This City Is Ours

While everyone is wetting their knickers and being nudged over 'Adolescence', this gem is the real eye opener to watch.

I can't understand how this one is going under the radar while Adolescence gets all the unjustified talking about, because This city is ours absolutely destroys Adolescence in both the acting and the story.

This is real, this goes on all the time, having lived on the La costa del sol in Spain I know exactly what goes on down there. The story is fantastic the acting is top notch it is a really gritty scary drama played by some brilliant actors, one or two were of the pace but Michael Kavanagh was riveting, absolute smashed it.

This really is the must watch, not the other one, I came away thinking why would someone want to get involved in that kind of life, why? I guess the lure of money is too strong.

It's a series where every episode is brilliant, they even have mustard the art in how to end the series on a high and not make you feel disappointed in a weak ending, this is gritty, it's violent, it's aggressive, it's realistic, it's brilliant!

Not at all what I expected. Refreshing that the city in the title is Liverpool and not London. I have not given this series 10 stars simply because there are some gaping holes in the plot. Otherwise it is compelling viewing which I viewed in two sittings.

What I feel is different about this crime drama is that it is told from the point of view of gang members who carry out violent acts. The writers have skilfully shown us that men and women who carry out or condone violence are also capable of being in love and feeling vulnerable.

I like the fact that the action is set in Liverpool but warn that if one is not familiar with the scouse accent the plot may be hard to follow.

I cannot give any spoiler away only to say I wish Sean Bean appeared more.

This is the only series I've watched 1 episode of and couldn't stop watching it...I watched 5 episodes in one night, and the remaining 3 the next morning on iplayer.. I've never done that before! Every scene in it leaves you wanting more! The acting is brilliant and the characters totally believable. I didn't know anything about it apart from Sean Bean was in it and being from Sheffield myself watch anything he's in, but I was blown away by the gritty performances of EVERYONE in it! This is a show that could go on and on... I was gutted that there wasn't more episodes ( there's 8) it's the best thing I've watched in years! I dare you to watch this and not be hooked! 10 out of 10.

This is the best show on Tele in a long time. Absolutely brilliant acting from all involved, even the typical Scouser were brilliant. Anti heros all over the place and some jaw dropping, unexpected twists. The writer deserves a Bafta for this. There must be a season 2 as it would be a crime if they didn't! If you watch anything this weekend then watch this. Fantastic! Ps. Sean Bean with his Yorkshire accent is superb! Typical Sean performance and those supporting him were outstanding. Where this came from I've no idea but they need to make more television like this. Worth the licence fee alone.

STAR RATING: ***** Brilliant **** Very Good *** Okay ** Poor * Awful

Michael Kavanagh (James Nelson-Joyce) is an enforcer for the Phelan crime family, but his girlfriend, Donna (Hannah Onslow) has fallen pregnant, and he wants to settle down and start a new life. Ronnie (Sean Bean), the patriarch of the Phelans, sees potential in Michael as a new leader, but when some drugs go missing, it plunges the gang into a deadly spiral of mistrust and deceit, mounting a rivalry between Michael and Jamie (Jack McMullen), Ronnie's hot tempered son.

The Time cast (or a large group of them) reunite for this well received and pleasantly surprising crime drama from Stephen Butchard, recreating the chemistry from that series in a new setting and with new characters. The result is something even more brutal and unflinching, if that's imaginable, but no less enthralling and dynamically made.

It has an interesting (and arguably misleading) title, given a significant portion of the story doesn't take place in the alluded 'city' of Liverpool, and it doesn't feel central to the themes of the story. But what does unfold is a pleasing crime drama, that doesn't get sucked into any flashy, over stylised nonsense, and instead focuses on telling a gritty, raw gangster tale, grounded in an honest, uncomfortable realism, with some genuinely shocking, unexpected plot twists and developments. Nelson-Joyce leads the emerging cast with a quietly commanding lead performance, whilst veteran actor Bean exudes a menacing aura as the gruff, monosyllabic chief villain.

With an eclectic mix of new and established stars, including Julie Graham as Bean's firebrand wife, this has an interesting and compelling script to match their talents, a highly worthwhile update on the crime staple. ****