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BBC's This City is Ours is an eight-part crime drama, set in Liverpool and written by The Last Kingdom creator Stephen Butchard. The series examines the power vacuum after the mysterious disappearance of ruthless gang boss Ronnie Phelan, which opens up a bitter struggle for control of the city.
With changing allegiances between gangs, broken families, and the police on their tails, the drama examines how power, loyalty, and violence intersect on the city streets in this incendiary series.
While the first three episodes of the series were directed by Saul Dibb, the next three were helmed by John Hayes, with the last two being directed by Eshref Reybrouck.
The show offers a gritty and unglamorous portrayal of crime in terms of relationships between people and changing loyalties. Raw energy is then provided by the cast in acting roles from the Phelan family, through other police officers, and gangs.
Below is an in-depth rundown of who's who in This City is Ours
Sean Bean as Ronnie Phelan in This City is Ours
Sean Bean plays Ronnie Phelan, the highly feared lord of the gang whose mysterious disappearance sets the Liverpool underworld on its tail. Despite his body being nowhere to be found, Ronnie's influence is still deeply felt by everyone left behind. His disappearance puts in motion a chain reaction of events leading to the main plot as old friends and enemies alike vie for his position.
James Nelson-Joyce as Michael Kavanagh in This City is Ours
James Nelson-Joyce portrays Michael Kavanagh, Ronnie's loyal second-in-command and one of the strongest contenders to take over the running of the gang enterprise. Michael is cynical and calculating, a man who acquires power but who is beleaguered by the chaos that accompanies it. His advancement is characterized by combat, strategy, and internal conflict.
Julie Graham as Elaine Phelan in This City is Ours
Ronnie's wife is Elaine Phelan, played by Julie Graham. Frank and forthright, Elaine is no shrinking violet when it comes to the family. While the gang disintegrates, her role becomes increasingly important, both in holding on to the remaining family and in making moves that resonate long after in the criminal empire Ronnie leaves behind.
Jack McMullen plays Jamie Phelan in This City is Ours
Jamie Phelan, played by Jack McMullen, is the son of Ronnie and Elaine. With the father missing, Jamie must contend with his own position within the gang and the space he is to try to fill. Jamie, the young and irresponsible one, is a unifying strand in the broader Phelan empire breakdown and rebuilding.
Darci Shaw as Melissa Sullivan in This City is Ours
Darci Shaw portrays Melissa Sullivan, Jamie's fiancée. Torn between her engagement and the criminal lifestyle that is emerging around them, Melissa provides the audience with the civilian view of the criminal story. Melissa makes Jamie's choices more complicated, and she comes in as an emotional interest into the story.
Hannah Onslow as Diana Williams in This City is Ours
Hannah Onslow plays Diana Williams in the series. The character's role within the larger frame mirrors the backflips of betrayals and allegiance on an individual level that occur within gang life. While Diana is technically not a blood Phelan, her status changes as the narrative continues and provides yet another perspective on the repercussions of organised crime.
Laura Aikman as Rachel Duffy in This City is Ours
Laura Aikman plays Rachel Duffy. She is Elaine's niece and also the accountant of the gang. Her accountancy skills help the business stay strong but as the series progresses, it becomes clear that Duffy is hungry for more influence within the gang, especially when it comes to taking crucial decisions.
Stephen Walters as Davey Crawford in This City is Ours
Stephen Walters plays Davey Crawford, one of Jamie's former co-workers, with his own agenda. As the underworld begins to implode, Davey takes advantage, his actions stoking tensions building between gangs. His arrival gives gravity to the violence and opportunism of gang life in Liverpool.
Saoirse-Monica Jackson as Cheryl Crawford in This City is Ours
Saoirse-Monica Jackson stars as Davey's wife, Cheryl Crawford. Raised on the fringes of gang existence, Cheryl's story offers a candid look at how violence and power struggles trickle down to hit women struggling to find their place in the chaos.
Mike Noble as Banksy in This City is Ours
Mike Noble is Banksy, a gang-member caught up in the turmoil of things going out of control around him. His survival, loyalty, and position within the hierarchy place him in the middle ground where old orders fall and new ones are forming. Banksy represents the hard-riding foot soldiers whose destinies lie in the choices out of their hands.
Bobby Schofield plays Bonehead in This City is Ours
Bobby Schofield plays Bonehead, a wild and mercurial player in the underworld. His very nickname implies a lack of caution, and his behavior more times than not bears it out. Bonehead is one of the unbridled agents of violence in this world, and more times than not acts without restraint or fixed loyalty.
Kevin Harvey as Bobby Duffy in This City is Ours
Kevin Harvey plays Bobby Duffy in the series. Rachel's husband, Bobby is also a trusted cog in the wheel of the family business. As his wife starts to flirt with ambition, his position within the larger scheme of things becomes increasingly tricky.
This City is Ours is a painstakingly researched, people-centred study of organised crime in modern Liverpool. With eight episodes to weave a tale of legacy, betrayal, and power struggle, the series tracks those left behind when a powerful leader disappears.
With an ensemble cast of both new and veteran actors, the series investigates where ambition and fear meet and where family stands. Every one of the characters, gangster or police officer, is carefully constructed with care and thought, and rings true with the actual conditions of power struggles within urban settings such as Liverpool.
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Apart from BBC iPlayer, you can stream the series on Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV+.
Also read: Top 10 small-town crime thriller shows to watch, explored
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