Smallscreen News
Sons of Anarchy 'Ablation' sets new wheels in motion, some thoughts
By April MacIntyre Oct 31, 2012, 3:31 GMT
Ablation - The removal of material from the surface of an object by vaporization, chipping, or other erosive processes.
Ablation - The removal of material from the surface of an object by vaporization, chipping, or other erosive processes.
Operative word here is 'erosive,' which is all that Clay (Ron Perlman) artfully embodies.
What a fast on his feet thinker he is! Wheedling a confidence with Juice (Theo Rossi) and covering Gemma's (Katey Sagal) behind to get in with her, when ultimately that will be the set up Jax (Charlie Hunnam) constructs to snare Clay for the backstabbing and get him killed with unanimous club sanction.
The pendulum has swung fully back to Jax and Nero working together in a perverse and constructive way, with Nero (Jimmy Smits) as a voice of reason, much like Bobby (Mark Boone Junior) a character who has shot more WTF looks this season than dialogue.
Boone's a great actor, and his character's expression while Jax, cigarette in mouth, calmly chops off the hands of one unfortunate dead hit man named Charles Turner, a Frankie Diamonds (Chuck Zito) gun for hire, spoke volumes.
Let's do math. There are at least two seasons left. Clay's days are numbered. If and when Clay finally is cornered and eradicated, will Jax exercise his exit plan with Doctor Tara (Maggie Siff) and his two sons? And then there is the club income and who will keep SAMCRO in the black. Even bikers have to think about their retirement.
It feels like Jax is freakishly comfortable in the heavy role now, killing at ease, working in the gangster matrix.
What is he going to do if he leaves SAMCRO? Take the kids to Gymboree?
Hell no! So we fans are waiting, watching a tennis match between the lion (Clay) and his step-son as mother Gemma is now a chip to use in a devil's deal, go to Clay and win his confidence back, or risk losing her family forever.
And then there's Chucky's (Michael Marisi Ornstein) bowel issues, Filthy Phil's incompetence and Juice's lack of balls to deal with.
Maddening! Juice and the whole black dad issue never felt right to me, as this group would not care as Bobby's Jewish, and what the hell is Happy?
And Filthy Phil, Jesus! Pipe up anytime to tell the truth on Gemma's stoned situation before driving off with her grand-kids. Thank G*d for our Chucky, his awkward energy completely balances these heavy scenes and gives "Sons" an absurdist dimension that keeps it energized and unlike any drama on the air.
Meanwhile Clay tries to paint Pope (Harold Perrineau) as the architect of the Gemma accident and the near hit on Jax, keeping Frankie Diamonds far away from him. But this of course boomerangs as Jax, Chibs and Bobby caught up with Frankie holding a gun in Lyla's mouth at Nero's place.
Frankie spills it that Clay was the mastermind of the home invasions, and Jax tears into him for going after Gemma and the boys as well. He hears once again that this was not the case. Frankie gets away with Nero's dough and Chibs (Tommy Flanagan) as a driver held at gunpoint, ultimately pistol whipping him unconscious.
Nero confronts Jax at his club. "You gotta accelerate the end game, get away from this shit that's killing you."
Jax now has to face down Gemma about what really went down with Tara present, who hits Gemma hard, draws blood and banishes her from her family.
The young prince cooks up a new angle: Get momma Gemma to go back to Clay, earn his trust, become his old lady again, and gather information so he can get rid of Clay with no club backlash. Gemma has to sleep with the devil.
Meanwhile, a broken Roosevelt (Rockmond Dunbar) is trying to make a deal, get Frankie Diamonds and he will tell Jax who is the rat in SAMCRO working with the Feds. How Clay will continue to play and use Juice will be interesting, but I am not happy at how Juice's arc has devolved him into a bit of a naive victim.
Great episode, the season thus far has had the intense energy of season 2 for me, what say you all?
