Why We Watch: Violence, Genre, and the Honest Trap

Gangs of London Series 3 v This City Is Ours and what The Last of Us gets right about real drama

I’ve just binged Gangs of London Series 3 and This City Is Ours back-to-back. What stuck with me wasn’t the body count. It was the contrast. Not just in tone, but in purpose. So Why We Watch: Violence…

Gangs is still the same slick, brutal show it always was. Stylish. Loud. Out to shock. It does that incredibly well. It practically dares you to look away. But by Series 3, even as a long-time fan, I found myself wondering if the violence had become the main event rather than a tool in service of story.

The placenta scene says it all. Not just excessive, but distracting. When violence becomes that inventive, it stops supporting the drama and starts dominating it. There’s still real craft at work, and I don’t doubt the talent behind the camera. But when you can’t remember why characters are trying to kill each other, or who’s double-crossed who, something’s off. The emotional anchor gets lost.

Then you hit This City Is Ours. Almost the opposite. It doesn’t chase headlines. It doesn’t try to top itself. Instead, it stays small and deliberate. The focus is loyalty. Trust. The cracks that form under pressure. The violence, when it comes, is rare. And because of that, it lands harder. Not from shock or gore, but because you didn’t see it coming.

This show is slower. And to be fair, not everyone’s sold. Some say it leans too hard on crime tropes. Others find the pace too measured. But if you stick with it, you get something more grounded. More plausible. Tighter. It has fewer moving parts, but better control. You feel the weight of every choice the characters make.

The Last of Us Season 2

It reminded me of the opening of The Last of Us Season 2. Yes, it’s about a zombie-infested world. But really? It’s about a stepfather and a teenage girl. A man trying to protect someone he loves. It’s a survival story, sure, but it’s not about the monsters. It’s about the people. That’s what great acting and writing can do. They pull you past the genre and into something real.

The big question for me is this: why do we watch anything? Is it for spectacle? Action? Familiar tropes? Or are we watching for connection? For honesty?

Take the Minecraft movie. It did huge numbers. Millions at the box office. And critics didn’t get it. But the audience did. The under-26s turned up because it was made for them. No apologies. No genre confusion. Just a story their generation could connect with.

And that’s the point. It’s not about what kind of drama you’re making. It’s about who you’re making it for. Gangs of London and This City Is Ours are both well-made shows. But they speak to very different audiences. One is chaos with flair. The other is clarity with focus.

The danger is trying to do everything. Trying to be for everyone. That’s how we get generic settings and safe drama. That’s how cinema and television end up bland.

People will show up for a good story. They’ll stay for characters who feel true. And they’ll talk about something that makes them feel.

So forget the genre. Forget the gimmicks. If the acting is strong and the writing honest, the audience will find you.

“This City Is Ours”

“This City Is Ours” premiered on BBC One on Sunday, 23 March 2025, at 9 pm GMT. All eight episodes are now available to stream on BBC iPlayer.

Series Synopsis:

Set in Liverpool, “This City Is Ours” follows Michael Kavanagh, a longtime figure in organized crime, as he contemplates leaving his illicit lifestyle behind for a future with his girlfriend, Diana. Complicating matters, crime boss Ronnie Phelan is considering retirement, igniting a power struggle between Michael and Ronnie’s son, Jamie, for control of the family’s criminal empire.

Writer, Director, and Production Company:

• Writer: Stephen Butchard
• Directors: Saul Dibb, John Hayes, and Eshref Reybrouck
• Production Company: Left Bank Pictures

Top 5 Cast Members and Selected Previous Credits:

1. Sean Bean as Ronnie Phelan

• Previous Credits:
• “Game of Thrones” (2011–2019) as Eddard ‘Ned’ Stark
• “Sharpe” series (1993–2008) as Richard Sharpe
• “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring” (2001) as Boromir

2. James Nelson-Joyce as Michael Kavanagh

• Previous Credits:
• “A Thousand Blows” (2024) as Treacle Goodson
• “The Gold” (2023) as Micky McAvoy
• “Time” (2021) as Johnno

3. Jack McMullen as Jamie Phelan

• Previous Credits:
• “The First Team” (2020) as Jack Turner
• “The Souvenir” (2019) as Max
• “Little Boy Blue” (2017) as Jordan Olssen

4. Hannah Onslow as Diana

• Previous Credits:
• “Empire of Light” (2022) as Ruby
• “This Is Going to Hurt” (2022) as Erika Van Hegen
• “Call the Midwife” (2021) as Janet

5. Julie Graham as Elaine Phelan

• Previous Credits:
• “Shetland” (2014–2019) as Rhona Kelly
• “Benidorm” (2016–2018) as Sheron Dawson
• “Survivors” (2008–2010) as Abby Grant

“Gangs of London”

“Gangs of London” Season 3 premiered on Sky Atlantic on March 20, 2025.

Series Synopsis:

In the third season, chaos erupts in London’s underworld after a spiked shipment of cocaine results in numerous civilian deaths. Former undercover cop turned gangster, Elliot Finch, now operates at the top echelons of the criminal hierarchy alongside the Dumanis. This catastrophe disrupts their operations, leading to intense power struggles, unexpected alliances, and violent turf wars as various factions vie for control.

Key Production Details:

• Creators/Writers: Gareth Evans and Matt Flannery.

• Directors: Gareth Evans, Corin Hardy, and Xavier Gens.

• Production Companies: Pulse Films, Sister Pictures, and Sky Studios.

Top 5 Cast Members and Selected Previous Credits:

1. Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù as Elliot Finch:

• “His House” (2020)

• “The Huntsman: Winter’s War” (2016)

• “Humans” (TV Series, 2016)

2. Joe Cole as Sean Wallace:

• “Peaky Blinders” (TV Series, 2013–2017)

• “Black Mirror” (Episode: “Hang the DJ”, 2017)

• “A Prayer Before Dawn” (2017)

3. Lucian Msamati as Ed Dumani:

• “Game of Thrones” (TV Series, 2011–2019)

• “Luther” (TV Series, 2010–2019)

• “Kiri” (TV Mini-Series, 2018)

4. Michelle Fairley as Marian Wallace:

• “Game of Thrones” (TV Series, 2011–2013)

• “Suits” (TV Series, 2013)

• “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1” (2010)

5. Pippa Bennett-Warner as Shannon Dumani:

• “Harlots” (TV Series, 2017–2019)

• “MotherFatherSon” (TV Mini-Series, 2019)

• “The Smoke” (TV Series, 2014)

Episode Schedule:

Season 3 consists of 10 episodes. The series premiered on March 20, 2025, with episodes airing weekly on Thursdays at 9 pm on Sky Atlantic. Subscribers can also stream all episodes on NOW TV.