# City of Men (2002)

> Two friends from a Rio de Janeiro favela navigate gang life, crime bosses and adolescence in a realistic yet humorous Brazilian drama.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/3156

## Facts

- Seasons: 6
- Episodes: 27
- Episode runtime: 30 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: drama, crime
- Created by: Kátia Lund, Fernando Meirelles
- Network: TV Globo
- Cast: Douglas Silva, Darlan Cunha, Phellipe Haagensen, Jonathan Haagensen, Camila Monteiro, Roberta Rodrigues, Luan Pessoa, Carlos Eduardo Jay
- TMDB rating: 8.2/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0364801/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: strong
- Complexity: accessible
- Violence: moderate
- Tone: gritty, realistic, humorous, bittersweet, tense

## What critics say

Critics broadly praise City of Men for its grounded portrayal of favela childhood, its warmth and humor, and its strong young lead performances, though its uneven later seasons draw mixed responses.

## Synopsis

City of Men (2002-2018) is a Brazilian national-television crime drama series created by Kátia Lund and Fernando Meirelles for TV Globo. Spun off from the Oscar-nominated film City of God, it follows two childhood friends, Acerola and Laranjinha, whose loyalty is tested as they move through the dangers of a Rio de Janeiro favela. Their daily engine is survival: avoiding gang violence, dodging the pull of a local crime boss, and trying to keep their own footing while adolescence and poverty press in from every side. Supporting characters whose lives intersect with the boys' choices give the series a wider social web. The show runs as a serialized story across six seasons, moving through the years of the boys' lives. Its tone blends gritty realism with warmth and humor, portraying children and teenagers in the favela with honesty and affection. Fans of City of God, Elite Squad and Gomorrah will find resonance in its unvarnished street life and its focus on young people caught in violence.

## Shows like City of Men

- [3% (2016)](https://ember.film/tv/60093)
- [Turn of the Tide (2023)](https://ember.film/tv/125726)
- [City of God: The Fight Rages On (2024)](https://ember.film/tv/142477)
- [Impure (2018)](https://ember.film/tv/71082)
- [Sintonia (2019)](https://ember.film/tv/67449)
- [Benefits with Friends (2024)](https://ember.film/tv/143316)
- [DOM (2021)](https://ember.film/tv/102445)
- [Kissing Game (2020)](https://ember.film/tv/87951)
- [Deliver Me (2024)](https://ember.film/tv/149413)
- [Club Hooligans (2023)](https://ember.film/tv/147072)

---

Site overview: https://ember.film/llms.txt