Catching Up On: SONS OF ANARCHY

I was hesitant to give FX's Sons of Anarchy a shot because I'm over the whole "gritty" approach to television drama, and I'd much rather watch something lighter like Chuck, Castle, Leverage, or White Collar. Sure those shows aren't dark or realistic, but at least I'm not bummed out after watching them.

The thing is, I kept hearing nothing but good things about Sons (with the exception of Season 3), and after giving Terriers a shot I figured I was ready for a drama that was a little bit more gutsy that didn't involve novelists, con-men, or super spy nerds. Oh yeah, and the outlaw biker gang episodes of History's Gangland also captivated me, so Sons of Anarchy seemed like the show to watch.

I received Season 1 of SoA via Netflix, and burned through them in one day. While I cannot say that I'm in love with the show, I was sucked in to the violent world of Sam Crow. Honestly, I was expecting nothing more than a lot of killing and cursing, which I got, but I didn't see coming was the Shakespearean tale of Jackson Teller. The modern re-telling of a story about a son torn between two fathers with an ambitious and protective mother was what sold me on the show because it's a narrative I can get behind.

It doesn't hurt that Jax was an interesting character in his own right. Charlie Hunnam was able to make Jackson a believable bad-ass albeit a conflicted one, and I found myself actually caring about a gun running, murdering outlaw. Part of Jax's appeal was his devotion not only to SAMCRO, but to his friends and family which made him more relateable than Clay or Gemma. While he's still a bad guy, he's one that you can feel good about rooting for every once in a while.

I don't know if I'll have the stomach to continue watching Sons of Anarchy (while I'm not a prude I do have my limits when it comes to cursing and bloodshed), but for now I'm willing to give it some more time to win me over 100%. Luckily, I've heard Season 2 was when the show really hit its stride, so at least I have something to look forward to.