Limited Series – We Own This City

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2:37

Apr 2022

Crime

Drama

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Popcornmeter

93%

Tomatometer

56 Reviews

79%

Popcornmeter

250+ Ratings

Based on the book "We Own This City: A True Story of Crime, Cops and Corruption" by Baltimore Sun reporter Justin Fenton, this gritty drama chronicles the rise and fall of the Baltimore Police Department's Gun Trace Task Force. It exposes the corruption and moral collapse that befalls an American city in which the policies of drug prohibition and mass arrest are championed at the expense of actual police work. Created and written by David Simon, creator of "The Wire," and George Pelecanos, production took place in Baltimore.

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Critics Consensus

A spiritual successor to The Wire with an even more pessimistic outlook on law enforcement, We Own This City deftly explores compromised individuals to paint an overall picture of systemic corruption.

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James Jackson

The Times (UK)

Jul 8, 2022

Not quite The Wire, but still a grown-up view of a complex situation in all its ugliness.

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Camilla Long

The Times (UK)

Jun 13, 2022

We Own wanted to be a thundering state-of-the-nation address on race and policing, but forgot that it also had to be interesting.

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Hugo Rifkind

The Times (UK)

Jun 10, 2022

Simon is unafraid of giving a stark, honest overview of the genuine difficulties inherent in politicised policing, when every arrest takes place in the shadow of a smartphone.

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Patrick Marlborough

The Saturday Paper

Sep 17, 2026

What the show makes clear again and again is how the war on drugs has transformed police forces across America – not just Baltimore – into something beyond policing.

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Kevin Fallon

The Daily Beast

Dec 27, 2022

With firecracker performances from Jon Bernthal and Josh Charles, it’s a worthy spiritual successor to The Wire, in all its greatness.

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Ana Yorke

PopMatters

Dec 27, 2022

A worthy complement to The Wire in a post-Black Lives Matter era.

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Joshua S

@RT57414659 Oct 17, 2026

IDK if I should call it a shit attempt at trying to continue the wire. Or just the worst HBO series I have seen thus far. Even the first episode starts out with "quotes" lines from the wire. I know every actor has to have a low. No matter how good you are, one has to be the worst. Jon Bernthal got it out of the way with this. Lucky for him, almost no one knows this exists.

Jason B

@Jason.02 Aug 12, 2026

David Simon Died with Ray. He would have rolled over in his grave. Absolutely no witty lines. Placating his viewers is something I know he has to be ashamed of.

Mike B

@mib8374 Aug 10, 2026

Amazing show! Jon Bernthal is BRILLIANT! I love "The Wire" and this shows another side of policing in Baltimore, which was incredibly interesting. The fact that it is based on a true story makes it even better!

Jeff Z

@Jdunn Feb 14, 2026

Great 6 episode mini Docu-Series blowing the GTTF to Smithereens. PEOPLE THIS IS NOT THE WIRE. Same city and same Cruddy BPD but this is about a rogue unit of undercovers who more than anything became criminals themselves. What they did to gentleman like James Otis and lots of other TAX PAYING WORKING MEN AND WOMEN is Despicable and the wayne Jenkies of these stories get everything they deserve. Punto Finata

Dionna Y

@RT99499159 Jun 23, 2025

Hello "The Wire", meet the 2020's. It did a good job of reflecting the current times

A.L.Jude P

@judebd Apr 17, 2025

Watching Jon Bernthal raise the bar in this series is a pleasure. To sum it up, some actual events made us perceive them as real, thanks to the entire crew.

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Reinaldo Marcus Green

Director

George Pelecanos

Creator

David Simon

Creator

Jon Bernthal

Sgt. Wayne Jenkins

Wunmi Mosaku

Nicole Steele

Jamie Hector

Sean M. Suiter

Episode 1

Aired Apr 25, 2022

Part One

Momodu Gondo finds himself in an interrogation; a detective in a nearby county traces a string of overdoses to Baltimore.

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Episode 2

Aired May 2, 2022

Part Two

Jenkins learns stark truths about policing as a new officer; Rayam opens up about the GTTF; Suiter is assigned to a new murder case.

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Episode 3

Aired May 9, 2022

Part Three

Despite numerous complaints, Hersl is placed on the GTTF; Jensen monitors Gondo's calls; Jenkins brings Suiter along on a raid.

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Episode 4

Aired May 16, 2022

Part Four

Maurice Ward recounts how Jenkins remained unscathed despite a series of illegal incidents; Baltimore is rocked by the Freddie Gray protests.

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Episode 5

Aired May 23, 2022

Part Five

Suiter faces distrust of the police at a crime scene; the GTTF officers provide additional damning evidence; the Feds prepare charges.

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Episode 6

Aired May 30, 2022

Part Six

Jenkins learns his fellow officers are cooperating with the investigation as the full extent of his crimes comes to light.

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We Own This City: Limited Series Featurette - Behind the True Story