This City is Ours episode 1 recap: Ronnie's gang has a rat problem (Spoilers)

This City is Ours is an explosive crime drama from the BBC following the organised crime gang led by Ronnie Phelan (Sean Bean).

As Ronnie speaks of retirement, he contemplates who he'll hand his empire over to — his son, Jamie, or his right-hand man, Michael. But there's problems that run far deeper throughout the gang as they navigate selling drugs, rats, and rival gangs. All with Liverpool as the backdrop. The eight-part series unfolds the intricate web of lies and deceit, while Michael vies for a better life and dreams of raising a child with his girlfriend, Diana. Spoilers to follow for This City is Ours.

Here's a recap of everything that happened in This City is Ours episode 1.

The episode opens on Ronnie, Jamie, Banksey and Michael playing a round of golf, whilst their other halves watch them from the clubhouse. Ronnie (Sean Bean) goes to take a putt while his son, Jamie holds up an umbrella over his head in the rain. Ronnie misses. While Jamie goes to finish the shot, Ronnie starts talking business with Michael.

Ronnie asks him how they can improve their margins, but Michael says why change what works? Ronnie counters with the fact he wants more money, so he can relax a bit more. Michael looks at him, realising he's talking about a possible retirement plan. To this, Ronnie adds: “My clogs would fit you nicely.” After golf, they all gather around and Ronnie’s wife, Elaine, toasts their new grandson, Alfie, back at the club. Ronnie and Michael smile at each other knowingly.

It cuts to Michael waiting at an IVF clinic. While he waits, he gets a text telling him that flights have been booked. Michael gets called in by the nurse to give his sperm sample. He calls his partner, Diana, to see if she’ll help him and while she’s in a restaurant working, she heads into a quiet room to talk dirty to him.

Afterwards, Michael goes to meet her at the bar. He tells her he’s got a low sperm count and the ones that are there, can’t swim. He apologises to her, but she tells him she doesn’t care and that she can get pregnant another way. Michael calls himself the problem, but she consoles him and says they’ll solve it together. He tells her he loves her, but he’s got to go to Spain as Ronnie’s looking for a bigger payday and that there's talk now of him stepping aside.

Michael gets in the car that's waiting for him outside Diana's work. Ronnie, Jamie, and another man, Davy, are waiting and Michael questions why Jamie has come along too. When they get to Spain, a man greets them and says three of them, the Amigos, are waiting inside. They all share a drink and cheers to business. As Michael tries to lead negotiations for Ronnie, explaining that they want the same gear for a better price, Jamie interrupts.

The Amigos ask to only hear from one voice and Michael says one voice makes sense, but Jamie continues to talk. Michael carries on and tells them that Ronnie wants something to change. Whether that’s getting a lower price, but buying more product, that’s fine. Adjusting the means of transport, fine. Jamie jumps in again. Michael stands him down and Jamie leaves the table. The Amigos ask why Jamie is at the table and Michael says he’s learning. This makes the Amigos question why Jamie would be learning when their business is with Michael.

Outside, Ronnie asks Davy if he’s doing the right thing. He says he’s not sure. To this, Ronnie asks about Davy’s man at the dogs and whether they can make more money there. Davy says they won't risk it, but that they’re safe as they are. Back in negotiations, Michael suggests buying the product earlier rather than once it’s cleared the border. That Michael would take the UK border risk. The Spanish asks if they’re sure that’s what they want and he says it is. A direct shipment to Liverpool in two weeks’ time.

It cuts to the shipment being delivered. Davy prays in a church, whilst at the UK border, the shipment makes it through without a spot of trouble. Davy’s phone buzzes to tell him it’s all clear. He calls someone and says: “Are you sure you still want me to go through with this?” He hangs up, looking panicked, but then he calls Ronnie and tells him it’s not looking good, despite it going through all fine.

It cuts to Michael at the IVF clinic. His partner’s egg retrieval was a success with eight healthy eggs. They celebrate though Michael is distracted, looking at his phone. Afterwards, he goes to meet Ronnie and Davy at a restaurant. Davy says his man on the inside told him the truck with the shipment was taken apart, put back together, and sent off. That there’s a buzz and happy faces on the other side with the Amigos. Michael suggests that they leave the shipment packed in the yard and not go near it. He says the police will be waiting for them to collect. Ronnie says what if they didn’t find anything and Michael tells him if they opened the truck, they found it. To this news, Ronnie’s furious.

Outside, Ronnie speaks to Michael and suggests whether it’s just down to bad luck or whether there's a rat in their organisation. He says if we’ve got a hole in our supply line, everyone is going to try and fill it - all the other mafias. Michael names all the people that knew about the shipment and Ronnie wonders if the Amigos are trying to teach him a lesson. Michael says they're not, so Ronnie tells him to find the rat.

That night, Michael waits in a car while Banksey gets out with a bat. As a man cycles down the street, Banksey jumps out and smacks him off the bike and pushes him into the car. They ask the dealer who he’s selling for, but he's no help. They let him go and pull up elsewhere to discuss how they still don't have any idea who the rat is. They’re watching Davy. Meanwhile, Ronnie and his wife are hosting Jamie, their grandson, and Melissa for dinner. Ronnie gets a text. He then asks Jamie why he asked Davy to be a godparent. He says because he likes him, but Ronnie seems troubled.

Elsewhere, Micheal and Banksey knock on the door of a house. As a woman answers the door, Banksey pushes her in. Michael heads into the kitchen and a man grabs a knife, so Michael grabs a saucepan off the side and smacks him across the face. He starts beating him to the ground while yelling at him, asking him who he thinks he is. As they go to leave, Michael grabs a brick of drugs off the table that the man was cutting.

The next morning, Michael calls Diana. He says he’s stayed at the flat and she asks if he’s coming home to change for the christening at noon. Someone buzzes the flat and he lets them in. A young guy hands him a package and Michael asks him if it’s wrapped, he says it is. When Diana asks what it is though, he won't tell her. He opens the package and takes a gun out. Michael then calls Ronnie and while Ronnie asks him if he’s all set, he says he’s not feeling it. He doesn’t think the rat is Davy. Ronnie says he wants to make a point and Michael argues that it’s too soon. The dealer was cutting three kilos, but they don’t know where it actually came from. Ronnie instructs him to keep going as planned, but he’ll keep thinking on it.

As the christening is set up, Davy is seen at the gym and a man is watching him. Michael gets in his car and speaks to Banksey on the phone. He tells him the guy he beat up will live. That he’s got about 45 minutes and he goes to meet Diana for a coffee. She asks Michael what’s going on and he explains there’s a rat. Michael tells her there’s about three years left and they’ll go and do whatever they want. She says she’s booked to see her mum today. He asks her how she is and she says she won’t talk to her about what happened, even though she was there. She then asks Michael if he has ever killed anyone. He says he hasn’t, but he would if they deserved it.

At the gym, Davy leaves to go for a run outside. The man that was watching him texts someone. It cuts to Michael driving and looking for Davy running. At the same time, Jamie is on his way to his dad’s house with his son and Melissa. Elaine tells Ronnie they’ve arrived, but Ronnie says he can’t right now as he’s got something going on. Michael pulls up ahead of Davy and stops to put on gloves and unwrap the gun. Ronnie calls him and just as Michael is about to jump out and shoot Davy, he tells him to stand down.

Diana goes back to her mum’s house. It’s empty, but there’s stains on the ceiling. She calls a prison and speaks to her mum over video call. Afterwards, the christening is starting. Davy and Jamie share a cigarette. Diana arrives and heads inside. Rachel, Jamie's cousin, asks what Ronnie’s wife and Jamie think of Diana. As the christening starts, Michael makes it and sits with Diana at the back. He leans over and asks her if she’s sure about him and she says yes.

At the party afterwards, Michael asks Diana how her mum is. She says she can’t believe her mum misses her dad. She tells Michael to never cut her out, no matter what he's got going on. When Michael leaves her on her own, Davy’s wife Cheryl comes over to her. She says she’s never seen Michael so happy. Cheryl asks Diana if she still believes him and when she asks about what, Cheryl says there’s nothing good about their men and that she should get out while she can. Diana shuts down her advice, but Cheryl tells her to call her.

Ronnie and Michael talk outside. Michael says he doesn’t believe Davy is the rat, but with their drug supply not usable, they need to get something out there. Michael suggests using what’s in the truck, but Ronnie says not in England. Use it in Spain. Michael asks him what they're going to do about the Amigos, since they can’t avoid them and owe them money. Ronnie says that they'll all go to Spain to meet with them.

It cuts to Ronnie’s family and friends including Davy, Michael and Diana at Ronnie’s Spanish villa. Rachel and her husband, Bobby are talking outside. She asks him if he's spoken to Ronnie about her ideas. She says she runs businesses and there’s a better way of doing things. She says if he doesn’t speak to him, she will. Michael then asks Davy to help him move some alcohol from the garage. Davy tells him that Cheryl couldn’t make it. As they head to the garage together, Ronnie comes over and follows them in. Suddenly, Ronnie punches Davy in the face and Michael grabs him and strangles him until he’s slumped on the ground.

All episodes of This City is Ours are available to stream on BBC iPlayer now, or released weekly on BBC One on Sundays.