I absolutely loved We Own This City! It was so much better than I expected it to be. It's about the corruption inside one of the Baltimore police forces departments called the Gun Trace Task Force. You will get so invested in the story and what's going to happen next that it will keep you glued to your tv. The real standout in this show is the incredibly talented Jon Bernthal. He should be nominated for an Emmy for his work in this. David Simon is one of the creators and writers of this show, he's known for his work on such shows as The Wire, The Deuce, Treme, etc. This has that same realistic, gritty feel as those shows did. I highly recommend this show to everyone!
184 Reviews
Jon Bernthal is such an underrated actor!
Supermanfan-1317 May 2022
We Own This City is every bit as good as people say it is. Jon Betnthal is such an underrated actor, he's great in just about everything he does and is definitely great here. A lot of people are comparing this to The Wire, while not nearly as good I can see the similarities. The writing and acting are what makes this show so good. The fact that this based off a true story makes the show that more exciting. I'm looking forward to the rest of the season!
So far so good, but..
zenmateisshite3 May 2022
... the editing and directing makes for a confusing story. It is very hard to follow. They flashback to 5 years ago, then ten years ago, than 20 years ago, and the timeline very hard to follow. I get it, they are trying to tell the story of how people got to where they are but it gets confusing the way they did it. At the same time you need to know all the names G-Money, Shropshire, Allers.
This is very poorly edited, and makes it hard to really care about the characters and story.
They should have kept it simple because the story is interesting and the actors are all amazing. Since this is just a mini series, I only hope they tie it up smoothly together in the coming episodes.
This is very poorly edited, and makes it hard to really care about the characters and story.
They should have kept it simple because the story is interesting and the actors are all amazing. Since this is just a mini series, I only hope they tie it up smoothly together in the coming episodes.
I'm here because I live in Baltimore.
akplongmeadow26 April 2022
Well, actually I live in a rural area in Baltimore County, but am very aware of the BCPD problems, corruption, and largely the lack of the SA (MM) input into the judicial system.
So far, (Epi 1) this is absolutely true what is being played in this 1st episode. Brutality and lack of; is the day to day 'exposed' problem that endures the lawlessness that occurs daily on the streets of Baltimore. Who REALLY owns the city? The criminals, the innocent, or the BCPD?
On top of this, you have a over zealous 'Gun Trace Task Force' that goes way beyond it's scope. Planting items, guns, drugs, to catch whoever is in their way.
You have good cops and bad cops. This has always been the case from the test of time. By in large we have police commissioners that are ineffective. How can they be? So many are here and gone before the sun sets. Heck, you can look at BC Mayor and that alone is enough to tell you that this city is ill. Just as many mayors have been corrupt, (Sheila Dixon, SRB, Catherine Pugh) gawd, the list goes on and on.
If you really want to see how Baltimore is, and other cities like NYC and Chicago, Philly, and Detroit look no further then this story. This is the story that needs to be told.
It's all there. Right in front of us.
So far, (Epi 1) this is absolutely true what is being played in this 1st episode. Brutality and lack of; is the day to day 'exposed' problem that endures the lawlessness that occurs daily on the streets of Baltimore. Who REALLY owns the city? The criminals, the innocent, or the BCPD?
On top of this, you have a over zealous 'Gun Trace Task Force' that goes way beyond it's scope. Planting items, guns, drugs, to catch whoever is in their way.
You have good cops and bad cops. This has always been the case from the test of time. By in large we have police commissioners that are ineffective. How can they be? So many are here and gone before the sun sets. Heck, you can look at BC Mayor and that alone is enough to tell you that this city is ill. Just as many mayors have been corrupt, (Sheila Dixon, SRB, Catherine Pugh) gawd, the list goes on and on.
If you really want to see how Baltimore is, and other cities like NYC and Chicago, Philly, and Detroit look no further then this story. This is the story that needs to be told.
It's all there. Right in front of us.
Don't Look At It As The Wire 2.0
genious-3541325 April 2022
View this show as its own entity - despite it being as ambitious and involved as The Wire. The writing is spectacularly good and thankfully avoids cliches and so many other pitfalls that are the standard of network 'cop shows', which has also been creeping into non-network shows of late. And the acting talent meets the quality of the writing and direction. Hopefully people can just sit back and enjoy the show for what it is and not politicize it - taking sides, etc. Just the fact that it tackles a specific subject in a way that hasn't been done in this style is such a breath of fresh air and this show is worth watching.
I'm confused, but JB is keeping me in
KOOLAIDBRO27 April 2022
I don't know wtf is going on after the first episode, but Jon Bernthal is so dayum captivating that I still somehow enjoyed the first episode. If someone asks me what's it about? I'll say ummmmmmm...... Jon Bernthal is awesome.
Simon Says.
southdavid18 July 2022
The shadow of "The Wire" looms large on this 2022 miniseries both in setting and in terms of creative and casting crossover. David Simon produces the series, based on the book by journalist Justin Fenton.
Two FBI agents, John Sieracki (Don Harvey) and Ericka Jensen (Dagmara Dominczyk) launch in investigations into the actions of the Gun Trace Task Force, a lauded Baltimore unit that is given wide remit to take guns and drugs off the street. The task force is led by Wayne Jenkins (Jon Bernthal) a charismatic officer, and who believes firmly that his success rate will cover any sins. Faith in the Baltimore police department is at an all-time low, following the killing of Freddie Gray. Nicole Steele (Wunmi Mosaku) an attorney in the civil rights division tries to instigate change within the department as a whole and, though she finds support, comes up against a system seemingly designed to maintain the status quo.
Excellent, if mortally depressing, series with a number of fabulous performances, but anchored but a truly great one from Jon Bernthal. Jenkins is another in TV's long line of charismatic villains, whose insecurities push him to commit greater and greater crimes, whilst the overall corruption of the department, the legal system and the conflicting priorities of politicians empower him, as his arrest rate is so good. Two of the many "The Wire" alumni also give strong performances, Darrell Britt-Gibson and Jamie Hector play two cops, caught up in the investigation, to various degrees.
The time jumping and the conceit of the computer screen being filled out to explain when we are, can prove a little confusing at first but if you just let the wash over you in the first couple of episodes, by the end the timeline is laid out for you again and scenes are revisited and, for me, everything made sense.
It's not light-hearted escapism. It's hard not to come away with the idea that, Baltimore at least, is broken beyond repair and its not a unique story but it terms of quality, of performance and story, it's excellent stuff.
Two FBI agents, John Sieracki (Don Harvey) and Ericka Jensen (Dagmara Dominczyk) launch in investigations into the actions of the Gun Trace Task Force, a lauded Baltimore unit that is given wide remit to take guns and drugs off the street. The task force is led by Wayne Jenkins (Jon Bernthal) a charismatic officer, and who believes firmly that his success rate will cover any sins. Faith in the Baltimore police department is at an all-time low, following the killing of Freddie Gray. Nicole Steele (Wunmi Mosaku) an attorney in the civil rights division tries to instigate change within the department as a whole and, though she finds support, comes up against a system seemingly designed to maintain the status quo.
Excellent, if mortally depressing, series with a number of fabulous performances, but anchored but a truly great one from Jon Bernthal. Jenkins is another in TV's long line of charismatic villains, whose insecurities push him to commit greater and greater crimes, whilst the overall corruption of the department, the legal system and the conflicting priorities of politicians empower him, as his arrest rate is so good. Two of the many "The Wire" alumni also give strong performances, Darrell Britt-Gibson and Jamie Hector play two cops, caught up in the investigation, to various degrees.
The time jumping and the conceit of the computer screen being filled out to explain when we are, can prove a little confusing at first but if you just let the wash over you in the first couple of episodes, by the end the timeline is laid out for you again and scenes are revisited and, for me, everything made sense.
It's not light-hearted escapism. It's hard not to come away with the idea that, Baltimore at least, is broken beyond repair and its not a unique story but it terms of quality, of performance and story, it's excellent stuff.
Lazy Writing, Irritating Acting, and Missed Potential
thjvxrnv27 April 2022
As a mega-fan of The Wire, I really wanted to like this show. However, I could barely make it through the first episode. I found most of the performances to be either flat, overwrought, or aping previous performances from The Wire. An ironic exception is Trey Chaney, formerly "Poot" on the Wire. However, the overall effect is that this show seems less documentarian and more 'American Crime Story'.
Additionally, while the writing is of course significantly tighter than most shows on television, by the standards of Pelecanos and Simon, it's quite evidently phoned in. Between hokey bouts of over-exposition and non-sequitur Trump jokes, there is no room for the quiet realism and humanity of The Wire.
Overall, WOTC is decent enough television in an era where decent television is sorely lacking. However, it simply can't overcome the shadow cast by its predecessor, by comparison to which WOTC is sadly trite, flat, and disappointing.
Additionally, while the writing is of course significantly tighter than most shows on television, by the standards of Pelecanos and Simon, it's quite evidently phoned in. Between hokey bouts of over-exposition and non-sequitur Trump jokes, there is no room for the quiet realism and humanity of The Wire.
Overall, WOTC is decent enough television in an era where decent television is sorely lacking. However, it simply can't overcome the shadow cast by its predecessor, by comparison to which WOTC is sadly trite, flat, and disappointing.
more from David Simon
SnoopyStyle18 July 2022
It's 2017 Baltimore. The Freddie Gray killing has put police brutality on the front pages. The Gun Trace Task Force has been using questionable tactics to take out guns and drugs. Most of all, they are stealing from criminals and regular folks alike. Sgt. Wayne Jenkins (Jon Bernthal) is a central figure in the ensuing scandal.
It's another Baltimore crime drama from David Simon. This one is really ripped from the headlines. It's a little more contained than The Wire. It's only six episodes long. As always, it is an interconnected story with the reality of the world. This is a must-see for fans of The Wire.
It's another Baltimore crime drama from David Simon. This one is really ripped from the headlines. It's a little more contained than The Wire. It's only six episodes long. As always, it is an interconnected story with the reality of the world. This is a must-see for fans of The Wire.
The synopsis tells the whole story.
rzpieniak27 May 2022
The task force rise and falls. You get a glimpse of the Baltimore streets. You get a glimpse of the corruption in the department from a high level. Ultimately, there's no development of a single character. It bounces around in time with no real purpose. It's not hard to follow because, you get the idea from the first episode, so the time frame is irrelevant. There's not much of a plot since it's a conglomeration of bad deeds that you already know reach a conclusion. I worked Door to Door sales in Edmonson Village, allendale, roselawn, sandtown, parkville, loch raven etc. Literally at the time this show took place... and can attest to some of these streets and the baltimore feel being real. Ultimately, there's no singular character or clear direction of the show as to what original point it's trying to make. But sure, they capture baltimore pretty well. The department was corrupt, so what, what's with this convoluted story telling? Lmao.
You just know.
jaimemedina-3628827 April 2022
Not brilliant but interesting enough
grantss31 May 2022
The Gun Trace Task Force is one of the Baltimore Police Department's most celebrated units, with extraordinary arrest and seizure rates. However, beneath this glamourous exterior lies a web of corruption. The driving force behind is the unit's larger-than-life leader, Sergeant Wayne Jenkins.
Interesting, though a bit disappointing. The man behind the show is David Simon, creator of The Wire. Once again the series is set in Baltimore and is a crime drama, so on paper it looks like you're in for something resembling The Wire in quality.
It doesn't come anywhere near to living up to that benchmark, though coming close to The Wire, one of the greatest dramas in TV history, would be quite a feat. While capturing the true events surrounding the Gun Trace Task Force, the story is not overly intriguing. The tight, tense atmosphere of The Wire is replaced by a cold matter-of-factness.
There's also a few characters whose only existence is to deliver sanctimonious, preachy dialogue. Rather than feeling like a gritty crime drama it sometimes feels like you're being lectured.
This all said, the story is quite interesting. The initial setup makes you think the police are the heroes of the story, and Wayne Jenkins some kind of supercop, but as the story progresses and the corruption is exposed you see the true picture.
The back-and-forth timeline is quite jarring at times and initially quite confusing. However, this is necessary as the flashbacks inform present day events. Telling the story in linear fashion would not have worked as well and would have made the plot quite dull.
Some of the sub-plots also make for engaging viewing and show the effect of the corruption on other people's lives. The Sean Suiter story was particularly interesting and ultimately quite poignant.
Another great positive is the outstanding performance of Jon Bernthal as Wayne Jenkins. He makes Jenkins into the colourful yet loathsome character we see with an incredibly intense performance.
Interesting, though a bit disappointing. The man behind the show is David Simon, creator of The Wire. Once again the series is set in Baltimore and is a crime drama, so on paper it looks like you're in for something resembling The Wire in quality.
It doesn't come anywhere near to living up to that benchmark, though coming close to The Wire, one of the greatest dramas in TV history, would be quite a feat. While capturing the true events surrounding the Gun Trace Task Force, the story is not overly intriguing. The tight, tense atmosphere of The Wire is replaced by a cold matter-of-factness.
There's also a few characters whose only existence is to deliver sanctimonious, preachy dialogue. Rather than feeling like a gritty crime drama it sometimes feels like you're being lectured.
This all said, the story is quite interesting. The initial setup makes you think the police are the heroes of the story, and Wayne Jenkins some kind of supercop, but as the story progresses and the corruption is exposed you see the true picture.
The back-and-forth timeline is quite jarring at times and initially quite confusing. However, this is necessary as the flashbacks inform present day events. Telling the story in linear fashion would not have worked as well and would have made the plot quite dull.
Some of the sub-plots also make for engaging viewing and show the effect of the corruption on other people's lives. The Sean Suiter story was particularly interesting and ultimately quite poignant.
Another great positive is the outstanding performance of Jon Bernthal as Wayne Jenkins. He makes Jenkins into the colourful yet loathsome character we see with an incredibly intense performance.
Very solid start - edited from 8 to 5
hazzaboombatty26 April 2022
For those wire fans out there I would say this seems like a very solid piece of work, based on 1 ep. Was a bit uncertain based on some early comments but luckily those can be ignored. This looks like it's going to hit the spot! Performances, the general set up and the differing points of view have been established that look like they will provide the basis of a great story. Let's see.
Edit: I didn't end up liking this. Wanted to, but the time jumping was just too much of a distraction. I wish - WISH - the story could've been told in a straight forward manner. It would been great. Instead it's almost unwatchable from my pov.
Edit: I didn't end up liking this. Wanted to, but the time jumping was just too much of a distraction. I wish - WISH - the story could've been told in a straight forward manner. It would been great. Instead it's almost unwatchable from my pov.
Spiritual Successor to The Wire? absolutely
fraser-simons31 October 2022
Though the non-linear aspects aren't that well handled, with this terrible time sheet thing being used, for some reason-the rest of it is rock solid, I think. Absolutely a spiritual successor of The Wire; even some of the same actors appearing, writers, producers, etc.. It delivers. And what's more, it actually feels quite nice to have the write be on cops. What a terrifyingly corrupt organization the Baltimore police are. If it weren't based on a nonfiction book, I'd have absolutely thought it was fiction. Scary. Excellent. Tight, at 6 episodes. Great plotting, good information, fantastic acting.
No reason not to give it a go.
No reason not to give it a go.
Jon Bernthal was fantastic in this great mini series based on true events.
Cinemaniac198426 May 2022
Based on the nonfiction novel by Baltimore Sun reporter Justin Fenton, We Own This City centers on the infamous Gun Trace Task Force from the Baltimore Police Department and the illegal and corrupt behaviour of the officers involved, most of whom are now in prison. The Baltimore Police Department Gun Trace Task Force was created to combat Baltimore's high crime rate involving drugs and firearms however the officers involved exploited it instead by robbing criminals they stopped on the streets and during raids, planting evidence such as drugs and guns on innocent people, brutalising and assaulting suspects, and fraudulently claiming overtime. Though it was a small group of officers, their corrupt actions was a black eye for the Baltimore Police Department and the city.
Jon Bernthal was fantastic as Sergeant Wayne Jenkins who was entrusted to take charge of the Baltimore Police Department's Gun Trace Task Force. Joining the Baltimore Police Department in 2003, Wayne Jenkins had a reputation as a hard charger and a good officer who was well respected by fellow officers and upper rank and file. After he was arrested, he turned out to be the one of the worst officers after his illegal actions were exposed.
Sergeant Wayne Jenkins felt he could act with impunity and took advantage of the task force for his personal gain while arresting criminals and taking them off the street, though innocent people were caught up in the middle by being framed or harmed or killed. Following an investigation by the FBI, Wayne Jenkins along with other corrupt police officers who were involved were convicted and are now serving prison sentences.
Jon Bernthal is always enjoyable to watch on screen especially for his roles in the TV series The Walking Dead and The Punisher as well as other movies such as The Wolf of Wall Street (2013), Fury (2014), The Accountant (2016), and Ford v Ferrari (2019). Though he often plays volatile anti heroes, Jon Bernthal's portrayal of Sergeant Wayne Jenkins shows that he is a very unlikeable brute who thought he was untouchable and thought he could act with impunity.
The mini series also stars Josh Charles, Jamie Hector, Don Harvey, Wunmi Mosaku, Gabrielle Carteris, Domenick Lombardozzi, Dagmara Dominicczyk, Delaney Williams, Treat Williams, McKinley Belcher III, Darrell Britt-Gibson, Rob Brown, Bobby J. Brown, Jermaine Crawford, Larry Mitchell, Lucas Van Engen, and David Corenswet.
David Simon and George Pelecanos who both were producers for another HBO TV series The Wire, also set in Baltimore, did a great job bringing the mini series to life on the big screen.
One criticism I have however is that the show should have kept it straightforward instead of jumping around all over the place, which can make it tricky to keep following who's who and what's occurring.
If you are a fan of crime shows, nonfiction shows, or even The Wire, you will enjoy We Own This City.
8/10.
Jon Bernthal was fantastic as Sergeant Wayne Jenkins who was entrusted to take charge of the Baltimore Police Department's Gun Trace Task Force. Joining the Baltimore Police Department in 2003, Wayne Jenkins had a reputation as a hard charger and a good officer who was well respected by fellow officers and upper rank and file. After he was arrested, he turned out to be the one of the worst officers after his illegal actions were exposed.
Sergeant Wayne Jenkins felt he could act with impunity and took advantage of the task force for his personal gain while arresting criminals and taking them off the street, though innocent people were caught up in the middle by being framed or harmed or killed. Following an investigation by the FBI, Wayne Jenkins along with other corrupt police officers who were involved were convicted and are now serving prison sentences.
Jon Bernthal is always enjoyable to watch on screen especially for his roles in the TV series The Walking Dead and The Punisher as well as other movies such as The Wolf of Wall Street (2013), Fury (2014), The Accountant (2016), and Ford v Ferrari (2019). Though he often plays volatile anti heroes, Jon Bernthal's portrayal of Sergeant Wayne Jenkins shows that he is a very unlikeable brute who thought he was untouchable and thought he could act with impunity.
The mini series also stars Josh Charles, Jamie Hector, Don Harvey, Wunmi Mosaku, Gabrielle Carteris, Domenick Lombardozzi, Dagmara Dominicczyk, Delaney Williams, Treat Williams, McKinley Belcher III, Darrell Britt-Gibson, Rob Brown, Bobby J. Brown, Jermaine Crawford, Larry Mitchell, Lucas Van Engen, and David Corenswet.
David Simon and George Pelecanos who both were producers for another HBO TV series The Wire, also set in Baltimore, did a great job bringing the mini series to life on the big screen.
One criticism I have however is that the show should have kept it straightforward instead of jumping around all over the place, which can make it tricky to keep following who's who and what's occurring.
If you are a fan of crime shows, nonfiction shows, or even The Wire, you will enjoy We Own This City.
8/10.
It could have been an 8 or a 9 . . .
jeff-20511 June 2022
Second time tonight that I've finished a mini/series where I'm rating a production that could have been so much more. It has fantastic writing, acting, production, and pacing, but instead of leaving those aspects to carry and close this story, the producers had to take a political angle that had nothing whatsoever to do with the rot that has virtually consumed "Baldimore."
3 episodes in, this is a blast!
FabledGentleman14 May 2022
From David Simon, the Creator of "The Wire" (hereby called TW), comes this series which tells the true story of Baltimore's gun trace taskforce, a unit of corrupt police officers who stole money from the citizens during regular stop and frisk and arrests. All eight officers in this task force were arrested in 2017 and later convicted.
The story travels forth and back in time, so that we see how and why things turn out the way it did. Just like David Simon did with TW, you see there is corruption on every level, nothing is pure black and white. It's a story of morality, and how messed up a system can be if bad apples are allowed to slip through.
This show is a near perfect follow-up to TW, where they established the drug problem and violence the city is facing. The gun trace taskforce was established in 2007, which is between Season 4 and Season 5 of TW.
Many of the same actors that were in TW are also present here, though in different roles, and they are all doing a great job.
Now, i have noticed this show receiving little attention, and a bit too much of the attention seem to be overly negative. This is surprising to me, but on the other hand, it's not. People calling this show woke for example, has probably never seen TW, or been to Baltimore. If this show is woke, well so was TW. Baltimore has a 63% black population.
TW was also a show that had a hard time reaching out to it's viewer base to begin with, some great shows just needs time to reach it's core audience. And to this day, TW is considered by most to be one of the, if not THE best TV series of all time. And "We Own This City", is on a steady track to follow in it's footsteps.
Well I'm only 3 episodes in so far, but i can honestly say, i can't keep my eyes off the screen. The cops that was behind these crimes, are both fascinating and disgusting to follow, and I'm glad they all went down in the end.
So far this show is a 9/10. I might write a more detailed review when the show is done. If you are a fan of TW, this is a must see, a slow burner, dialogue heavy show, that tells a true story of wide spread corruption and fraud. Love it.
The story travels forth and back in time, so that we see how and why things turn out the way it did. Just like David Simon did with TW, you see there is corruption on every level, nothing is pure black and white. It's a story of morality, and how messed up a system can be if bad apples are allowed to slip through.
This show is a near perfect follow-up to TW, where they established the drug problem and violence the city is facing. The gun trace taskforce was established in 2007, which is between Season 4 and Season 5 of TW.
Many of the same actors that were in TW are also present here, though in different roles, and they are all doing a great job.
Now, i have noticed this show receiving little attention, and a bit too much of the attention seem to be overly negative. This is surprising to me, but on the other hand, it's not. People calling this show woke for example, has probably never seen TW, or been to Baltimore. If this show is woke, well so was TW. Baltimore has a 63% black population.
TW was also a show that had a hard time reaching out to it's viewer base to begin with, some great shows just needs time to reach it's core audience. And to this day, TW is considered by most to be one of the, if not THE best TV series of all time. And "We Own This City", is on a steady track to follow in it's footsteps.
Well I'm only 3 episodes in so far, but i can honestly say, i can't keep my eyes off the screen. The cops that was behind these crimes, are both fascinating and disgusting to follow, and I'm glad they all went down in the end.
So far this show is a 9/10. I might write a more detailed review when the show is done. If you are a fan of TW, this is a must see, a slow burner, dialogue heavy show, that tells a true story of wide spread corruption and fraud. Love it.
I wish I understood what was going on
yespat26 April 2022
This show is so "good" that I am unable to follow what is going on, I was afraid of that as I had a similar experience with the wire. I figured that was because of some of the unfamiliar slang. I'm hanging in though as I did with the wire, hoping at some point I will have enough comprehension of what is going on that I can appreciate the good writing. I just wish it were not so darn hard to follow.
Lol
killercola3 May 2022
I always laugh at the triggered knuckleheads that think this is woke Wire. So Wire wasn't woke? JFC y'all make no sense. This is the true story of the corruption behind the Gun Task Trace Force in Baltimore. Top notch from top to bottom. From the same people that brought you "unwoke" Wire comes We Own This City and it's a revelation. Great writing, acting and storytelling. Hang in there, it's one of the best shows on TV. David Simon doesn't disappoint.
If we lose the fight, we lose the street
bosporan26 April 2022
Excellent introductory monologue from the sergeant at a lectern, sets the scene without being speechy preachy. The gritty, realistic style is appropriate and also present in the opening credits overlaid with saxophone and reportage.
The story runs on multiple strands, possibly too many, but the jumping around is like a kangaroo on heat, making it a huge effort to focus on what is going on. This might improve now characters and themes are established.
A decent first episode, it remains to be seen if this excels or tanks.
The story runs on multiple strands, possibly too many, but the jumping around is like a kangaroo on heat, making it a huge effort to focus on what is going on. This might improve now characters and themes are established.
A decent first episode, it remains to be seen if this excels or tanks.
The Tiny Crab Cartel
owen-watts14 July 2022
David Simon is back in Baltimore, and he's angry. I mean, he's always quite angry, but things have changed and this anger has solidified into a stone cold fury. We Own This City is a rebuke of systemic corruption in the city and the nature of contemporary politics. In artistic opposition to the bluntness of the discourse, this series is dense and labyrinthine. We twist backwards and forwards in time. We chase leads here and there. It doesn't want you to get a clear simple cop show narrative out of the complex mess that got the city where it is. Bernthal's hypnotically brash Jenkins is a brilliant central character, his arrogance and self mythologizing cuts through everything. Having him played by the Punisher is perfect casting. Nice to see Wire actors back again and Wunmi Mosaku's increasingly disillusioned civil rights lawyer is fantastically understated.
Simon's work always sits in the uncanny valley between hard truths and watchable fiction but with City this line has never been more blurred. The opaque nature of it all is quite jarring. I've seen viewers pining for the days of Fuzzy Dunlop and Hamsterdam, but we're in a far darker place here. These aren't ciphers, but real people. These aren't embellished events, they really happened. This is reality, and it can be a cold place.
Simon's work always sits in the uncanny valley between hard truths and watchable fiction but with City this line has never been more blurred. The opaque nature of it all is quite jarring. I've seen viewers pining for the days of Fuzzy Dunlop and Hamsterdam, but we're in a far darker place here. These aren't ciphers, but real people. These aren't embellished events, they really happened. This is reality, and it can be a cold place.
All over
Headturner14 May 2022
The place. The cohesiveness of this is all over the place. They show past , present, past again. Yes sometimes right before it tells you the dates but not always. I don't like the lead ( I never heard anyone talk like that in Baltimore) he over acts. Not sure if he's good in other things but here he is ruining it for me with his unnatural over acting. It's decent enough and there's not a lot out there that I'll continue to watch and update if some hw it becomes outstanding.
Alarmingly poor editing and direction
NanoFrog2 May 2022
This is probabaly an important story about police corruption and those police who try to do the right thing. The cast is sterling. But it is very hard to follow the story. Is it 5 years ago, is it today, is it ten years ago? The movie goes back and forth in the timelines and it is far from clear, scene to scene, which timeline the viewer is in at any given moment. This is very poorly edited, as in incompetently edited. This poor patching together of the parts and the times makes it hard to follow and so hard to really care about. It is so poorly constructed as to be discouraging.
Brilliant
rthurston-4748516 February 2023
Dark. Violent. Necessary. A wonderfully written and beautifully acted look at America's racist 'war on drugs'. Set in Baltimore, this unsparing view of big city police is tough to watch but rewarding in its insights into the issues of drugs, guns, racism, sexism and misogyny which so profoundly affect the US. One of the more potent series produced in this, the golden age of the TV serial. On a par with Deadwood, The Sopranos, The Wire, Succession, Breaking Bad and a number of other shows which forthrightly show the disappointment and inequity of late stage capitalism as practiced in the US. Highly recommended.
More Like a Documentary
aaaadwrfe24 May 2022
This show is more like a documentary than a story with a dramatic arc. It's very hard for me to watch. I'm not invested in any of the characters, plus it feels and is repetitive. I'm on episode 5 and I just want it to end. It's outrageous that these people, who are completely repellent, got away with this illegal behavior for so long.
See also
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