Thursday, Sep. 03, 2009
Are You In The Club?
I like to think I am one of those people who don't watch much television, but the truth is if I'm home I usually have a TV on. I wear out "Sport Center" and often find myself drawn into shows about tattoos, prison life or survival tactics; and at the risk of losing what little street cred I may have, my wife and I share the guilty pleasure of being reality show junkies. One show I don't have to be ashamed to watch though is a series that premiered on the FX cable network (Time Warner Channel 39) last season: "Sons of Anarchy," which kicks off its second season on Tuesday.
The show is an intense, action-packed drama about a fictional outlaw motorcycle club in small-town Charming, Calif., that runs an auto repair business by the light of day and guns to street gangs and the IRA on the side. The club name is "Sons of Anarchy," but it is often referred to on the show as "SAMCRO" (pronounced Sam Crow), an acronym for "Sons [of] Anarchy Motorcycle Club Redwood Original," indicating it is the club's first and founding chapter.
The show's main character, Jackson "Jax" Teller is played by actor Charlie Hunnam, who I have never heard of until "Sons." He's the vice president of the club and provides the show's source of conscience and inner turmoil, as well as something for girls to get worked up about. In the show, his late father founded the club in simpler times with simpler ambitions so Jax, a new father himself, struggles to find more security and "respectability" for himself and the club in the face of constant violence and conflict with personal relationships, outlaw rivals and law enforcement. The show pulls it off without getting too sappy, though, because just about the time I was ready to write him off as the stereotypical sensitive poet-type designed to bring balance to the show, Jax kicked some serious ass.
You'll recognize Jax's TV mom, played by Emmy Award winner Katey Sagal, from her role as Peg Bundy, mother to Bud and Kelly Bundy on "Married...With Children," but that's where the comparison ends. Sagal's character, Gemma Teller Morrow, is the club's no-shit matriarch who, unlike Jax and his late father, has no apprehensions about keeping it real. She understands that in order for the club and those she cares about to survive, others will have to suffer and she's OK with that. Her willingness to do whatever it takes to protect her own is evident in two separate scenes during the first season. In the first instance, Gemma ruthlessly plants a hypodermic needle full of drugs inside the Bible of Jax's baby momma to sabotage her recovery and get custody of the child. In a later episode, Gemma uses a skateboard to flatten the face of a young woman she suspects of fooling around with her man.
Her man is club president Clarence "Clay" Morrow, played by "Hellboy" star Ron Perlman. Like Jax's dad, his stepdad Clay was one of the founding nine members of SAMCRO and commands respect because of the position and the history. Like Gemma, Clay is old school and has no reservations about doing anything necessary to protect the club, including ordering a hit on one of its own when he smells a rat.
The club has been able to thrive largely because it has local law enforcement, including the lame duck outgoing Chief of Police, in its pocket, but in season one, SAMCRO drew the attention of both the rising Deputy Chief of Police and ATF agents.
I have never been in a motorcycle club, but from what I can gather talking to people and reading online posts by people claiming to have long histories with one percenter (or outlaw) clubs, the show is a pretty accurate portrayal and a fascinating glimpse into a world outside of society. Really the only universal exception I've heard taken is that on the show the club's prospect (member-to-be; think fraternity pledge) sits in on "church" (the closed-door, regular club meetings), which would never be allowed in real life.
I also read a lot of criticism because Jax wears white tennis shoes instead of the traditional black leather boots most bikers wear. A response from the show's producers admitted Jax's footwear was done deliberately to try to help a younger generation identify with the show, but the only people I've seen wearing white sneakers on a motorcycle are the same posers who ride around wearing khaki shorts and boat shoes with no socks.
If you want to get in on the action before jumping into season two, which premier next week you can order the recently-released four-disc DVD or Blu-Ray versions of "Sons of Anarchy's" first season ($32.99) at foxshop.seenon.com/detail. If you don't want to part with $33, the show wasn't available at Blockbuster (online or in-store), but it was available for rent via Netflix if you have a membership.
If you have any questions, comments or suggestions of bike-related topics send a "Big E-mail'' to surgebiker@yahoo.com.
Click here for previous Ridin' with Big E columns
