Saying Goodbye To A Television Classic

While I’m still reeling over the ‘Red Rose’ episode from last nights Sons of Anarchy, I promise to not spoil anything for you in this blog.

Usually I’m late to the party when it comes to TV shows but in this instance I’m proud to say I’ve been watching this one since the first episode aired in 2008.

Starring British actor Charlie Hunnam as Jax Teller, the show has featured a great ensemble of actors including Katie Segal, Ron Pearlman, Mark Boone Junior, Kim Coates and Tommy Flanagan.  It’s also featured a great number of cameos from others like Tom Arnold, Steven King, Marilyn Manson, Hal Holbrook and Courtney Love.

If you’ve never seen it before, I’ve always compared ‘Sons of Anarchy’ to the Sopranos on motorcycles.

Recently I heard Carson Daly refer to it as “Hamlet on Harleys,” which might actually be a better description.

While it simply looks like a criminal-motorcycle show, the story lines are full of love and hate, brotherhood and betrayal, greed and lust.

One of the things I like most about Sons is the show’s creator Kurt Sutter (who’s also appeared on the show as the character Otto) will periodically kill off main characters randomly, so you really never know what’s going to happen.

The Sons of Anarchy, or SAMCRO, is a motorcycle club that is busy on the streets of the fictional town of Charming.  While running (questionable) legal and illegal businesses like gun running and drug smuggling, death and destruction are a common occurrence.  (This is the reason I watch the show.  My wife on the other hand, watches to see Charlie Hunnam’s butt.)

Hunnam’s character Jax has his moral compass tested on a weekly basis and is frequently torn between his allegiances to his family and his club.

Sons of Anarchy airs on Tuesday nights on the FX Network, but next Tuesday is the series finale.  I would suggest you turn off all of your social media (so key plot-points aren’t spoiled for you) and put the show in your Netflix cue.

It’s definitely a ride to remember.

~CMF

(Side note.  I had the opportunity to interview Katie Segal right before the show first aired and I PASSED ON IT!  I’m an idiot!)