Sons of Anarchy: "Out"

Season 4, Episode 1

Getting back to the original formula

“Welcome home, gentlemen.”

-Roosevelt

“The bond that holds this club together isn’t love or brotherhood anymore.

We lost that a long time ago. It’s fear and greed now.”

-Jax

When you’re the flagship show of a network, that pretty much affords you the freedom to do just about anything that you want to do in order to tell your story. For Sons of Anarchy, that allowed them to have two 90 minute episodes during their third season. The show – like most FX shows – had used 76 minute episodes in the past for those stories that needed extra time, but those 90 minute episodes felt like excess. It didn’t help that the first one, which saw the Sons arrive in Ireland, certainly didn’t need the extra time, as so little was accomplished story-telling wise. And while that second episode, the third series finale, used that time far more effectively, it was impossible to ignore the fact that the running time was only necessitated because the writers had planned out the season’s arc so poorly that they have to tack on certain things at the end.

So it shouldn’t be a surprise that I was rather dreading sitting through yet another 90 minute episode. But it turns out that I was actually pleasantly surprised when this ended up being a rather strong episode for the series. That doesn’t mean that I expect or condone any future effort by the show to do more 90 minute episodes; the only reason that this one worked is because if the context surrounding it. In an attempt to rid the show of the mythology-heavy attitude that plagued last season, Kurt Sutter had to return the show to the formula that worked in the first place. In order to do that, he needed to provide an episode that could exposition away some things while ushering in some new ones, yet avoid making the episode feel like it’s one giant info dump. Hence the 90 minutes. From here on out, a 90 minute episode will only feel necessitated if the show once again feels the need to clear the dregs out a previous season – and no one wants that again.  

Most of the press surrounding the show’s premiere has inevitably focused on the show’s return to that old formula, and considering that it’s such a pressing issue, how could it not? It’s not just that that has to be the question on everyone’s mind, but that it permeates this episode’s plot. So much of the episode is either setup for something new or continuation of what we already know – learning that Jacob Hale is now the mayor, that he’s brought in new housing projects, a new Sherrif (Rockmond Dunbar), and an AUSA (Ray McKinnon) to help take out the Sons for good; learning about the Sons’ new deal with the Russians as well as what led up to it, seeing Unser jobless and wifeless; Opie and Lilah’s wedding, Maureen’s letters to Jax – that there wasn’t really time for much else to actually happen.

This isn’t to say that nothing happened. We saw the Sons get to pull a fast one on some local cops, and we got to see them generally hang out in that usual way, and that made for some interesting viewing. But the problem with going back to square one is that at times this episode felt as if belonged in season one – which wouldn’t be a problem except that most viewers are likely hoping for the glory days of season two to come back. While most of the setup makes for any interesting start to a season arc, it doesn’t necessarily make for an interesting episode, and I kept tapping my fingers waiting for something exciting to happen.

In fact, I was just about ready to write this episode off as “boring but necessary” until the final 30 minutes kicked in. It started off by returning to yet another original vein of the show: Jax’s plan to leave the club. While it feels as if this revelation is a long time coming, and should feel stale at this point, let’s not forget that his intention to leave got washed over by the events of the second and third seasons. Besides, I think it was a good plot in the first place and was actually a bit disappointed when it disappeared under everything else, so I’m glad that it’s back, even if for a short while. (Now if only those Hamlet parallels would return.) What I’m less enthralled with is that fact that Jax’s is staying out of pride, out of a sense that he can’t live of off Tara’s money for a while. Not only is it weird for such a misogynistic action to take place on a fairly feminist show, but it’s just stupid on both Jax and Tara’s parts to think that him going back for “one last score” is a good idea.

The other big development was the Sons killing spree of Russian mobsters, a move that not only clears up one last niggling plot point from last season, but also seems set to give the Sons a new emotional angle to play off of. SOA is at its best when it starts its season off with a major event, something to propel the characters forward. And while “Russian slaughter” isn’t nearly as powerful as Gemma’s rape at the start of season two, raising the moral stakes on what SAMCRO will and will not do in order to regain their previous position of power (and possibly “save” Charming in the process). When you add this newfound moral floor to Jax’s decision to leave the life, well now things are starting to get interesting. Welcome back, Original Sons. You’ve been missed.

Quotes and Other Thoughts:

I know it’s a little thing, but I’m glad that the premiere of the episode means the disappearance of those teaser ads. It’s not that I don’t like the “Dani California” but the Red Hot Chili Peppers generally have a more southern California sound, which doesn’t fit the show’s setting or aesthetic. What does fit it? The theme song, of course. God how I missed it. (Of course it doesn’t help that the song was used in the “this season on…” trailer that aired at the end of the episode.)

When I first started the show, it took me a while to get used to Charlie Hunnam’s really long hair, since I was used to his mop top look from Undeclared. Now that he’s shaved his head down, I’m thrown off once again. Speaking of missing hair, why did Rockmond Dunbar shave off that glorious goatee-type thing?

Considerign that we saw Gemma at the wedding, and then later tucking Abel into bed, does that mean that that kid was left without a sitter? Because I certainly don’t recall seeing neither him nor Thomas at the wedding. Maybe they hired a babysitter – but then why did Gemma come back early? (Besides because the plot required it.)

And speaking of returning to earlier status, Potter’s plan to get the Sons using RICO seems exactly like Stahl’s plan in season two, albeit with a little more scope. Can’t the writers come up with something more creative for the law enforcement officers to do?

I had originally thought Big Otto had actually killed himself at the beginning of the episode, and was all ready to turn that into some sort of metatextual metaphor on Kurt Sutter reneging on his plans to explore the club’s mythology and (admittedly) coincidently taking himself off Twitter. I should have known better than to believe that Sutter would kill of his own character.

“You’re the welcoming committee? I was hoping for some flowers, maybe a bunt cake.”

“They’re not strippers. Ever been to the Jellybean? It’s horse meat in a bikini.”

“Sounds like someone else wants a shot at those puppies.”

“I got a call. Jed Clampett wants his front yard back.” “It’s a style. Retro-redneck.”

“I have no idea what that means, expect that it involves a lot of shit and a big fan.”

“What else?” “And treat you as good as my leather, and ride you as often as my hog.”