3201 replies to this topic

[Primero]

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.

When I first heard about this I was sure that I would only watch it for Charlie Hunnam, but now that I've seen the trailer I'm kind of intruged. You can watch it here.

And you can read more about it on FX's official website here. It airs September 3 at 10 pm, I believe.

[Chancellor]

I can't wait for this new FX drama. FX is usually good with hit shows so I have very high hopes for it. I just hate that they're not giving us much of anything with the promos. They're definitely teasing the audience right now!

[Primero]

Several promo pics here

And a review of the Pilot

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

[cyberducks]

This looks really intriguing.....hopes the pilot will leak soon.

[Primero]

New teaser trailer here.

It's quite short and doesn't show much, but I thought I'd post it to keep this thread moving until the buzz for the show catches up. Which I'm sure it will.

[Bill C]

Peg Bundy, biker chick. And Ron Perlman?

Hell, that's worth at least checking out the pilot. (Though I can't help but think: I was all set to flip off FX once The Shield ended...)

[cyberducks]

There are more teaser videos on the official site.....

[needsleep05]

So, I went to the FX site to look up something about another show and noticed a link for this on the drop-down menu.

I watched the preview with the 2:02 running time and this was my reaction:

Oh, bikers. --> Hellboy? --> Peggy Bundy? --> Wait. Is that the hot guy from Green Street Hooligans? --> Adriana from The Sopranos?! --> Rachel from Mad Men?! --> Where the hell did this come from and when does it start?

Plus, the rest of the biker gang is chock full o' H!ITG! actors. I went from not knowing a damn thing, to being beyond excited about this show.

Edited by needsleep05, Aug 4, 2008 @ 3:36 PM.

[Susanlea]

It starts Sept 3rd, I believe

[DarknessReigns]

Didn't see this mentioned. There was some casting info that Jay Karnes - Dutch on The Shieldwould be coming on for a six episode arc.

Edited by DarknessReigns, Aug 6, 2008 @ 5:04 PM.

[Bill C]

Well, that cinches it. I'm there.

[thalion]

I am so excited about the promo line "you sold crack to my pregnant ex-wife?!" It was, of course, punctuated with a punch, in addition to the interobang.

[Primero]

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

And Ron Perlman also talks a bit about his role in SoA towards the end of this interview.

[cyberducks]

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

Thanks! That's where I know this guy from - the original QAF....

[DMike]

Damn, there's already a thread for this? I was this close to posting "Sons of Anarchy: Bundy and the Beast", but alas...

Either way, I'm really excited for this show and can't wait for the beginning of next month.

[Bill C]

Not only is Jay Karnes popping up (as, reportedly, an ATF agent), but so is Mitch Pileggi (as a skinhead).

[kubiac]

Associated Press review. Link includes info on "True Blood" and "Raised by the Bar."

"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?

[ttfr1]

I've read and heard that Ryan Hurst ("Remember the Titans", "We Were Soldiers", and TNT's "Wanted") is a regular...so, I'll definitely be watching.

[jackiecarr]

I was intrigued by the commercial I saw the other day so I'll check it out. The cast sounds good. It's sounds like there's some Hamlet in there going by the review upthread.

[trox50]

If done right, Lawless biker gang has awesome potential. I'm somewhat surprised there hasn't been more buzz for this show. I just found out about it, and it airs in a few hours.

I just hope the show runners keep crappy plotlines from dragging it down.

[Bulldog]

This was OK. Not great. Not terrible. Probably won't watch again.

[Standoffish]

Well, that was some dumb whitezploitation nonsense. Hard to believe one of The Shield writers created this.

(Katey Sagal was great, though)

[jackiecarr]

Jax is way too clean and pretty to be a biker. He looks like he belongs in a Calvin Klein ad. It's not bad, but probably won't become appointment TV for me.

[Coppercat]

It seemed long, and tedious. I may watch the next one, to see if the pacing improves. But if I forget, my heart won't break.

[nicepebbles]

I liked it. I'm intrigued. I really like Gemma, half because I really like Katy and half because she's interesting to me.

CH reminds me of Garrett Hedlund, who played Jack Mercer in Four Brothers.

[mandigirl]

I'm surprised by all the negative. I actually really liked it. It was dark and brooding and one review I read mentioned Shakespeare and I certainly got that vibe. Some of the elements don't quite jibe yet, but I'm sure that will improve. All in all, I set it as a permanent slot on my tifaux so I'm in for at least two or three more episodes.

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

Yeah, for reals. That certainly wasn't a problem in my book 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.

(Katey Sagal was great, though)

I usually can't stand her, but it's like she was made for this role. If this lasts, she'll be up for an Emmy next year no doubt.

[ciscokidinsf]

Very nicely casted, even if Jax sometimes was a bit 'off'. Wow! for Mitch Pileggi. Dialogue was good and the holy duo of Ron Pearlman-Katey Sagal are awesome in this. Music was well done as well.

I'm interested enough to keep going.

[joanne3482]

So the Elvis impersonator guy... are they perhaps laundering money through that or something like that or did he have to show up to his gig because otherwise it would be suspicious? I feel like I may have missed something there. I also seem to have missed "White Boy." Is he from a 3rd gang perhaps?

I'm a little bummed that Drea DeMatto seemingly died this episode. I think she could have been rather interesting. It does make me wonder where they will go with the baby story since who is going to take care of the kid when he's released from the hospital? The drama surrounding the kid is good, but since this kid is going to need a lot of care and grandma doesn't seem the type to be so incredibly nurturing it makes me wonder what will happen with him or will he just disappear.

[kubiac]

joanne, according to Kristin, Drea survived and will be back.

Edited by kubiac, Sep 4, 2008 @ 1:35 AM.

[Rollins316]

If the scene in the bedroom scene between Sagal and Pearlman was any indication, Sagal's character may be wanting to take her grandchild away from the kid's mom not for logical reasons as far as the mom being unfit, but because she wants to mold the poor kid into the next in line of running the gang in the event Jax fails miserably to live up to her expectations....

Edited by Rollins316, Sep 4, 2008 @ 1:41 AM.