When a cocaine shipment vanishes off the coast of Spain and a gang boss starts eyeing retirement, the streets of Liverpool become a warzone. That’s the explosive premise of This City Is Ours, the eight-part BBC crime drama that dropped all episodes on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Sunday, March 23, 2025. Created by Stephen Butchard, the mind behind The Good Mothers and The Last Kingdom, and directed by BAFTA-winner Saul Dibb, this isn’t just another gangster show. It’s a slow-burn tragedy about love, legacy, and the cost of power — and it’s already leaving viewers breathless.
A Family Business Built on Blood
At the heart of This City Is Ours is Michael Kavanagh, played with chilling restraint by James Nelson-Joyce. For years, Michael has been the quiet engine behind Ronnie Phelan’s (played by Sean Bean) cocaine empire — smuggling product straight from Colombia, moving money, eliminating threats. He’s not just an enforcer. He’s the heir Ronnie never officially named. But now, Ronnie wants out. And that’s when the cracks start to show.When Love Becomes a Liability
Michael’s world tilts when he meets Diana (Hannah Onslow), a woman who doesn’t care about his reputation — only who he is beneath it. Their romance is tender, fragile, and dangerously out of place in this world of silenced witnesses and hidden guns. "It’s not about the drugs," says Julie Graham, who plays Ronnie’s wife Elaine. "It’s about family. Loyalty. Betrayal. That’s what we’re all chasing — even the monsters." But Diana’s presence becomes a ticking bomb. Michael begins dreaming of a life beyond the docks — of children, of quiet Sundays. Meanwhile, his loyalty to Ronnie is tested. And when a shipment disappears, the gang’s kingdom fractures. The rivals circle. The knives come out.The Killing in Spain
The series’ turning point doesn’t happen in a warehouse or a back-alley shootout. It happens on a sun-drenched terrace in Spain — during what was meant to be Ronnie’s final family getaway. In a moment that stunned even seasoned crime drama fans, Michael kills Ronnie. No grand speech. No last-minute plea. Just silence, then blood. "It wasn’t rage," said James Nelson-Joyce in a post-episode interview. "It was the weight of every time he was passed over. Every time he was called ‘right-hand man’ instead of ‘heir.’ It was the fear that if he didn’t act, he’d lose everything — including Diana." The killing isn’t the end — it’s the beginning. Suddenly, the empire has no king. And two men are ready to claim the throne.
War of Brains vs. Brawn
Enter Jack McMullen as Jamie Phelan, Ronnie’s brash, impulsive son. Where Michael is calculated, Jamie is chaos wrapped in a designer jacket. "He’s slightly rubbish-but-menacing," as The Killing Times put it. Jamie doesn’t know how to run a drug operation. But he knows how to scare people. And he’s got the name. The bloodline. The entitlement. What follows is a brutal chess match: Michael’s precision against Jamie’s raw aggression. The city becomes a battlefield. Rival gangs smell weakness. Police close in. And Diana? She’s caught in the middle — not just as a lover, but as the one thing Michael might still be willing to die for.Soundtrack, Setting, and the Soul of Liverpool
This isn’t a crime drama filmed on a soundstage. It was shot on location across Liverpool and Spain in spring 2024, with every alley, pub, and dockside warehouse feeling lived-in. The city isn’t just a backdrop — it’s a character. The killer soundtrack — a blend of post-punk, northern soul, and haunting electronic pulses — mirrors the tension. One reviewer called it "the emotional bassline of the show." Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama, called it "a character-driven crime drama that demands to be seen," praising Butchard’s scripts for "mixing power politics with the brutality of gang life." And it’s working. With an IMDb rating of 7.9/10 based on over 8,800 user reviews and a popularity score of 849, the series has become one of BBC’s most talked-about new dramas of the year. Critics are calling it "mould-breaking television," as Sean Bean himself described it.
What Happens Next? The Season Finale’s Unanswered Bombs
The season finale, released on May 11, 2025, doesn’t offer closure. It detonates. Without spoiling specifics, Radio Times confirms "unexpected twists" that leave multiple characters’ fates hanging — and a child’s paternity in doubt. Michael’s relationship with Diana reaches a breaking point. Jamie’s recklessness triggers a violent response from a rival cartel. And a mysterious figure from Michael’s past reappears, holding a photo no one should have. "There are questions we didn’t answer," said Jack McMullen in a RadioTimes.com interview. "And that’s the point. This isn’t over. This city isn’t done with them." BBC has not officially renewed the series — but the finale’s open-ended nature, combined with the audience’s hunger for more, makes a second season all but inevitable.Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the real protagonist of This City Is Ours — Michael or Jamie?
While Jamie Phelan is the heir apparent, Michael Kavanagh is the emotional core of the series. He’s the one with depth, moral conflict, and a desire for redemption. Jamie is dangerous but shallow; Michael is haunted. The show frames Michael’s journey — from loyal soldier to reluctant king to desperate father — as its true arc. Jamie’s rise is the catalyst, but Michael’s fall is the tragedy.
Why was the series filmed in Liverpool and Spain?
Liverpool’s gritty, working-class architecture and maritime history make it the perfect stand-in for a drug-trafficking hub. Spain, specifically its coastal regions, provided the stark, sun-bleached contrast needed for the pivotal murder scene. The location shift isn’t just visual — it symbolizes Michael’s internal journey: from the familiar chaos of home to the cold, isolated moment where he chooses his future.
Is Sean Bean’s character really dead? Could he return in Season 2?
Ronnie Phelan’s death is confirmed on-screen and by the writers. However, flashbacks, hallucinations, or revelations about his hidden past — including secret recordings, coded messages, or a hidden will — could still shape Season 2. Bean’s performance is so iconic that even in death, Ronnie’s influence lingers like a ghost in every decision Michael and Jamie make.
What does the title ‘This City Is Ours’ really mean?
It’s a phrase whispered by gang members to assert territorial control — but it’s also a bitter irony. The city doesn’t belong to anyone. It belongs to the families who live in it, the police who patrol it, the kids who grow up watching their fathers disappear. Michael and Jamie think they own Liverpool. But the show suggests the city owns them — and will never let go.
Is there a real-life inspiration for Ronnie Phelan’s gang?
While not based on one specific gang, the show draws from Liverpool’s documented history of drug trafficking networks from the 1990s to today, particularly those linked to Colombian cartels. The Phelan family’s structure mirrors real dynastic crime families — where power is passed through blood, not merit. Writer Stephen Butchard spent months interviewing ex-offenders and detectives to ground the fiction in truth.
Will Diana survive the next season?
Her survival is uncertain. The finale hints she may be pregnant — a secret Michael hasn’t told anyone. If the child is Jamie’s, it could trigger a war. If it’s Michael’s, it becomes the ultimate bargaining chip. Either way, Diana is no longer just a love interest — she’s the key to whoever controls the future of this city. Her fate may decide whether the cycle of violence ends… or repeats.
