Sons of Anarchy - Recap & Review - "The Revelator"

Sons of Anarchy
The Revelator

Original Air Date: 26 Nov 2008

Tom R. - TwoCents Staff Writer
tom@thetwocents.com


Interesting opening this week…They flipped the entire opening from the pilot episode. As Jax rides into town, it’s daylight rather than night, we see a white bird rather than a crow, and instead of feeding on road kill, it’s perched comfortably on a road sign.

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[photo: FX.com]

Sons of Anarchy - Recap & Review - "The Sleep of Babies"

Sons of Anarchy
The Sleep of Babies

Original Air Date: 19 Nov 2008

Tom R. - TwoCents Staff Writer
tom@thetwocents.com

In one of the most beautiful openings I have seen, it’s morning in Charming, and one by one, we see each SAMCRO member wake up with their significant others. Some are there for a night, some are there for a lifetime. The montage is set to a female rendition of Bob Dylan’s “Forever Young”. As it ends, a doctor addresses Abel, telling him that today, Abel is going to meet his family.

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[photo: FX.com]

Sons of Anarchy - Recap & Review - "Capybara"

Sons of Anarchy
Capybara

Original Air Date: Nov 12, 2008

Tom R. - Two Cents Staff Writer
tom@thetwocents.com

Capybara (n) rodent native to Central and South America, weighing up to 100 lbs. In other words, a big, fat rat. Who says TV doesn’t teach you anything?

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[photo: FX.com]

Sons of Anarchy - Recap & Review - Better Half

Sons of Anarchy
“Better Half”

Original Air Date: Nov 5, 2008

Tom R - TwoCents Staff Writer
tom@thetwocents.com

The women of SAMCRO are front and center this week, as the ATF tries to use them for leverage. FX continues to provide an interesting variety of female characters. This is a show that could have kept the ladies as eye candy and focused on the guys. Their inner strength and different methods of getting what they want make a great contrast.

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[photo: Timothy White / FX]

Sons of Anarchy - Recap & Review - Hell Followed

Sons of Anarchy
“Hell Followed”

Original Air Date: Oct 29, 2008

Tom R - TwoCents Staff Writer
tom@thetwocents.com

Sometimes it’s a good thing that the titles are unknown…I would have expected more of a bloodbath than we see onscreen. But what gets more and more interesting about this show is that the violence is always waiting to happen. It’s just a question of where and when.

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[photo: Ray Mickshaw/ FX]

Sons of Anarchy - Recap & Review - The Pull

Sons of Anarchy
“The Pull”

Original Air Date: Oct 22, 2008

Tom R - TwoCents Staff Writer
tom@thetwocents.com

If I comment on the acting, please do not assume that the story let my mind wander. Some of the talent in this group hasn’t been stretched this way in a while. In particular this week, I’ll point out the X-Files Mitch Pileggi, going from a government bureaucrat to a Nazi scumbag.

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[photo: Prashant Gupta / FX]

Sons of Anarchy - Recap & Review - Old Bones

Sons of Anarchy
“Old Bones”

Original Air Date: Oct 15, 2008

Tom R - TwoCents Staff Writer
tom@thetwocents.com

Ron Perlman continues to prove he was the right choice to play Clay Morrow. As the past comes calling and Clay has to change his version of the truth numerous times, Perlman conveys a perfect stoicism with each new strand of the web, saving a key part of the mystery for the closing moments.

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[photo: Prashant Gupta / FX]

Sons of Anarchy - Recap & Review - AK-51

Sons of Anarchy
“AK-51”

Original Air Date: Oct 8, 2008

Tom R - TwoCents Staff Writer
tom@thetwocents.com

Sons of Anarchy has been approved for a second season by FX. Part of that has got to be the supporting cast. I can imagine bikers looking at these guys and thinking they pulled people off the street instead of having a casting call. This particular episode, however, is anchored by Katey Sagal, as we see the Sons deal with Gemma’s menopause, unique hiding places for guns, and a unique assault with a skateboard. Ally Walker (Profiler) also joins the cast as an ATF agent who is immediately suspicious of Kohn.

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[photo: Prashant Gupta / FX]

Sons of Anarchy - Recap & Review - Sons of Anarchy

Sons of Anarchy
“Giving Back”

Original Air Date: Oct 1, 2008

Tom R - TwoCents Staff Writer
tom@thetwocents.com

The show continues to find its voice by setting most of the scenes outdoors. It makes for a nice contrast to the dark feel of the SAMCRO “board meetings”. This episode brings the danger of the gang to the forefront, and for the first time, there is no voiceover from Jax’s father.

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[photo: Ray Mickshaw / FX]

Sons of Anarchy - Recap & Review - Patchover

Sons of Anarchy
“Patchover”

Original Air Date: Sept 24, 2008

Tom R - TwoCents Staff Writer
tom@thetwocents.com

A noticeable improvement over last week. This is much closer to the show I expected and hoped for. The balance between action and introspection is much more effective, and the performances are sharper. More characters are introduced, and the other SAMCRO members have more to do, which breaks things up nicely. (Kudos in particular to Mark Boone Junior as Bobby, reluctantly starting to walk a line between Clay and Jax.) They definitely got the show on the road. Literally.

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[photo: Ray Mickshaw / FX]

Sons of Anarchy - Recap & Review - Funtown

Sons of Anarchy
“Funtown”

Original Air Date: Sept 17, 2008

Tom R - TwoCents Staff Writer
tomr@thetwocents.com

So the saga of SAMCRO enters its third week, and I’m trying to figure out why this show isn’t cracking the barrier into “must-see” territory. To me, it’s kind of hovering in the “watchable” area. Maybe The Shield is casting its shadow further than the network thinks, especially with Jay Karnes joining the cast. Maybe it’s Katey Sagal’s habit of whispering every line she has. Maybe I know too much about the behind-the-scenes hubbub and I’m still comparing Ron Perlman to the original choice of Scott Glenn. And maybe it’s that FX sets the bar so high. I know they can’t all be Damages or Rescue Me, but maybe the impact of those shows makes it hard on the newbies. I’m not going to stop watching, but every time they run a promo for another FX show, I do get distracted.

Anyway…on to the recap…

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[photo: Prashant Gupta / FX]

Sons of Anarchy - Recap & Review - "Seeds"

Sons of Anarchy
Seeds

Original Air Date: September 10, 2008

Tom R. - TwoCents Staff Writer
tom@thetwocents.com

Community meals open and close this week’s episode. Clay returns with the payment for the guns he sold in the previous episode, as the Sons are enjoying a breakfast of muffins and tequila. Clay finds that Deputy Chief Hale is leading a murder investigation in conjunction with the warehouse fire, since the Sons took care of the warehouse owner. As they weigh their options, one biker admits that he had affairs with both of the illegal aliens killed in the fire, and some DNA may be present to link him. A forensic team will be sent up from Lodi, and Clay feels that the only thing that will stop them is if they have to investigate a different murder. He looks for targets to pop, but Jax thinks he has another solution.

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[photo: Ray Mickshaw/FX]

Sons of Anarchy - Recap & Review - Pilot

Sons of Anarchy
Pilot

Original Air Date: September 3, 2008

Tom R - TwoCents Staff Writer
tom@thetwocents.com

The show opens the way you would expect any good biker show to open: A lonely road, a full moon, bluesy rock music and one lone rider. But the more the show progresses, the more you see the main character of Jax (short for Jackson) wrestling with the changes in his life. These quiet, introspective moments have great impact, but I hope that the viewers don’t start screaming for more action. I’m sure plenty of that will be on hand for the weeks to come, anyway.

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[photo: Prashant Gupta / FX]