Bob’s Thirsty Thursdays: SOA – In Memoriam
It’s weird to think that we now live in a world where there will be no more new episodes of SONS OF ANARCHY. After seven seasons, the motorcycle drama that made Soap Operas for Men cool again is over, and holy shit what a series finale it had! I was deeply satisfied with the ending of this show, and giving credit where it’s due, mad props to Kurt Sutter for writing/directing the final episode as he was able to tie in the entire series in this one episode. From the notebooks by JT to visiting the graves of Opie and Tara, Cch Pounder just inches away from going hood again, Walton Goggins and his giant tranny boobies, a photo of Bobby, a few music montages and a hard rock motorcycle chase / action sequence, the Irish, and the carcasses of Gemma and Uncer (though leaving out any and all references of Clay was kind of jacked). Plus, what better way to tie up loose ends than to have Jax go on a one-man rampage? It was all kind of brilliant.
Praise aside, however, I did have a few issues, though in the scheme of things, they’re all pretty minor and didn’t impede on my enjoyment of the final episode of the series. They brought in the homeless chick, and Jax (like many of us at the moment) asks the question “who are you?”, giving Sutter the perfect chance to explain this presence, who has been in random episodes for the last few seasons. And right when we’re about to get the answer, she walks away smirking. No answer. Only nasty bread, that later shows up on the side of the road after Jax kills himself (SPOILTER ALERT). So… who the hell was this chick, what’s up with the bread, and what does it all mean??? I still have no clue.
I also thought that having the Michael Chiklis show up AGAIN as the semi-truck drive at the right time for Jax to ride freestyle was a bit much. Really? Was that why he was introduced, so he can come back later and kill Jax Teller? Stupid. The other thing that drove me crazy was Jax’s final Master Plan. The guy is a fuckin’ Master Plan genius, carrying off some of the most intrique Master Plans in television history. With all sorts of talky-talky off-screen and build-up, I was assuming a final Master Plan was at work, getting Jax out of the Mayhem vote. But when it’s revelaed, it’s just… we’ll shoot Happy in the arm and claim that he escaped? THAT’S THE MASTER PLAN??? Fuckin’ Abel’s plan to get Gemma arrested was a better plan than that.
But besides all that, it was a great end to a (more or less) great show that I will truly miss. Hell, they even worked in a final ‘for the club’, which made me all kinds of happy, not to mention throwing those white kicks in the trash for more appropriate leather boots. I liked how the Sons were left (though who else would Chibbs make VP than Tigg? Happy? Ratface? Those two other dudes who never say anything? Not a surprise, but still awesome.), and at the end… I think I was even able to follow along with all the ins and outs of Club business.
Did any of the main characters get the shaft, besides the ones who died over the last season (Jaxidental deaths not included)? Just one: Chucky (with the fingers)… he loved Gemma, he loved the Club, he loved working at TM and Scoops, and yet when it came time for Jax to decide who to give those businesses to, he gives them to…. Wendy the Whore? Really? They should have went to Chucky. And then they randomly patch in T.O. (who I could have sworn was part of another MC earlier in the season) and they don’t patch in Chucky? Dude seriously got the shaft. Hopefully Chibbs and the boys will let him keep his job at Scoops because now the dude how nothing to live for.
SONS OF ANARCHY gave me a lot of joy and endless entertainment over the years, and even though Season 6 left a nasty aftertaste in my mouth that I still can’t shake (or forgive), the Final Season was superb in every ridiculously entertaining way and for a TV show about motorcycle gangs, that’s all I could really ask for.
floyd
December 11, 2014 @ 1:06 pm
I think the homeless lady was the reaper, or angel of death, or mrs. mayhem or whatever you wanna call her.
I had fun with the show but it was so fuckin ham-fisted. I don’t think another show will ever come close to the number of stupid montagggggges this had.
How about that horrible CGI? http://i.imgur.com/6fl434I.png
Notice how Chibbs said ‘yes’ instead of his normal ‘aye’ for the mayhem vote?
What was up with Jax’s sore leg?
http://static.giantbomb.com/uploads/original/6/69903/2485226-3436164357-tell%25.jpg
Bob Simms
December 11, 2014 @ 1:14 pm
All solid points, sir! I like the Reaper idea, even if it’s still left too ambiguously for me.
Montages will never be the same after SOA.
This wasn’t their worst CGI-filled episode, but yes… it was horrendous. Maybe not as bad as the wheelchair-dragged-by-a-car sequence earlier this year, but yes… you’d figure they’d have more budget for better effects.
Chibbs finally spoke English… it was a great day. That said, the beginning of his final speech was so sloppy I couldn’t understand a thing he said.
The sore leg… totally forgot about it… and apparently, so did Kurt Sutter.
Kupka
December 11, 2014 @ 1:46 pm
They heavy handedness of Jacks being the clubs savior, and by savior I do mean Jesus Christ himself, is the reason for the bread and bottle of wine on the ledge (the body and blood) along with the stupid pose he made as he met his demise. Other than that I thought it was a decent finale.
Bob Simms
December 11, 2014 @ 1:57 pm
Wait… Jax is Jesus? LOL That’s hilarious. And awful. But mostly hilarious. Jax and Superman can hang out together as modern-day symbols of JC…