronnie is killed off. Losing such a prominent star so soon could have undermined a lesser production, but This City Is Ours continues to demonstrate its strength through its storytelling and ensemble of complex characters.

Rather than relying on a single central figure, the series allows the wider criminal world to develop, keeping viewers invested in what happens next.

A Crime Drama That Keeps Viewers on Edge

One of the clearest signs of a successful drama is its ability to make audiences emotionally invested in the outcome. This City Is Ours achieves that through an atmosphere of uncertainty, where loyalties can shift and even seemingly familiar relationships may become sources of tension.

The first series is particularly effective at creating moments when viewers feel compelled to watch through their fingers, waiting to discover whether their favourite characters will escape the latest danger. The tension can become almost unbearable, yet that is precisely what makes the experience so compelling.

The series also benefits from characters whose motivations are not always easy to judge. Viewers are encouraged to question their decisions, reconsider their loyalties and wonder whom they can truly trust.

That complexity makes the story more than a straightforward contest between good and evil. The characters inhabit a world where ambition, affection and self-preservation frequently collide, and where the consequences of one person’s choices can spread far beyond the immediate conflict.

A strong crime drama should leave audiences thinking about its characters after the credits roll, eager to return for another episode. This City Is Ours delivers that sense of anticipation without needing to rely on spectacle alone.

Why Revisiting the First Series Makes the Story Even Better

With the second series scheduled to begin on Sunday, October 24, revisiting the first instalment offers a timely reminder of what made the drama so effective.

Watching a series for a second time can change the experience. When the broad direction of the story is already familiar, smaller details become easier to appreciate. Character interactions take on additional meaning, earlier decisions become more significant, and the gradual development of tension becomes clearer.

In This City Is Ours, these details help explain why the characters’ relationships are so central to the story. Their loyalties and personal ambitions are constantly tested, creating an atmosphere in which circumstances can change at any moment.

The rewatch also reinforces the value of the show’s carefully developed character dynamics. Rather than depending entirely on unexpected twists, the drama builds its impact through the people at its centre and the difficult choices they make.

That is an important distinction. Surprises can capture attention, but it is emotional investment that keeps audiences returning. When viewers care about what happens to the characters, even a familiar storyline can remain absorbing.

Strong Female Characters Give the Drama Greater Depth

Another notable strength of This City Is Ours is its portrayal of women within a world largely shaped by male criminal power struggles.

The female characters are not simply supporting figures whose purpose is to advance the men’s storylines. They have their own influence and importance, helping shape events and broadening the perspective on the criminal environment surrounding them.

Saoirse-Monica Jackson, known for Derry Girls, plays Cheryl Crawford and has confirmed that the strong matriarchal theme will remain an important element of the second series.

That emphasis adds another dimension to the drama. The conflicts extend beyond the obvious competition for control, showing how decisions made within the criminal world affect families, relationships and people whose interests may not always be visible on the surface.

The women also help reinforce one of the series’ most compelling qualities: its willingness to portray characters as complicated individuals rather than reducing them to familiar stereotypes.

Their relationships, vulnerabilities and competing loyalties contribute to the emotional weight of the story. The criminal power struggle may drive the central plot, but the personal consequences give it much of its lasting impact.

Liverpool Is More Than Just a Backdrop

Liverpool is central to the identity of This City Is Ours. The city does not simply provide streets and buildings in which the action takes place; it gives the drama a distinctive atmosphere and a strong connection to the community it portrays.

That sense of place is one of the defining qualities of the series. The setting feels woven into the storytelling, helping establish an authenticity that would be difficult to reproduce simply by moving the action elsewhere.

Liverpool’s presence also connects the drama to a broader tradition of British television that draws strength from the communities and institutions at its heart.

In Blue Lights, Belfast and the world of policing help shape the story. Time explores the prison system and the human consequences of incarceration. This City Is Ours similarly uses Liverpool and its criminal underworld to create a drama with a clear identity.

These series demonstrate that British television can distinguish itself by telling stories rooted in specific places and experiences, rather than attempting to imitate American productions or compete through increasingly elaborate spectacle.

Why British Crime Drama Still Matters

The television industry continues to change as streaming services, shifting viewing habits and competition for audiences reshape how programmes are produced and watched. Amid those changes, it can be easy to lose sight of the fundamental reason people turn to television in the first place: they want a good story.

This City Is Ours makes a convincing case for the continued importance of original British drama. Its appeal lies in its gripping narrative, layered characters and authentic setting, rather than an attempt to make every moment bigger or more extravagant.

The series also demonstrates why the BBC’s investment in home-grown productions matters. Stories that reflect British communities and experiences can offer something distinctive to viewers, while still delivering the suspense and emotional intensity associated with the best crime dramas.

Ultimately, This City Is Ours succeeds because it understands that the most compelling conflicts are often personal. The struggle for a criminal empire provides the framework, but it is the characters’ ambitions, relationships and difficult choices that make the story resonate.

With the second series approaching, returning to the beginning is a reminder of just how effectively the drama draws viewers into its world.

This City Is Ours was scheduled to return on Sunday, October 24, at 9pm.