FX said:

From Kurt Sutter, writer/producer of The Shield, comes Sons of Anarchy, a dark drama set in Charming, a sheltered community watched over by a renegade motorcycle club intent on protecting the town from the newcomers that threaten it. Jackson "Jax" Teller is one member of the brotherhood, who finds his own loyalty to the group tested when he experiences its increasing lawlessness and notoriety, while at the same time adjusting to life as a father. But confusing matters are Jax's mother and stepfather, two ruthless individuals who happen to be the masterminds behind the club.

Sons of Anarchy is broadcast on FX, and produced by FX Productions, Art Linson Productions and Fox 21. The series has been picked up for a full 13-episode first season.

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One final thing that needs to be said about Sons of Anarchy is that while it is well written and directed, the actors also bring a lot to their characters.

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BOTTOM LINE Trade press has labeled this "'Easy Rider' Meets 'The Sopranos,'" which seems apt. Show comes from Kurt Sutter, longtime co-executive producer of "The Shield" (and married to Sagal) so that should give you a sense of tone and texture - violent, taut, well written. But Hunnam's Jax seems to be telegraphing his sensitive, decent, gentle side a little too broadly in the pilot, which makes this feel more like a CBS pilot than an FX one.

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After two episodes, "Sons of Anarchy" -- FX's gritty drama about a brutal, gun-running motorcycle gang -- still appears stuck in neutral. Eager to occupy the mob turf vacated by "The Sopranos," the series features an intriguing cast and introduces a bleak new world. Once that's accomplished, though, there's not much momentum to the story, other than fits of nastiness designed to establish that this is one dangerous group of hombres. Mission accomplished, but when does this hog stop spinning its wheels?

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Gritty and occasionally violent, "Sons" was created by Kurt Sutter, an executive producer on "The Shield." As "The Shield" prepares to bow out, "Sons" should capably fill the smart, testosterone-fueled void.

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While the writing on the show could be crisper and the secondary characters more defined, Sons is still smart, gritty, and better than most of today's TV dramas. But considering that it's on FX, viewers are justified in expecting more. In recent years the cable network has launched a number of edgy, truly original dramas, including The Shield (which begins its final season Tuesday night), Nip/Tuck, Rescue Me, The Riches, and Damages.

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Tim Goodman said:

"Sons of Anarchy" premieres one day after the opening episode of the final season of "The Shield," and there's something fitting about that, given that "Sons of Anarchy" creator Kurt Sutter has been a writer and executive producer on "The Shield" since it started.

Here's a guy who knows how to tell a story and who understands the complexities of anti-heroes. Along with executive producers John Linson (this is his passion project) and Art Linson, Sutter has crafted what might easily be described as a kind of West Coast "Sopranos." More accurately, though, "Sons of Anarchy" is "Hamlet" on a Harley.

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StormyTheRabbit said:

Fuck this show.

They have no idea what Anarchy is from the shitty commercials I've seen.

Sorry if this didn't contribute at all, just something that nagged me a lot. Feel free to ignore this post.

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StormyTheRabbit said:

Fuck this show.

They have no idea what Anarchy is from the shitty commercials I've seen.

Sorry if this didn't contribute at all, just something that nagged me a lot. Feel free to ignore this post.

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straydog1980 said:

oooooooooooooooh you're sooo HARD! what a rebel you are....

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The Wispy Scoundrel said:

If by that you mean he's a total badass, then yeah, I agree.

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Costanza said:

DVRing this

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Pein said:

so am I, let me show them some gratitude for the free points

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StormyTheRabbit said:

FX just shot themselves in the foot.

I don’t know how much the rest of you know about biker culture (I’m an expert), but honor and dickery are huge parts of it. It’s not like it is in America where you can become successful by being an pansy. If you screw someone over in club, you bring shame to yourself, and the only way to get rid of that shame is the circle of death.

What this means is the biker public, after hearing about this, is not going to want to watch Sons of Anarchy, nor will they watch any of Charlie Hunnam's series. This is HUGE. You can laugh all you want, but FX has alienated an entire audience with this move.

FX, publicly apologize and cancel Sons of Anarchy or can kiss your business goodbye.

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… The first two episodes are littered with flashes of violence and basic cable's fondness for mild profanity. Still, in its early going, Sons is mostly interested in establishing the Sons as a tight-knit community — at the expense of plot and sense.… Sons wants us to care about their hopes and struggles, but gives no clue as to why we might do so.

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… Well-made, but heavy-handed and hardly inviting. …

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… even viewers who can overlook the gang's psychotic propensity for mayhem and murder, and see them as anti-heroes, will surely notice through the squalor that these guys are all total losers. …

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… With "Sons of Anarchy," FX is adding to its roster of outstanding dramas … Raw and often bitterly funny …

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… it isn’t half-bad. … Mr. Perlman is a problematic link in the show — he’s performing all ’30s gangster on us. But, as with “The Shield,” the casting is otherwise quite impressive. … call me a girl, but so far I’m enjoying it more as a soap opera than as an addendum to “The Wild One.” …

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… There are moments that require you not to think too hard, and some of the black humor doesn't overcome its fundamental nastiness. But on the whole, it's a superior package, intelligently constructed and handsomely executed. …

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… It's tough to follow in the footsteps of "The Shield," and though "Sons" has its moments, it's quite a bit darker than the cop drama, and it remains to be seen if its characters will ultimately be as compelling as Vic Mackey and his crew. …

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… a real gem … Sutter shows in the first two episodes that he's a storyteller who can lay down an intriguing narrative framework.

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… I got a chance to see the first episode of "Sons of Anarchy" this week and I enjoyed it. I won't review it until I can see more episodes (and watch it while writing a story), but my first impression was positive.…

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… You can’t do better than draw on the Bard for inspiration, but you probably couldn’t do worse than FX in adaptating his material for “Sons of Anarchy” … These big wheels don’t spin for anyone.

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… Eager to occupy the mob turf vacated by "The Sopranos," the series features an intriguing cast and introduces a bleak new world. Once that's accomplished, though, there's not much momentum to the story, other than fits of nastiness designed to establish that this is one dangerous group of hombres. … Admittedly, "The Shield" felt a trifle cliched at the outset too -- corrupt cops in L.A.? -- before finding novel ways to develop and prolong its cat-and-mouse scenario. Given that, there's still modest hope for "Sons of Anarchy" -- the disclaimer being that before the series gets much further down the road, somebody better check the steering.

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… the relentlessly grim and wrenching "Anarchy" is what you get when the thuggery quotient travels off the scale and it becomes nearly impossible to stomach spending time in the same room with the savage characters populating it. … Disturbing and graphic and almost casually sadistic, the series breaks from the starting gate without the darkly comic edge that defined so many on "Sopranos." Everyone here is either too vile or weak to work up much compassion for. …

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LordMaji said:

eh, mixed reviews. We'll see. I hope it's good.

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StormyTheRabbit said:

Fuck this show.

They have no idea what Anarchy is from the shitty commercials I've seen.

Sorry if this didn't contribute at all, just something that nagged me a lot. Feel free to ignore this post.

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Cheeto said:

Brilliant casting.

That image just screams bad-ass biker....

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Blader5489 said:

I remember one preview where the main guy said something like "We're all free men protected by the Constitution." I was like, wtf, do these guys even understand the name of their show? :lol

Anyway, previews all looked terrible. I'll pass.

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daw840 said:

This was a cool episode, no where near the quality of The Shield though. I just have one question:

Spoiler

Why did they beat the shit out of the Elvis impersonator?

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Ninja Scooter said:

i thought it was alright, seems a little predictable. I'll give it a few more eps to see if it picks up. Anyone else think the guy that plays Jackson looks a lot like Heath Ledger?

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Ninja Scooter said:

Anyone else think the guy that plays Jackson looks a lot like Heath Ledger?

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Weenerz said:

I enjoyed the first episode, will continue to watch.

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Talladega Knight said:

I have always thought that. They even make reference to this similarity in Undeclared.

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TV.com said:

Jax worries about the fate of his newborn son as Samcro deals with the aftermath of the warehouse attack. A new deputy police chief arrives in Charming, threatening the group, and Opie is forced to make a difficult decision after experiencing a financial hardship.

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Ninja Scooter said:

i was kind of watching it off and on, one thing i completely missed: Why did they fake that crime scene? Did it have to do with the dead mexican girls?

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Fordzilla said:

What is this Shield nod everyone keeps mentioning? I haven't noticed it in either episode.

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Fordzilla said:

Also, what exactly does SAMCRO stand for? I assume Sons of Anarchy Motorcyle Club something or other? I haven't figured that one out yet.

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Samcro members take arms to capture an assailant after the daughter of a prominent Charming family is assaulted. Meanwhile, Tara's ex-boyfriend pays a visit.

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