Viewers Are Calling For Jon Bernthal To Win Awards For His Performance In New Police Drama

Jon Bernthal returned with his new gritty police drama this week, and people are already confident the role will see him take home some awards. Watch the trailer for it here:

We Own This City is the first time the actor has starred in a major TV series since The Punisher, which was cancelled in 2019.

The mini-series is based on a non-fiction book of the same name, and details 'the rise and fall’ of a special task force.

It follows the story of Sergeant Wayne Jenkins (Bernthal), who was one of eight officers who were convicted on various corruption charges in 2018 and 2019. 

Sky's synopsis for the series says: "Developed by George Pelecanos and David Simon, and directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green, We Own This City chronicles the rise and fall of the Baltimore Police Department's Gun Trace Task Force and the corruption and moral collapse that befell an American city in which the policies of drug prohibition and mass arrest were championed at the expense of actual police work."

HBO

And since it landed, viewers have been blown away by Bernthal's performance.

Praising the 45-year-old, one fan wrote: "This is the show that will get Jon Bernthal his first Emmy win and Wunmi Mosaku her first of many Emmy nominations.

"This is the annual imperial awards-bound HBO miniseries. This is my most anticipated series of the year. This is 'We Own This City'."

Echoing the applause, another chimed in: "We Own This City was A+ from top to bottom.

"The level of acting, writing, and directing was fire. @jonnybernthal deserves all the flowers and awards! Now time to listen to his podcast."

"Four episodes into WE OWN THIS CITY, and just give Jon Bernthal all the awards. Only David Simon could tell this story," put a third.

HBO

While another added: "We Own This City didn't disappoint! I screamed when i saw #JamieHector on screen again (Marlo of course!)

"But oh boy, #JonBernthal is so brilliant! even tho i knew how his character ends up, he seduced me! phenomenal acting. Deserves all awards!"

And it's not just fans who have been impressed either, critics are also loving the series.

In his review for Variety, Joshua Alston said the miniseries is 'stunningly executed', noting how it is 'inspired by a type of true crime so pervasive and deep-rooted that only the tools and tactics evolve over time'.

Vulture's Jen Chaney, meanwhile, said it is 'impossible to watch We Own This City without thinking of The Wire', with Darren Franich from Entertainment Weekly also describing it as a 'blistering and brilliant cop show about the corrosion of American law enforcement and America itself'.

It's also scored 93 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, which isn't bad going at all.

We Own This City is currently available to watch on Sky Atlantic and NOW.