'This City Is Ours' Second Episode Tests Loyalties
Murder, deception, and complex relationships give the second episode of 'This City Is Ours' a push in the right direction.
In the premier episode of This City is Ours, we were introduced to the main players of Ronnie Phelan’s cocaine empire, and this week, we discover how fragile the bonds are between them. Michael, Ronnie’s first-hand man, believes he will take over the business now that Ronnie is talking about retirement. But Ronnie’s son Jamie is in the running, and his mother, Elaine, is prepared to defend him, since family is paramount.
And it’s at this point, after a first episode that consisted mostly of establishing relationships between the characters, that the series takes off, showing us a complex mix of rivalries, ambitions, and desires.
We are still in Spain, on a trip that is a vacation for the wives and girlfriends, but mostly business for the men. Michael drives Ronnie through spectacular scenery, vineyards, and rocky outcrops under a blazing blue sky, discussing the tactics they should use with the Amigos, their European business partners. A shipment has mysteriously disappeared in Liverpool, although the exchange of drugs and cash took place at sea to avoid detection at customs, an innovation suggested by Michael. It’s thrown the organization’s finances into disarray and is breeding mistrust.
