FX Network's new original series, Sons of Anarchy, is an adrenalized drama with darkly comedic undertones that explores a notorius outlaw motorcycle club's (MC) desire to protect its livelihood while ensuring that their simple, sheltered town of Charming, California remains exactly that. Charming. The MC must confront threats from drug dealers, corporate developers and overzealous law officers. Behind the MC's familial and legally thriving autotmotive shop is a ruthless and illegally thriving arms business. The seduction of money, power and blood.

Charlie Hunnam stars as Jackson 'Jax' Teller, a man whose love for the brotherhood will eventually be tested by his growing apprehension for its lawlessness. Katey Sagal stars as Gemma Teller Morrow, Jax's force-of-nature mother and Ron Perlman as Clarance 'Clay' Morrow, Jax's stepfather and MC president. The triangle of Mother, Son and Stepfather will ultimately reveal the dark secrets in this family's past and the lengths they will go to protect their sins.

This season, Jax's journey begins with two discoveries; his son's harrowing premature birth by Wendy Case, his crank-addicted ex-wife, and the discovery of a life-altering document written by his father who died fourteen years earlier.

TCA/Is FX's 'Sons of Anarchy' The Next Big Thing?
July 15, 2008
Today, at TCA, the president and general manager of FX, John Landgraf, stepped up to the stage to introduce the channel's newest drama, Sons of Anarchy. Landgraf told the crowd that "literally the pilot sound work was finished on Sunday night."

The just completed pilot was broadcast on closed circuit into our rooms here at the Beverly Hilton late last night (Monday) and early this morning. Those of us who were able to keep our eyes pried open long enough to watch were very lucky indeed.

We're about midway through the TCA tour at this point. Sons of Anarchy is the one new series, so far, that has me anxiously awaiting more, more, more. The outlaw biker drama is set to debut on Wednesday, September 3.

There are plenty of legal and police dramas on television and FX does both (Damages and The Shield respectively) very, very well. In terms of its dark, gritty tone, Sons of Anarchy syncs nicely with the FX line-up and it could be called The Shield on a Harley. (Sons of Anarchy executive producer/creator Kurt Sutter started as a staff writer on The Shield, rising to executive producer for the last two seasons.)

I'm hesitant to apply the overused term "ground-breaking," but it's true. According to Landgraf, motorcycle clubs "have been portrayed in film many times, but [have]
never been the central source or location for a scripted series in television."

This show will take you on a fast ride into an original television universe - to the town of Charming, California and deep into the culture of an outlaw biker brotherhood.

Within this unique framework, Sons of Anarchy is also a classic generational family drama, and perhaps a Shakespearean one at that.

The cast is exceptional. Charlie Hunnam ('Jax' Teller) was much sought after when Sutter spotted him in the film Green Street Hooligans. Ron Perlman (Hellboy II) plays Jax step-father, Clay Morrow.

But Katey Sagal as Gemma Teller - the tough, protective, and ruthless matriarch of the club and the family - rolls across this series like a Santa Ana.

cont. here

Here's a short-ish interview with Charlie Hunnam, who plays Jax.

"Sons of Anarchy" (premiering Wednesday, Sept. 3 at 10 p.m. EDT)

There's something of a dream deferred for the Sons of Anarchy. This motorcycle club was formed a generation ago as an idealistic, even hippie-dippie kind of "Harley commune." Then its ideals gave way to the practical demands of violence and profiteering. Its members have to pay the bills, provide for their families and eliminate people who interfere.

They talk a lot about "living off the grid" while making sure nothing happens in their little town of Charming, Calif., "that we don't control or get a piece of," declares club president Clay Morrow, one of the founders.

But however free they think they are, they're never free from the hassles and perils being free throws at them.

"Two in the back of the head," mutters Morrow (played with crusty toughness by Ron Perlman) to his stepson Jax, wearily reacting to his latest tribulation. He points to the spot on his skull for Jax to aim at.

"It ain't easy being King," says Jax, who feels his pain.

With "Sons of Anarchy," FX is adding to its roster of outstanding dramas (like "The Shield," "Rescue Me" and "Nip/Tuck") that showcase fascinating anti-heroes who buck the system, doing some good but leaving plenty of collateral damage. They are shrewd go-getters who, more than anything, keep creating problems for themselves.

Besides Morrow, "Sons" presents a colorful mismatch of loyalists bonded by the club's independence and all-for-one policy. Standout characters include Jax (Charlie Hunnam), who's a sexy free spirit with a newborn son, a hair-trigger temper and nagging doubts about the club's lawlessness.

Completing the triangle is his mother, Gemma, Morrow's current wife, who, played powerfully by Katey Sagal, has no doubts whatsoever about the organization she is helping build.

Raw and often bitterly funny, "The Sons of Anarchy" savors the inherent contradiction at its core: an organization self-described as anarchy. How can anything about it not have unforeseen results?

Jax is way too clean and pretty to be a biker. He looks like he belongs in a Calvin Klein ad.

(Katey Sagal was great, though)

That actor was very uneven. Sometimes he was good, sometimes he was stiff and unbelievable.

I think he'll grow into it and while he does, he's very easy on the eyes.

Well, that was some dumb whitezploitation nonsense

That actor was very uneven. Sometimes he was good, sometimes he was stiff and unbelievable.

But at times I thought he barely contained his English accent and what's with his style of walking?

Did anyone else have a hard time understanding a lot of the dialog? I, too, am around biker types a lot and get a lot of the slurry lingo but I had a hard time last night.

But the opening credits? God awful pre-school crap. I actually cringed.

Sprague Grayden and Ryan Hurst as Donna and Opie made me happy