Wednesday, November 23, 2011
The Televangelist / Recap City / Television The Televangelist: 'Sons of Anarchy,' Season 4, Ep. 12
Posted by Allison Keene @keeneTV on Wed, Nov 23, 2011 at 11:32 AM
- FX
- Riding through this world ...
"Burnt and Purged Away" was supposed to be the penultimate episode of the season before "Sons" was awarded an extra hour of storytelling just a few weeks ago. It's inconceivable how the season could have ended with just the one more episode after everything that happened in this hour. The club spins further into chaos, each of the members orbiting away from each other and the club itself like planets escaping from a solar system. Bobby is in prison, Tig has given up his rank and his loyalty to Clay, Jax is on his way out, Juice is in a cell, Piney is slain, Opie is murderous and, to quote Tig, "Miles and Kozik are dead." But is Clay? Opie opened fire to end the episode, and though Jax threatened to kill Opie if he harmed Clay, Opie took his shots while he could. Were they enough? And what will be Jax's response? The episode closed with Jax giving Opie an incredulous look, but what action will he take against his club brother?
It's actually difficult for me to go back and take into consideration anything else that happened in last night's episode, because I took up an entire page of notes just writing "OMG!!!!!" with large strokes. There are essentially two time periods now, before the shooting and after, and I have a feeling that next week will rain down with more emotion than we will know how to handle. The final act was a culmination of everything that had been building for seasons but that came to such an explosive head in the last dozen episodes. Kurt Sutter told us that this season finale would feel like a series finale, and I predicted that only the death of Clay could take us there emotionally. Even if Clay doesn't die (yet, anyway), how can the club ever come back together? The conversation Jax, Clay and Bobby had about the change in leadership was, I believe, a clue. With Bobby as President and Chibs as VP (and Happy as Sergeant At Arms, a natural fit. Although given Bobby and Tig's new relationship I think Tig would pick up his old post again), the club would already be set for calmer times. We've never seen Bobby take a leadership role, and I think the club under him would be a much more laid back affair, a la the club that J.T. had always envisioned. But of course, as we know, Bobby is in jail and will probably stay there for a long time. With the implosion still so fresh, it's hard to survey the damage. We don't know what the result of the multiple fallouts will be, and with that in mind, it's almost impossible to imagine what the future may hold.
As for what we do know, some of the most emotional moments on the show to date took place, from Otto and Bobby's conversation ("I only asked for thing from the club in return - to take care of Luann") to the crazy wrestling match at the baby factory (what in the heck was that about?) Even Tig's bizarre massage session where he snubbed Clay was rife with tension. Jax took care of Wendy, and of Gemma, and Juice sat with dead eyes and listened to Bobby being put in the cell next to him. And Opie ... Opie!
Jax will either stay in Charming or leave and end up returning. And will Tara go with him, or keep the boys away? Will she find life in Charming so heinous once Clay is out of the picture? Here I am of course assuming Clay will be out of the picture ... I am simply at a loss. From Charming Heights to the RICO investigation to the Gallindo cartel meeting with the Irish ... there are so many macro plots to explore, not even considering all that is happening within the club. In fact, those other things mean very little to me compared to the emotional fallout among the members of SAMCRO. "Sons" has always been at its best in its smaller moments that reveal the deep bonds between these men - the humor, the tension, the love. The guns, the politics - it's all extra. The extended shots of Opie racing to the clubhouse on his bike during "Burned and Purged Away" remind us what the show - and the club - are all about: freedom and brotherhood. Neither of which may make it through the carnage of Season Four.
Musings and Miscellanea:
— "I've found that stacks of cash have a tranquil effect on people" - Romeo
— "I'm taking Chibs with me to translate the Catholic." - Jax
— I wasn't a huge fan of the Irish subplot - we've been here before. And yet another baby factory? It did provide some good quotes, though: "they were selling babies to the highest bidder. Some of them were even Protestant!"
— Oh Juice, you sweet idiot.
— I've never seen a picture on a gravestone before (re: Donna's headstone), and I've been to a lot of cemeteries (that sounds creepy but, well, I have!) I actually kind of like it. I think that it makes the entire experience even more macabre - can you imagine being surrounded in a graveyard of faces?
— I appreciated the token appearance of Jacob Hale, sort of a ghost of a character this season.
— I was happy that Tara was honest with Jax about Wendy. They need to be open and share, I think it's best for their relationship.
— "Turns out he wasn't dead! Got up, walked away!" - Unser, making corpse jokes.
— Seriously what was up with that massage that Tig was getting? Where did those women come from? They just seem to kind of appear and disappear in and out of the clubhouse like dead-eyed furniture being moved around. Oh forget it, y'all know I was just jealous I wasn't there!
Comments (1)
Showing 1-1 of 1
Let's not forget about Lincoln Potter's sudden interest in Jacob Hale and Charming Heights. If there's anyone who needs their comeuppance, it's Jacob Hale, especially since Jax saved his bacon last season and showed no gratitude for it (Sure his brother's death can be laid at the feet of SAMCRO, but a member of SAMCRO saved his life, however pathetic of one it is.).
like
dislike
Latest in Fresh Loaf
-
Time and Place: Read between the lines
To me this photo is about doing your own thing and following your own path in life.
-
Vernon Jones wants to return to the Gold Dome and other interesting qualification tidbits 2
Qualifying period ends, dust settles, campaigns begin
-
Suspects in Pittsburgh gay bashing slated to go to trial Tuesday
The men accused of beating Brandon White in Southwest Atlanta already headed to court
- More »
More by Author
-
The Televangelist: 'Mad Men' Season 5, Ep 4 3
Is "Mystery Date" the creepiest episode of "Mad Men" ever to air?
-
The Televangelist: 'Luck' Season 1, Ep 6 1
An earthquake! A miracle! The second coming of Man O'War!
- More »
