Smallscreen News
Sons of Anarchy' Toad's Wild Ride a biker PSA, some thoughts
By April MacIntyre Oct 24, 2012, 14:52 GMT
Unser is dispatched to “feel out” the Nomads which only enrages Gogo, who’s in the system and the DNA match from Rita\'s murder, and Greg the Peg (Kurt Yaeger) a character I will miss in the clubhouse mix.
This episode vexed me for some reason. If you haven't see it yet, bugger off.
First before we discuss story, I loved the camera work and lensed scenes-kudos to Peter Weller and the entire camera department for delivering adrenalin pumping scenes and new camera angles and technique during some chase scenes. Well done.
Juice's (Theo Rossi) continued naivete regarding Clay are maddening to me as much as the Juice's black daddy blackmail club drama from last season. I'm not buying it and at the risk of being called a fat c*nt blogger on Twitter, it's the weak link in the SOA chain for me. Despite that big cracks emerge in Juice's Clay loyalty this episode, it's not feeling right to me.
I love Juice, and I hope he comes roaring out of his Pied Piper trance quickly so we can get on with circling the SAMCRO wagons around Clay (Ron Perlman) who has kicked every every conniving manipulative TV bitch in the entire history of the boob tube to the curb with his exceptional Machiavellian maneuverings and mendacious lies! Say that fast three times.
Clay continues to scheme with the three Nomads. The truth is bubbling to the surface about the home invasions. Unser has carefully mapping out the case in his Airstream. Unser tells Jax he believes Clay is using the Nomads to make the club look weak so the sheriff and town turn on the “pretty guy they gave the gavel to” and Clay can grab the power once again.
Unser is dispatched to “feel out” the Nomads which only enrages Gogo, who’s in the system and the DNA match from Rita's murder, and Greg the Peg (Kurt Yaeger) a character I will miss in the clubhouse mix.
Jax runs off Frankie Diamonds (Chuck Zito) who will resurface somehow. Greg tells Clay that both Jax and Unser have unraveled the secret and Clay reinforces their wish to plug Unser once and for all.
In classic Clay style, the guys storm Unser's RV and wind up dead courtesy of Unser' shotgun and Clay's 9 MM handgun. The man knows how to get rid of loose ends. Unser reloads his gun, he still thinks Clay created this all-too-neat scenario. Clay insisted it wasn’t him, or he would have let them kill Unser. Unser tells Clay to screw and he'll deal with the police. “Watch your back, Wayne, there’s still one of ‘em out there,” Clay said as he left. “Yeah, I’m watchin’,” Unser said.
A great scene also happens between Tara and Clay in the clubhouse, as the old lion cannot charm his seething daughter-in-law who knows exactly who he is, and Juice overhears their terse conversation. Wake up Juice! Put two and two together and stop letting people call you "Juicy."
And Unser! Dayton Callie is one of my favorites, and I love how he manages to survive a show where the body count each episode averages four people.
The Joel McHale 'Warren' cameo was a fun diversion and further hammers home how screwed up our mama Gemma (Katey Sagal) is, to the point were she's swilling Banana Vodka in a Bedbug infested no-tell motel with this charming grifter who jacked the wrong woman.
Gemma immediately calls Nero (Jimmy Smits) who has really come to understand exactly who this creature is and doesn't judge her. Smits has taken this role and crafted something beautiful, and it meshes perfectly with the established cast. It is Nero who counsels Jax over his anger at Gemma and reinforces the maternal respect aspect while diffusing the entire cocked up day, retrieving the stolen Escalade, and later dispatching gangland style (not Gangnam style) justice on Warren.
Jax and Gemma have a tender moment where old grief is laid bare and Gemma is embraced once again. She even makes nice with Unser who is hurt, and still adores her but he lives in that shadow of unrequited love, he'll never have Gemma physically, but he is happiest in her orbit when she turns on the mama Teller charm offensive.
Now we know that Jax and Tara’s cabin getaway is planned, and like all good plans, a fly cometh. Gemma becomes Plan B for their sitter who cannot be there for them, and this sets up the end of the episode whammy. You know what's coming, after watching Unser and Gemma smoke a Peace Pipe filled with the good sh*t. Which takes me to the next vexing moment of the show last night: Filthy Phil.
The SAMCRO Tits on Bull award for the season goes to him for observing Gemma's condition, and that she is barely able to conjugate a verb, let alone drive her two grandsons home.
She's so obviously inebriated on pot and perhaps a snort of Banana Vodka, and he says nothing. I understand his character may be afraid of her, but this move better have some consequences and by that I mean if any more SAMCRO characters are getting the Sutter bus ticket to Heaven, it better be him.
Gemma of course has a horrific wreck and their are injuries and possible a child's death.
The closing scene is so disturbing. I fear that little Abel - visual cues being the fallen toy he snuggled in a previous napping scene - now on the floorboards with blood dripping - is collateral damage. Hopefully he survives and by the looks of the previews for next week, no funerals were teased.
