Uzis. That’s how you start off your second season when you’re a motorcycle club from Charming. The “Sons of Anarchy” Second Season Premiere, “Albification,” exceeded all expectations. It was, in a word, amazing. Without digressing, if Katey Sagal doesn’t get the award-winning acclaim she so amply deserves after this season, I’m screaming, “Fix.”
“Sons of Anarchy” Season 2 starts up approximately three weeks after the Season 1 finale. The premiere opened up with a montage of club. Jax is out with the club, minus Opie and Piney, doing Uzi target practice. It is clear he has made an uneasy truce with both Clay and Tig. Piney, usually seen riding around on his three wheeler, is in a family-sedan driving Opie’s kids to school, while Opie returns from his “walk-about.” Gemma is still playing at mom/grandma, walking around with Jax’s baby boy as she passes by the terminally ill Chief Wayne Unser in the hospital chapel praying.
The Mayans and the One-Niners have taken a small backseat this season, as a White Supremacist Organization has supplanted them. The goal of this new organization is to bring back the tranquility to the peaceful town of Charming through supremacist ideology and capitalism. This is the Charming way - trade one evil for another. Expect the uneasy alliance between Deputy Chief David Hale and SAMCRO to grow, as Hale will do battle with his brother who has jumped into bed with this new supremacist threat. Is that it for the Mayans and One-Niners – not likely. With the Mayans down a man, there will be blowback, even if Jax strategically dumped the body to throw the blame from SAMCRO.
Opie has returned to take vengeance against a Mayan scapegoat. Jax is on board for Opie’s sake, but he makes no doubt about his lack of respect for Clay. When Clay warns Jax, the SAMCRO Vice President responds, “Or, what you gonna put a bullet In the back of my head too.” There’s no avoiding it, the bitter-on-screen dynamic between Charlie Hunnam and Ron Perlman is as gritty and darkly comedic as they come. Director Guy Ferland nicely laid out the scene when Opie shoots the Mayan scapegoat. First, Tig shoots him in the mouth, so Opie doesn’t have the chance to interrogate the Mayan about his wife Donna’s death. Next, Opie blasts the man in his head and the blood spatters onto the camera. You can’t deny it, “Sons of Anarchy” has returned with a vengeance.
And, finally we come to my favorite character, Gemma Teller Morrow. Gemma confronts Tara about her relationship with Jax - nothing new there. But, this time she opens up an olive branch, telling Tara to ask Jax for the whole truth. If Tara can listen to it, then she’s okay. The question remains was Gemma simply trying to play Tara or is she really trying to help? Regardless, Tara takes Gemma’s words to heart and confronts Jax. For a moment it seemed like Tara would jump ship, but Tara surprised both viewers and Gemma by sticking around (well at least she did if you didn’t check out her episode arc on IMDB).
Many have compared “Sons of Anarchy” to “The Sopranos,” the definitive “organized-crime” premium cable drama. But, “Sons of Anarchy” took debauchery and moral repugnance to a new level. A.J. Weston, the right hand man of the White Supremacist group leader Ethan Zobelle, kidnaps Gemma and gang rapes her. It is clear, that this organization is beyond foul. They have broken one of the first rules of organized crime – never mess with a man’s family, especially if that man is the boss. And, you sure as hell don’t rape a man’s wife. Kurt Sutter is adding more symbolism and religious references with each episode. When Gemma is raped, the camera shows her staring at the cross. Then Gemma notices the “peace sign” tattooed on one of her rapist’s throat, A.J. Weston. Should we expect retaliation? Oh yeah, there will be hell to pay in Charming.
The Sons of Anarchy Season 2 Premiere will have you grinding your teeth, as you anxiously await the next episode. The season has gotten off to a magnificent start, and is well on its way to topping Season 1.
And, finally we come to my favorite character, Gemma Teller Morrow. Gemma confronts Tara about her relationship with Jax - nothing new there. But, this time she opens up an olive branch, telling Tara to ask Jax for the whole truth. If Tara can listen to it, then she’s okay. The question remains was Gemma simply trying to play Tara or is she really trying to help? Regardless, Tara takes Gemma’s words to heart and confronts Jax. For a moment it seemed like Tara would jump ship, but Tara surprised both viewers and Gemma by sticking around (well at least she did if you didn’t check out her episode arc on IMDB). 
