This week at the Pop Culture Club, we were assigned Sons of Anarchy on FX, which recently started its second season. I had tried this show when it debuted last year; it was created by Kurt Sutter, an alumni of one of my favorite shows, The Shield. At the time, that cop show was concluding with one of the most intensely satisfying wind-downs in series history, so I was looking to clutch onto anything that remotely smelled like it. I wanted — no, needed — to like it, yet I couldn’t find anything on Anarchy to cling to. It felt generically badass, like someone had swept behind all the furniture on The Shield, collected all the run-off machismo, rolled it up, dressed it up in leather jackets, and stuck it on motorcycles.
Everyone was a bit too overenthusiastically manly. I have no problem with tough-guy TV, but the fact that it all this testosterone came in the form of a motorcycle gang made it too on-the-nose and predictable. The Shield featured badass cops, yes, but the twist was that they were corrupt. They set the mold for the FX antihero: good people doing bad things, or vice versa. But there’s no twist on Anarchy – ever since Gimme Shelter, it’s never a surprise when a motorcycle gang is up to no good. Everyone here was so aggressively macho that I feared they were going to sprain their testicles. (Ron “Hellboy” Perlman automatically adds a surplus of manliness; he can’t help it, it’s just the way he’s built. That giant mudslide of a head never looks complete without a worn cigar jutting out from his mouth.) Jax, the central character who learns about how honcho Clay led the gang astray, is supposed to be the sympathetic center, but the British actor who plays him, Charlie Hunnam, struggles so much with an American accent that it takes me right out of the story. He might as well be stomping around with a top hat on.
I abandoned it last season after a few episodes. But when I tried it again this season, I was more intrigued, thanks primarily to Katey Sagal as Clay’s wife, Gemma. On my first try, I didn’t buy her as the Livia-like manipulative matriarch; even though she was great as Locke’s girlfriend on Lost, I reflexively think of the Married…with Children vet as more of a comedic actress, and unfairly chalked her casting up to blind love. (She’s married to Sutter.) I retroactively apologize. The explosive end to the season 2 premiere (which aired two weeks ago) – when she’s gang raped by white supremacists who want to send a message to Clay – was immensely powerful. It feels very wrong to write that it took a rape to get me intrigued, but I was immediately invested in how this season would play out. And this week she stunned me with her weary stoicism: When Jax’s girlfriend, Dr. Tara, recommended a plastic surgeon work on her bruises, Gemma waved it off with an, “I’ve been hit before.” I defy you to find a trace of Peg Bundy in her.
This white supremacist story line has dragged me in (Adam Arkin, slickly great; Henry Rollins, predictably one-note), and I do like intra-gang power struggles, though the persistent tough-guy shtick over at Anarchy HQ still tries my patience. Take the scene last night when the gang woke up after a long night’s partying, and there were strippers everywhere. There were scenes just like this in The Sopranos, but they never made me roll my eyes. This one did. Here, there was nothing to toy with the convention – it was just amped up, with one guy waking up with a near-naked, unconscious stripper straddling him backwards. It was the hangover equivalent of a Michael Bay scene: they thought, “How can we make this more extreme?” rather than, “How can we make this more real?” Another Sopranos reference was intended, but no less damning: When Jax met the skittish porn director, Luanne, in a deserted office and she thinks she’s about to be whacked, he said, “You think I brought you here to Adriana you?” This bugged me for two reasons. 1) His tortured accent and self-conscious reference made it seem like he was a film geek dressed up as Marlon Brando in The Wild One. And 2) It underscored the impression that these guys were trying way too hard to be tough; now they were even optimistically comparing themselves to famous TV tough guys to boost their cred. But few of them earn it.
Well, except one guy, who’s the last guy I expected: Tom Arnold. He was insiduously creepy as the brutal porn mogul trying to take over Luanne’s business. I think after 15 years he’s done enough penance for his loudmouth boob years: it’s time to start giving Arnold a real career.
I’m gonna stick with the show, mostly for Sagal, and hope that the Sons of Anarchy start easing up on their machismo. They’d seem a lot more threatening if they weren’t trying so hard to be threatening. What do you think of the show? Were you as impressed by Katy Sagal and Tom Arnold as I was? And did you have trouble telling all the gang members apart? (There’s the guy with the beard, then the guy with the tattoo, then the guy with the beard and the tattoo…) And how do you think it matches up with The Shield?
Okay, next week’s assignment: Let’s check out the debut of HBO’s new detective comedy series, Bored to Death, with Jason Schwartzman, Zach Galifianakis, and the man who in my mind can do no wrong, Ted Danson. “But I don’t have HBO!” you cry. Aha! Problem solved: the season premiere is being streamed for free at Amazon. (If you’re one of those old-schoolers who need an actual TV, it airs Sunday at 9:30 p.m.) So check it out and we’ll meet back here next Thursday. But for now, let’s rumble, Sons of Anarchy-style! Oooh, look, now I’m a tough guy!
PHOTO CREDIT: Prashant Gupta/FX
Well, so much for looking forward to this! Why is it that all of my female friends get this show so much better than my male friends, or my husband? I’ve realized that as much as I love EW, I don’t think they have anyone who “gets” this show AT ALL… and yes, I’ll agree that Charlie’s accent slips more now than it did in the first season (“shower” was a big one in the first episode), but if you can’t roll with that, then so be it!
That’s interesting, you’d think this show would have more stereotypically male appeal. I wonder why women like it more? Is it so manly that it threatens guys? I’ll have to check my emasculation levels to make sure I’m not just lashing out because of insecurity.
His name is Jax, not Jacks. EW columnists seem to get character names incorrect more often than they should. Come on, at least do some more research than just watching the show.
You’re right, Laci, my bad. It’s been corrected.
Correct me if I’m wrong but hasn’t Gemma’s character referred to the character as Jackson half a dozen times on the show. So clearly spelling the characters name Jack’s could have been an honest mistake not something to get all bent about.
Great show.
Prior to the start of the first season, the promos didn’t do much for me. In fact, I thought it was over-hyped. But, I guess due to lack of anything else, I started watching and got hooked.. But did fall off the last of the season. I’ve jumped back in with both feet this season though. Katey Sagal is just amazing. I don’t have the ‘Married with Children’ issue as I never liked that show and avoided it like the plague. Ron Perlman is also very watchable in a sexy/creepy way. Their relationship, much more than Jax and Tara’s, keeps me interested. I am looking forward to watching and seeing how the story line plays out. I doubt it will disappoint.
I find it hard to give your opinion any weight when you’ve only watched the pilot and the first two episodes of S2.
I see your point, Mariah, but that’s kind of the point of this Club: to sample things that we may or may not be familiar with. I think four episodes (I saw a couple in season 1) is a good amount to get a fair flavor of a show. What does everyone think: how often do you need to watch a show to develop a fair opinion of it?
After last week’s assignment of Melrose Place? I’ll say one episode.
I don’t think it takes many episodes to develop your own opinion of the show. The key word is ‘Own’. This is a great forum for opinions. No one should be blasted for posting them.
AA, I’ll give you that. LOL I tried to watch the MP pilot and…Yeah, not so much.
The “Adrianna” line was more of an in-joke than you realized, I think. Drea de Matteo, who of course played Adrianna on ‘The Sopranos,’ plays Jax’s ex-wife on the show. Maybe it’s still not funny to you, but it made me laugh.
I get what you’re saying about the machismo, but the show is so well-done that I let it slide. I’m sucker for any show that actually gets its exposition through plot and having actors actually act, rather than boring dialogue that goes nowhere. SoA characters reserve their dialogue for saying things like “I’ve been hit before.”
I’ve watched this show from the beginning and struggled with the same issues, except I kept initially comparing it to The Sopranos instead of The Shield. Just as that was becoming a distant memory Jax made the Adrianna comment which bothered me mainly because Drea de Matteo was featured in the first season of S.O.A and I always felt like that was stunt casting. Drea was good; it just felt like they were screaming, “Hey look, we’re the new Sopranos!” I was very tempted to give up on this show during that shaky first season but I’m glad I stuck w/it, because this show has found its footing. Katey Segal manages to make her character relatable, which may be why the other characters seem interchangeable; they still haven’t really fleshed those guys out yet. I was so grateful that the Tig character was able to connect to Opie’s grief during this episode because so often the motorcycle gang appears so two dimensional. Besides Opie’s arc and the fact that Bobby does Elvis impersonations on the side, we really don’t know much about them which makes it difficult to understand why they risk life and limb for one another.. besides the fact that they’re in this club together. And as far as Charlie Hunnam’s accent goes, I’d recommend you start a drinking game each time it slips. Otherwise it could drive you mad, I just tend to laugh it off. But careful, you could end up totally wasted at the end of the hour.
I also have a difficult time buying Hunnam as a tough guy. I always remember him as the campus lothario on “Undeclared.” I know it’s not fair to pigeonhole someone for one role, but he just looks like he’s playing dress-up here; he doesn’t quite have the carriage to be a tough guy. A smooth guy, maybe, but not a ballbreaking tough guy. His line, about filming a porn movie “Canseco Does Georgie” fell flat coming out of his mouth.
Yeah, that line made me cringe just because he couldn’t pull it off. And pigeonholing isn’t fair, but we all do it. I wouldn’t say he’s completely miscast, only because Jax is supposed to be this conflicted guy who is trying to find a better way of life for SAMCRO. Problem is we only get glimpses of that enlightenment when he’s thumbing through his father’s journal.
I started watching this on a fluke with my gf and we got hooked. I think it is unfair to judge the show comparing it to established, long-lived, acclaimed shows like the sopranos and the shield. By watching more episodes you see the nuances of different characters as some accept the lifestyle wholeheartedly while others struggle with the directions they are taking their lives. The more you invest, the more you’ll get out of the show.
In terms of Hunnam, I never saw him anything before so I had no expectations, problems with his accent, or tough guy approach. Coincidentally, I happened upon a little known movie called Green Street Hooligans with Hunnam and Elijah Wood. Hunnam plays a gritty soccer/football fan who takes Elijah under his wing. I didn’t even notice it was the same actor as Jax until halfway through, and he completely pulled off the tough guy persona. Thus, if you have any doubts of his acting ability check this out.
Funny. For me, I just see Jax’s personality as perfect for the reluctant leader. He’s not supposed to be as bad-a$$ed as, say, Clay. I don’t think it’s Hunnam that’s soft. I think it’s Jax.
Jon, I agree about unfair comparisons but you have to admit S.O.A bears a strong resemblance to ‘The Sopranos.’ From the overbearing mother, to the main character learning that his father wasn’t the man he idolized to the whole mafia/motorcycle gang mentality. I prefer to view a show on its own merits but I felt like they were hitting me over the head w/similarities. But like you, the show has really grown on me and this season looks like it’s headed in the best possible direction.
Also, Hunnam had a brief but memorable role in ‘Children of Men.’
It’s interesting that you have trouble buying Charlie as a tough guy because the only thing you’d ever seen him in was what I’m guessing was a completely UN-tough role (I’ve never seen Undeclared). Prior to SoA the on thing I’D seen him in was Green Street Hooligans, where he was the apex badass.
And PS: I’ve seen every episode but this has somehow eluded me: anyone know what SAMCRO stands for/means?
I love SOA. There are not that many shows that make you care about the characters. Who cares how Charlie says Shower!!! Did you see him? This show has great actors and writers.
Yeah, who cares? I honestly didn’t know Jax was British until several episodes into the show. I think as season 1 unfolded, dimensions were added to the major characters that really fleshed them out for me. I think comparison to other shows is a lazy way to critique and unfair. One would be hard-pressed to find better ensemble acting and better writing.
I had no idea Hunnam was British, so either it’s not that bad of an accent or I’m clueless.
I didn’t know either. Never noticed his accent.
I think Jax is HOT!!! And knowing he is British and has an accent makes him even hotter!
I love this show, and I don’t know why. I’m so demographically removed from these characters, I wouldn’t expect to like this show, but I do. I like the story, the acting, Jax trying to be the “good” bad guy of the bunch, etc. I’ll keep watching.
I agree with your comments. I love the show and would have never thought this would be something that would interest me.
I love this show. Season 1 was off, at times, but it also had some brilliant episodes. Did you see any with your boy Dutch? Season 2 is off to a great start. How can you not want to hug poor Opie?
I missed the Dutch episodes, but I thought Jay Karnes was so great on The Shield. In fact, when I saw that Karnes was coming on, I almost stuck with the show in season one. But now I’ll come back; is there a chance that Karnes will return, or did his character die?
Jay Karnes character was killed by Jax and Tara.
Damn!
Yeah, not only did they kill him, they made love next to the dude’s body!
Best Show on TV I think you need to reevaluate your opinion on Charlie Hunnum. He is brillant as well as the rest of the cast. The story and acting should win the Emmy Award for Kurt.
This is one of the greatest shows on TV right now. It was completely off of my radar during the first season, but I watched the DVDs and got so involved I finished the entire first season in one sitting. The second season is proving to live up to the hype. The casting is brilliant. Tom Arnold and Henry Rollins are great additions. I see the issues with similarities to the Sopranos, but any gang-related show from now on will always conjure up images from the Sopranos, it was the best at showing gang-land drama. But the difference here is that they don’t copy and paste from the Sopranos, they are self aware (ie the Adrianna reference), and the plot lines are a lot different. These bad ass bikers all have shown some vulnerability at one point or another. And what really sets this show apart to me is the Shakespearean undertones of Hamlet and MacBeth. Something you would hardly expect from a show about macho biker gun dealers.
I thought the show was good but will probably not watch again because it’s just not my type of show. I get stressed watching such drama! I also had a difficult time with the racism. I was not offended by the show and I understand it’s completely for realism but it put me off a little bit. Katy Sagal and Ron Perlman are great on the show – really enjoyed watching them. Thanks for choosing this assignment, Josh. I feel a little more well-rounded in my tv viewing this week
saw some hells angels at a bar in nyc over the weekend, and then passed there clubhouse walking to the subway. no big deal.