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Last updated: 11:28 am
September 3, 2008
Posted: 4:55 am
September 3, 2008
NOW that the mob is in shambles, violent gangs are taking over entertainment.
Yes, folks, motorcycle gangs are the new Mafia. At least, as far as movies and TV are concerned.
Last month, there was the Quentin Tarantino-produced, "Hell Ride." And now FX has come up with the scary, terrible, wonderful, violent, often-brilliant "Sons of Anarchy," a "Sopranos" for the new century.
And, to cement the deal, they even have Drea de Matteo as the drug-addled wife of the leader's stepson.
Similar even in structure to "The Sops," "Anarchy" is a "family" drama about the kind of family you might want to avoid while being drawn to them at the same time.
Sons of Anarchy Motorcycle Club Redwood Original (SAMCRO) is the name of an MG, er, I mean, MC (motorcyle club) in a small town called Charming, Calif.
The Anarchy boys ride, run guns on an international scale, are extremely violent, live outside the law and still manage to operate a thriving legal automotive shop.
Think The Bada Bing with Hogs instead of pigs. They even have a backroom clubhouse where they drink, talk business, talk family, talk women, make deals and divvy up the dough.
The gang members are devoted family men - with loyalties to both their Anarchy brothers-in-blood and their blood relatives. They take care of their wives and their kids and do kill to protect any or all of the above (especially that warehouse full of guns).
The gang is headed by Clay Morrow (Ron Perlman), who is married to Gemma (Katey Sagal), mother of Jax (Charlie Hunnam) - whose father was one of the original "Redwood 9" members of Anarchy. He's also the ex of Wendy (deMatteo), a pregnant dope addict.
In the first gripping episode, we meet all the gang members who are on a tear after a rival drug-dealing club, The Mayans, rob their warehouse and clean it out of thousands of illegal weapons and then set it on fire with two illegal immigrant women - sex slaves of SAMCRO member Tig (Kim Coates) - inside.
At the same time, Wendy, in a drug stupor, gives birth prematurely to Jax's son.
The casting is the best since "The Sopranos" and every cast member is perfect. They include Mitch Pileggi, Tommy Flanagan, Johnny Lewis, Theo Rossi, Ryan Hurst, William Lucking and Tara Knowles as Maggie Siff, a doctor who was the high school sweetheart of Jax, the hottest guy on a Hog since Brando. (But Jax, kill the crazy walk.)
Every character is unique - but almost none compares in strangeness to Bobby Munson (Mark Boone, Jr.), a Jewish killer/gang member/Elvis impersonator.
Yes, I love this show.
"Sons of Anarchy"
Tonight at 10 on FX
