Sons of Anarchy

I was skeptical at first, but I started the series from Season 1 about a month ago and now, about midway through the current season (5) I'm prepared to declare this one heck of a fine show. Maybe not on the level of Mad Men or Breaking Bad, but not too far behind. It seems to have gotten exponentially better after season 1, which seemed to be tying to be to biker culture what the Sopranos was to mob culture.

When they must have realized that there weren't actually that many photogenic, articulate bikers on the planet, it started to become more of a hard-bolied, pulpy, '80s-style action-porn series. Instead of The Sopranos, it is to bikers what Lethal Weapon or Die Hard is to cops—just a little more stylized and over-the-top.

Anyway, I'm sure some of you guys are into it, and if not, consider this my official recommendation. Anyone who grew up watching Lethal Weapon or The Last Boy Scout would certainly be all over it.

I think it also teaches the very important lesson that no matter how many times you try to murder someone, you shouldn't let that come between your friendship.

jg

JG Pasterjak wrote: just a little more stylized and over-the-top.

I am a huge fan of the show, but this is a very good way to describe it. The predicaments they get into are like the perfect storm of things going wrong. But that is what draws people to it like Breaking Bad. I am not going to point out much of it because I do not want to give any spoiler info to others.

The terrible cop-outs the writers have been using really turned me off of that show. First season was good, though!

Osterkraut wrote: The terrible cop-outs the writers have been using really turned me off of that show. First season was good, though!

Season 4 had this problem. Bad. The "end" seemed to last three episodes and had everything short of people pulling off masks to reveal they're someone else. One reveal in particular I would love to know if it was planned from the beginning or was just made up on the spot to solve a narrative problem.

But Season 5 really seems to be redeeming it for me. I dunno. Maybe I'm just a sucker for a good episode-closing montage.

jg

I got tired of it midway through season three I'd say. There's only so many montages you can watch, and two or three per show gets old rather quickly, especially watching the episodes on Netflix back to back. Not a big fan of the acting or writing either, but to each their own.

I watch it for the one liners. My wife watches it for Jax.

I started watching it about a month or two ago. I'm at the end of season 2 right now. I like it, I'd say it's 4 stars, maybe 3.5. There were times I thought they were really reaching, but overall, I like it.
Jax has a bit too much of the young, urban, wannabe gangster swagger for me though. He doesn't seem like a biker, but I know he's the new generation so that may be intentional.

Season 3 in Europe did blow and blow hard. I have been awaiting one after the other this season though. Only one left!

That's how all of the kid biker gang members are, with their long hair and inability to shave.

Love the show it's the only TV show I watch. Seriously I don't even turn the TV on except for Tuesday nights.

Season four seemed to me like it was supposed to end the show and they just threw that ending together last minute to keep it going.

Season five started slow but has really picked up with the last couple episodes.

Been watching them on Netflix. Have 4 episodes left to watch in season 4.

Some of it was getting a little too soap opera for me. Then they blow something up and it's OK again.

Where did the Doc's Cutlass go? Seems to have fallen out of the show after season 3.

Hardly ever see any of them wrenching on their own bikes lol.
The guy who plays Jax is English I believe but sometimes he sounds like he has an east coast Boston area accent.

I was kinda hooked on SOA till the gang went over the pond to deal w/ the Irish chapter. My eyes glazed over and realized it became too soap opera. I blame the writers not the crew.

It's still good flick... but I been spoiled by BB

can't bring myself to watch it.. i grew up with a bunch of real old school bikers- they were in a gang (Sons of Silence) and everything.. they were (and still are) involved in stuff that i'm better off not knowing about- and just can't bring myself to watch an exaggerated and romanticized hollywood version of it.

one thing i will say, tho, and i don't know if the show reflects this, but those bikers that i grew up knowing are both the most badass and kindest people i've ever been around.

As a lifelong motorcyclist, I have no patience with 'bikers'. Their 'lifestyle' reflects badly on anyone who rides and as an OHV advocate I can tell you that the people who make decisions concerning land use lump everyone on two wheels with that image, same way that fart cannoned mad tyte drift yO kids sliding through neighborhoods or doing stupidity on the Interstates screw up the search for autocross sites. So I don't have any real desire to watch that show.

I don't take this as having anything to do with motorcycling. It's a good man soap opera that I find myself liking despite the fact that it gets pretty preposterous on a regular basis.
If you like this, try "Hell on Wheels", about the transcontinental railroad, and the 3 and out "Deadwood", which are both pretty good once you get around the corner - lots of cursing, nekkid bodies, etc.

Yeah I just started watching it. The first couple of seasons were pretty good but I don't think I am going to keep watching it. Some of the stuff in the show is just so ridiculous. I don't think it is anywhere near what Breaking Bad is, even though most of that show is completely ridiculous. Breaking Bad is much more about the characters and you want to see what happens. I don't get that same feeling from SOA.

Curmudgeon wrote: As a lifelong motorcyclist, I have no patience with 'bikers'. Their 'lifestyle' reflects badly on anyone who rides and as an OHV advocate I can tell you that the people who make decisions concerning land use lump everyone on two wheels with that image, same way that fart cannoned mad tyte drift yO kids sliding through neighborhoods or doing stupidity on the Interstates screw up the search for autocross sites. So I don't have any real desire to watch that show.

what do old school Harley riding bikers have to do with OHV and land use?

i don't think anyone will ever confuse a "typical" long haired leather wearin' whiskey drinkin' meth smokin' greaseball tatooed Harley rider with a "typical" flat brim hat wearin' Bieber haircut havin' energy drinkin' tattooed motocross rider.. except maybe the dirtball Harley rider is more socially acceptable these days...

The wife & I just finished whatever Netflix has. Looking forward to the next season.

I'll have to look up Deadwood. We watch "Hell on Wheels", "Walking Dead", & "Dexter " too. I'm not sure what that says about us.

novaderrik wrote:

Curmudgeon wrote: As a lifelong motorcyclist, I have no patience with 'bikers'. Their 'lifestyle' reflects badly on anyone who rides and as an OHV advocate I can tell you that the people who make decisions concerning land use lump everyone on two wheels with that image, same way that fart cannoned mad tyte drift yO kids sliding through neighborhoods or doing stupidity on the Interstates screw up the search for autocross sites. So I don't have any real desire to watch that show.

what do old school Harley riding bikers have to do with OHV and land use? i don't think anyone will ever confuse a "typical" long haired leather wearin' whiskey drinkin' meth smokin' greaseball tatooed Harley rider with a "typical" flat brim hat wearin' Bieber haircut havin' energy drinkin' tattooed motocross rider.. except maybe the dirtball Harley rider is more socially acceptable these days...

Most people who are land use managers draw no distinction between the Hell's Angels and the Blue Ribbon Coalition. Been there, done that, sat at the long conference table. In their eyes the electrician with a wife and two kids who happens to ride a dirt bike is no different from the greasy dope dealer on the apehanger Harley with slash cut straight pipes.

SillyImportRacer wrote: I'll have to look up Deadwood.

Deadwood isn't on Netflix but is on Project Free TV.

In reply to Anti-stance:

Thanks

Thank you for reminding me I need to get back on that show. A friend told me that if I thought Hell On Wheels was good, I'd really like Deadwood.

Tig: "I'm not gonna lie to you Gemma... I'm a very big man. And a little bit of lube sometimes, it's just the humane thing to do."

I love Tig

I'm finally getting caught up on the last few episodes.

In a real departure from form, Jax struts around, flares his nostrils, and shoots people.