Very recently Sons of Anarchy concluded with its last season after 7 years of exposing us to the famous motorcycle club’s misfortunes through the eyes of Jackson ‘Jax’ Teller, played by Pacific Rim‘s Charlie Hunman. Here I will review each season, from 1-7, before giving my summary of what I think of the series as a whole. Beware, Sons of Anarchy is finished, so there are spoilers in this review. Since it’s season by season you can stop reading at a season you haven’t seen yet and come back to it when you have.
Season 1: ‘The Sons of Anarchy’ (8/10)
Being the first season there was a lot of things show runner and producer Kurt Sutter had to teach us; club history, ranks, characters, other gangs and so on. We find out Jackson Teller is our main character, the current Vice President of the club. His father John Teller was the club’s creator. We get insight into dealings the clubs does under the table, guns. That the auto repair motorcycle enthusiasts is just front. Season One is solid despite all the expository weight on its shoulders. All of what we learn is what keeps us interested, along with the new, gritty, original and violent characters. Jax is impulsive and aggressive, his mother Gemma is lethal and protective. By the end of the season we see as John Teller’s legacy begins to take a direct effect on Jax and other members of the club. Teasing so much more for seasons to come…
Season 2: ‘Follow the Leader’ (10/10)
Now Kurt Sutter has explained the basis premise to us, we can really get down to business. Season 2 is arguably the best of the entire 7, as we see Jax become practical with his father’s legacy, he and Clay (president) begin to fight over the legendary role at the club. This begins to crack the group in half while other threats, most notably the ATF, begin to destroy the club slowly through Opie and his family. Characters and plot are handled perfectly in this season. The pressures and tensions are felt as everything starts to cave in on the club, we now understand that every member has their ‘shit to deal with’ so to say, with Tig, Opie and Chips having various problems as well as Jax, Clay, Gemma, Tara and ATF agents. Every character has depth and emotional baggage, which helps the audience bond with them all on a deeper level without making any of them annoying.
Season 3: ‘John’s Legacy’ (9/10)
Following the kidnapping of Abel, SAMCRO travels to Ireland to get him back. But after finding out his son has a new family and assimilating new history that his father has another child. Jax begins to learn more and more and has to struggle with the idea of leaving his son, so he doesn’t grow up a thug like his father and his grandfather before him. Character arcs take strange turns but for the better, making them more interesting and more intelligent. Kurt Sutter’s direction of the final episode is obviously amazing, it stood out from the rest of the season which is already well directed. The final episode ‘NS’ is one of the best episodes of the entire series. It made me realise Kurt Sutter has bags of talent, this multiplied with the seasons ending (main club members going to prison) that yet again, there is more to come.
Season 4: ‘Risky Business’ (10/10)
After revelations in Ireland, Jax decides he must leave the Sons to raise his family. But Clay has thrust the club into drug dealing (deemed unacceptable by most charters) with a Mexican cartel. This and guns proves to be too much traffic for The Sons of Anarchy to keep a lid on, despite Jax wanting to leave the club he gains more ground in the battle for presidency. Clay’s decisions are making the ground crumble underneath him as he starts to think more about his future and not the clubs well being. Juice’s character becomes more prominent and as an audience we relate with his fear and vulnerability. When Jax finds out about how his father really died he is championed by not only his mother and wife but us too. The added audience involvement of us knowing more than Jax is a deeply refreshing taste. Sutter is back to direct the final episodes and improves on last season. ‘To Be’ Act 1 and 2 are the best episodes of the entire series, rounding off the best season of the series, as Jax finally takes his father’s mantel and becomes president.
Season 5: ‘New Direction’ (9/10)
Now at the head of the table Jax has to deal with club problems left by Clay, who he unfortunately has to keep alive because of the Irish despite everyone he’s hurt. Opie’s death is a massive turning point in the entire series, probably the most beloved character on the show and Jax’s best friend. His death was handled with such meticulous care, the scene was distressingly beautiful. Tears were shed, and even again at Opie’s funeral. After this Jax changed immediately, Charlie Hunman’s portrayal of Jax finally realising his position as king plus the emotional distortion of the death helped show off his acting talent. The writers addition of the character ‘Nero’ made me very grateful indeed, he seemed to be the only character on the show who just wanted good to happen and for no one to die. While Bobby starts to make decisions behind Jax’s back we see how the Jax becomes corrupted by the president patch with Pope looming over him. This is probably the most depressing of all the seasons due to all the deaths.
Season 6: ‘Becoming Legit’ (8/10)
I find season 6 to be progressive, it continues the story from season 5 but doesn’t deviate much. Jax gets back on track to getting the club back to legit business. His goal is for the club to get out of guns but the IRA have their hooks in deep. Juice faces massive trials and I think we begin to accept him as a main character possibly taking over Clay who FINALLY is killed by Jax. After everything Clay had done I didn’t find his death satisfying, I think the writers acknowledged this however. Tara’s death at the hands of Gemma was the real big talking point, Juice kills the sheriff and is the only witness. While Jax is already going to prison his wife’s death would come to define him. Season 6 is still good but disappointing compared to its sister seasons, the final episode lays ground for season 7 in a crazy way, almost fooling us to think the entire season was as entertaining.
Season 7: ‘The Last Ride’ (9/10)
For a last season I found the first 8 episodes of the season surprisingly dull, it was the same old business. For a long time no one had any idea Gemma killed Tara, gang wars and rivalry was all over the place because of Jax’s search for vengeance. However when the last half of the seasons lands, it lands in a big way. These last episodes are what make this a 9/10, characters arcs begin to end. Juice dies in prison, Abel is already becoming a troubled soul at a very young age as his father’s work begins to take its toll. Bobby is killed at the hand of Pope industries, but it’s Jackson’s and Gemma’s story that really bring the weight to the table. Jackson’s soul is destroyed as he kills his mother Gemma for the death of his wife even though he still loves her. Jackson then kills all of the clubs adversary’s in the final moments of the episode which I thought was a poor way of closing too many story lines they had going. Jackson saves the club and saves his children from the life of SAMCRO. In his final ride he commits suicide just like his father. Tear jerking moments as we and Jax say goodbye to all the characters left behind to pick up the pieces.
Sons of Anarchy is a beautiful story of a man who loses everything including his humanity and soul on the way to fulfilling his father’s legacy and saving his children from the jaws of SAMCRO. The journey of the characters is enough to keep you glued to the screen without the excellent and talented work from directors and writers, especially Kurt Sutter. A must watch for anyone who likes TV or Film.
Words by Eddie Snafu Michael