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funkdakarma
Reviews
Sons of Anarchy: Suits of Woe (2014)
Top notch acting
I know I've been one of the most critical on here about this show, but it's perhaps because I find it so provocative. Not always for the right reasons, but when the creators decide to give the violence a rest and allow human emotion and drama to take over, it allows a pretty talented set of actors to flourish, and the plot to unfold very neatly.
Two scenes on here stand out for being very highly emotionally charged, and they both involve the revelation of (SPOILER ALERT) Tara's murder. I haven't always been impressed with Charlie Hunnam, but his acting in the scene with Juice (who, by the way, is one of the most unfortunate fall-guys in the history of television!) where he finally learns the truth is very heartfelt. There's also a very poignant, mainly non-verbal exchange that takes place between Nero and Gemma that goes to show why these two actors (Jimmy Smits and Katey Segal) are still at the top of their game after decades.
Again, I'm still highly critical of the show, but I can feel that it's set for a grandstand finish. Now if they can curtail the senseless, annoying gang violence and let the Shakespearean drama play out in the last 2 episodes, there just might be some redemption in my eyes.
Oh, and I knocked a star off the rating because of a stupid, totally unfitting jazz soundtrack accompanying a chase scene.
Sons of Anarchy: Some Strange Eruption (2014)
Slowly descending into B-grade territory......
I've often been pained by the imminent end of certain TV shows; with the Sons of Anarchy however, this pain- rather than the bittersweet parting with immense characters like Don Draper, Walter White or Tony Soprano - is more like a long, drawn-out torture, in which every moment I'm in hope that one of the Sons, if not all, get offed. Each episode in this final season is worse than the one before it. This is perhaps because the season is built on such a bullshit premise (ludicrously misguided revenge for Tara).
I suspect the writers, actors, Kurt Sutter, et al were just smugly seeing out the rest of their contracts, knowing that they've already cashed in on the success of the show, and were too lazy and complacent to reward their loyal viewers.
Anyone who thinks that this final season is an upgrade or - at the least - consistent with previous standards needs to start questioning their tastes. I have never seen a show descend into mediocrity so sharply.
Sons of Anarchy: Black Widower (2014)
That's about enough....
And just as the Sons of Anarchy are preparing for their final landing, Kurt Sutter decides it would be more fun to nosedive the plane right onto the tarmac! I've always had a love-hate relationship with this show. While at it's best it's quite well-written, with a textured and compact plot that successfully juggles the fate of numerous interesting characters, the show is also prone to ludicrous story lines (gun running and the 'Real' IRA) and absolutely unnecessary violence. And the opener to Season 7 is definitely on the downswing here! Unlike some of the better seasons (Season 1, 5 and 6 come to mind) I have a feeling 7 is going to be a struggle to get through by the way this episode sets the tone, which is going back to barely believable plot twists. What I found most ridiculous in this episode is not only how easily the Sons swallow Gemma's contrived story about the Chinese involvement in Tara's murder (are you telling me Jax, knowing how psychotic his mother is and how much she had it in for Tara,not for a moment believed that she could have been involved?), but also how an innocent party so gruesomely and brutally meets his fate (the level of violence in this scene and in the episode as a whole is just out of control - Kurt Sutter must be a deeply, deeply disturbed man!) For a show to be successful, the audience needs to sympathise with most - if not all - of it's protagonists. After Tara's death, I couldn't care less what happens to the rest of that misanthropic, vile biker gang and that annoying matriarch figure they spinelessly allow to control them.
The Twilight Zone: The Long Morrow (1964)
The things we do for love.....
This episode perhaps confirmed to me why TZ ranks up there as one of the best things I've ever watched, let alone TV shows. A perfect blend of heart-wrenching, haunting, bittersweet, without ever being overly sappy or predictable. Episodes involving journeys into outer space tend to make it into my Twilight Zone favorites (The Parallel from Season 4 for example), but what elevates this above the standard is the delicate and believable romantic connection that (almost) transcends time and space.
As a romantic at heart it came as a chilling warning about the sacrifices one makes for love. Of course for someone like Mariette Hartley, it would seem worth it!