My initial impression from the social networks is that this season seems to be dividing the brains from the brawn. Fans that come to show for character, relationship, emotional arcs and the mythology are relishing the twists, turns and reveals of season three. The viewers who show up for some sort of cathartic testosterone rush seem to be a little disappointed in the direction we are going in. They're comments suggest a desire for the exact same thing we did in the first two seasons -- same story dynamics, same character tensions, same results. I understand that and I guess it's a risk to push the boundaries of the show. But I have a very specific narrative vision for Sons of Anarchy and if I am lucky enough to get seven seasons, the events in season three are crucial to that overall arc. I hope those viewers stick around. Season three continues to ramp up the stakes and I think most folks will find the payoff very gratifying.
Last night at the wrap party, I looked around the room at my cast and crew and felt an enormous sense of pride. These men and women love this gig, love the show; it's so clearly more than just a job. Honestly, a showrunner couldn't ask for more. I am enormously proud of this season and the tireless efforts of my SOA family. The anger, anxiety, bad press, death threats, hostile work environment claims and bogus law suits now seem like insignificant tufts of fog rising from the moors. I can now see Yorkshire Manor, and it is fucking grand, formidable and evermore.
101 comments:
Keep doing what your doing! The show rocks for so many reasons! I am glued to the tv on Tuesday nights and then watch it as well as down load it to my ipod with the other seasons. You leave me on the edge of my seat waiting for the next week! Long live SOA!
Kathy Fox
So far so good. I would rather have 3 or 4 qualilty seasons of a show than 7 sub-par ones that cater to the masses. I very much enjoy what you are doing here. Please continue to listen to your heart and write how and what you feel is true to the vision you have. Thank you for all you do. You have my utmost respect and fucking fanatical SOA devotion.
Kurt...the mark of the truly great dramss (and I consider SOA to be in that league) is the willingness of the creators to s-t-r-e-t-c-h the comfort zones of viewers..Shield did it..Sopranos did it.Deadwood did it..Mad Men is doing it this season ..Breaking Bad..etc.. the characters drive this show and wherever they go..we go well done sir!!
very fucking excited to see where this is going. the fucking maureen JT thing is killing me.
As a guy I have to say I like the testosterone rush this show has, but the main reason I like this show it's the story and I'm dying to see how rverything will sort out in the end
I hope you get to do seven seasons, I already know the rest of them are going to be epic
You aren't going to drag out the "Abel-is-gone" storyline for all 13 episodes are you? Give a young girl hope and say that it isn't going to take 13+ weeks for a happy reunion. The fan-girls of the show will go crazy. Separating kid & father for so long makes us insane. But, then again that's why we love your mind & direction of the show, I suppose.
Holy SAMCRO!
I have been a fan since day one and I love the direction the show is going. It is the one and only show that I can hardly stand the wait for the next episode! Well done to you and the cast and crew! Thanks for giving us such a great show! Counting down to the next episode!
I'm loving the new direction season three is taking. Your talent for story telling is amazing. Love the cast, love the story, and most of all I love the unconventionality of it all. I really hope the show makes it to seven seasons. With the way things are going now, I don't see why they wouldn't. Thanks for making my Tuesdays my favorite night of the week. --Sammy Bravo
The Sons of Anarchy fans would love to see you grow into seven seasons...if we had our way, you'd be on more than just once a week....just speaking as "Betsy" I look forward to my Tuesday nights ...SOA gives me the total entertainment package, I can't list the thousands of nouns & adjectives & superlatives...but I know other folks out there feel me...For example, as I re-watched the first two seasons before the 3rd opener, I found myself laughing like a rabid hyena, around the scenes with Chuckie & his "tic"...for me, it was priceless...showing the brilliant writing skills, and you have all the right in the world to be proud of your SONS family & crew...OUTSTANDING SHOW...and I thank you. Betsy,
Kurt - I think that the show is definitely headed in the right direction. What really makes me smile are the people I know that aren't really into bikes that are watching the show. It is attracting a diverse group of people.
The best part is that it isn't predictable like most shows. There are some great surprises in each episode. Hale dying really caught me off guard, but it was brilliant in the first episode.
Keep doing what you're doing. People will watch.
As a writer (in an entirely different field!), I deeply admire your creativity and ability to develop characters and stories that draw me in. My husband and I sit at the edge of our seat, watching your show. I don't think I've really ever watched a TV show where such a reaction sprang from us and made us nearly (i say, nearly) drop our drinks! I think that is because 99.9 percent of TV is useless and does not make people think. Your show captures the essence of how complex "good" and "bad" can be. We have friends in England who also love your show and ask me each week what is going on this season as they are a bit behind on getting the show. Keep bringing it! We can't get enough!
Keep it coming! I love SAMCRO!!! A loyal fan forever
I think your vision is the only thing that really matters - not the bitching of the critics or the wailing of fans who want repeats of what has already happened. It seems to me (from my little perch here at the Jersey Shore) that too much of the same thing becomes repetitive and boring, and ultimately uninteresting. What worked for The Shield and The Wire is that showrunners put their characters in new and different situations, and constantly pushed the envelope in different directions.
I would love to see seven seasons, and I'm looking forward to sticking around for the entire ride.
Hey Kurt...
Keep up the great work. I started watching SOA for the bikes and the overall attitude of the show but have found myself wrapped up in the drama that unfolds each episode. It's fantastic that you've come up with something to compete with (and top) most of the drivel that is on television as of late. Can't wait to see where the story goes from here (S3E03) on and hopefully you can achieve your vision thru to season 7 and maybe beyond.
My best to you and the entire cast & crew of SOA!
Kurt,
I think all of you, director, cast & crew,are doing an awesome job with this 3rd season! I'm in it for the character, relationship, emotion, mythology as well as the kick ass testoserone rush! I didn't start watching the show until the 2nd season, but I asked for & received the 1st season for Christmas. I love all 3 seasons! Can't wait to see the next 5 seasons! Don't change a thing! BIG FAN!
Kim
I think it`s great to have a change of direction and if it is part of the plot then it`s gotta be done innit :))
Hope it gets shown in the UK soon ... am waiting with baited breath lol
biggups from the Uk XXXX :))
My kids got me hooked on the show last year....(had to rush out and get season one to catch up) I am a 52 year old gramma and I think SOA is one of the best shows I have seen in years..........kudos to you and your cast/crew.......I look forward to many more seasons to come!
Deb Nelson from MN
Sir,
I am continually fascinated by where you take the show and the characters. I laugh and cry every episode. I mourn the loss of each new friend. I find it amazing how you can ask for so much from these actors and they shine every time.
Thank you,
Heather
Hello,
I love the show, episodes 2 and 3 were a little hard to swallow. But so is life sometimes. This is the only show I can even think of where every level is at high. The acting, the story, set... Life isn't always "pretty" and shouldn't revolve around weather it is pretty or not. But for most people that is where its at.
Thank you for putting yourselves out there and going outside the lines man. Most TV is so effing boring.
Love it !
Take care and bless you and your family.
Vicky Watkins
Great start to the weekend, a new blog from Sutter!
There are always going to be those who don't like to see something they like stray from the working formula. They're also the types who dislike any change in their daily routine. If it's Tuesday, must be meatloaf night, so WTF is the idea of serving filet mingnon? It's different, but it's not comfort food.
To those who are showing disappointment in this season of SOA because they're not getting what was offered in the first two seasons, you've rattled their comfort levels. Hey, that's a good thing.
Frankly, and IMNSHO, there are still plenty of cathartic testosterone rushes just in the first three episodes (and some estrogene rushes as well!). C'mon, let's face it, how many times has Jax EVER struck a woman (even if said female was holding a gun to his face)?
Not enough testosterone rushes, puh-leeze. The Sons chase a car through the streets and come up against a street gang loaded for bear. . .a MC prez gets buried up to his chin in a hole and probably loses all control of body functions when two HD's come roarin' next to his head (exhuast fume rush, anyone?). . .funeral drive by shooting ending with Hale's brains all over the pavement. . .and for us girls, Gemma slapping the taste out of the greedy Gaute's mouth! And that's just the tip of the iceberg.
So far this season, you've made me squirm in discomfort by having someone get murdered in the church sanctuary while the good father looks on. . .
you've made me cry when Nate Madoc had a rare moment of clarity in his dementia and wanted to put an end to the misery he felt he was causing not just himself, but felt he was caussing for his daughter (yeah, I damned you for that on twitter, but it was a respectful damn you 'cause I'm not supposed to be a softie!). . .
you've tittilated me with the sight of Tig's delicious bod in all it's glory (ok, nekkid from the back, but still glorious!) and two bare chest views in two weeks. Purrfection. . .
You've had me on the edge of my seat with car chases, 'the hole', intrigue from the Irish, opportunities missed (I was one of those screamin' 'Answer the feckin' phone, Piney!' at the tee vee), drive by shootings. . .
You've plucked at my heart with Jax and Clay both dealing in their ways with the loss of Abel and Gemma from their midst. They might have their lawless side, but they have hearts, dammit. . .
And, to top it off, you've given me a new/old villian to hate, Jacob Hale. I dislike him as much as I do AT&T and Purdue University (I'm an IU fan). . .
And again, that's just the tip of the iceberg. If someone's not gettin' their usual rush from SOA this season, they're not at the right bike - time or bike - channels (with apologies to Batman, there).
Numbers are still up from premier to episode 303. That's gotta make the bean counters at FX happy. And despite my twits about nekkid Tig and the like, it's not just the brawn that keeps me tunin' in every time SOA is on. It's not just the bikes, though that's a plus.
It's the story you tell, each week, that keeps me comin' back. It's the way the characters interact with each other that brings me back. It's not just the dialouge that tells the story, it's the connections/interactions that move things along. Like the first Star Wars movie in 1977, I come back to each episode viewing getting something new that was missed the first time.
You should be proud of what you have wrought. At the end of the day, it's well worth the emotional roller coaster when you see the fruits of your labor reflected back to you from the people who make your words fly.
And that's why I keep comin' back for more.
As I reaqd your facebook page (my preferred social networking venue), I laugh sometimes. Some people offer themselves up as actors, some try to get their band noticed, some with story ideas and recommendations, and of course some try to be critics. Those trying to be critics amuse me, often because they try to put an intelligent spin on the idea that "change is bad and awkward". To me the character arcs and relationships are what defines any show and I think you are doing a bang up job with Son's. It's not my show, so I keep my ideas and hopes for future guests and such to myself, because I have faith that you know what you are doing. We SOA fans are a rabid bunch. I have actually gotten hateful and threatening messages for things I have posted on your page. Of course, no harm has come to me, (it's amazing how the words "just a show" can change a person's demeanor) but it drove home the point that people feel more strongly about this show than any other out there.
Kudos Kurt, for sticking with your narrative vision for the show. I can only surmise how hard that must be given the huge variation in viewership that you have and are courting. And as both a critical and a ratings success I am sure there is some suit somewhere telling you to play it safe with SOA (don’t deviate from the “formula”) while someone else is telling you to up the body count. I say just do what you do- tell the story like you do, rant like you do, make us laugh and think like you do. We your fans, brains and brawn, are not going anywhere...but more naked Charlie would be appreciated.
Death Threats? Well sometimes those are necessary to get an actor in the Zone....Hostile Work Environment Claims?....I have nightmares about working on a project that depicts the porn world and having some floozie file for Sexual Harrassment...lolz....
Keep up the Great Work!!!
Wow, all that and only one F - bomb.
Looking good.
Kurt,
It was your vision that drew us in, your writing that keeps us and we are as in love with the characters as you are. While I am not opposed to a good cathartic testosterone rush I want to see where the story goes! Write for yourself. We will follow..
You are all amazingly talented.
Marie
Warning: This could get very long.
I am loving season 3. You and your amazing cast have done a very fine job of creating complicated round characters and I am completely invested in their lives and fates.
Also, you make interesting choices in your narrative. Jax's almost paralysing grief was powerful to me because not only do I care about the character, but his reaction is both realistic and yet unique for television and movies.
The thing with TV is that it is usually safe. Most shows are episodic and allow their characters to have an hour long adventure/mystery before the plot brings them back to center. It makes the show predictable, which allows the audience to relax, but also allows their brains to be lazy.
I love that Sons of Anarchy doesn't operate within that model. I love that the stakes are high and the outcome of any given action is unpredictable. I love that the characters are flawed and can make bad choices. I love that you structure each season like a Shakespearian tragedy where a thousand choices, circumstances, misdirections, and mistakes build like a giant platform of dominoes until the story's tipping point knocks one over and the plot spirals out of control under the weight of its own inevitability.
That is powerful stuff. It makes for unsafe viewing, but that (if I haven't said it enough) is why I love the show.
All I have to say is, keep it up. I love the show, am loving this season, and more importantly(to me, at least), I'm in it for the long haul.
What did you think about Boardwalk Empire? I love the pilot even though I know it won't be the best. Lots of shows get etter after their pilots.
Kurt, I am absolutely enjoying each episode as it airs. You have a great gift of storytelling, and the cast brings that story to life on my telly every Tuesday night.
I am hoping that you do get to have seven seasons. This is one show I will never get tired of!
Kudos to your scripts, cast and crew, Kurt. SOA Rocks!
JT Flanagan
Northern California
I personally am enjoying this season and still feel it is the ONLY show on TV to watch. You have reason to be proud of the people that make this happen everyweek. Thanks from this loyal viewer to each one of you!
I know lots of people question the direction of this season but I personally think thats this season might be the best yet. I love ho its going and I love how Kurt Sutter does things that might make you go OH MY GOD can you do that on TV!??! The only way this season or any season could make me think twice about kurt sutters choices for the show is bring wendy back lol. I honestly find Kurt Brilliant and the hole show to amaze me each time that I watch. Kurt keep the amazing work and dont question your ideas for the show they have done you wonders so far.
I'm sure you get enough fans gushing about you and SoA, but I absolutely love your unique take on things. I have been in love with SoA since the very first episode. I relish every twist and turn in the plot because with every new challenge, the characters grow and evolve. I truly care about the characters and that is something that is rare in media today. Keep up the good work, I hope to be watching new episodes of SoA for years to come.
<3 Shannon in Massachusetts
Love the show! Still left with a wanting of more after every episode. Season 3 is right on track. I did enjoy the rawness of season 1 over season 2.Keep the Faith!
Kurt I know some of those fans that you were talking about that are maybe a little bored, for lack of a better word, with the way this season is shaping up but I for one am not one of them. Overall I'm loving this season! I can't wait for each Tuesday night to come around so I can see what happens next. Just keep doing what you do and don't worry about everyone else, the true fans will be here watching til the end! SOA forever!
Mr.Sutter, Even though we have only seen episode 3 of season 3 it is beyond awesome. I would not want each seaseon of a show to be the same. It would become boring and I would le interest, just as I have with "Mad Men". I quit after the first show this season.
No viewer wants to see a season repeat itself. In season 2 you showed us how Jax wanted to change the club and take it away from the violence and in season 3 we see that he can not change it or stop the violence until he gets his son back (and I hope he does).
I am truely impressed with season 3so far. I know that the show will air as long as you want it to and as long as the fans are interested. And I think we have shown you we are. So keep up the great work. And yes you do have a great crew and cast! Rock on Mr. Sutter!
You are a real artist at work. What you are doing certainly works for 99% of the watchers. Keep doing what you are doing. I would be elated to see this show go for seven or more seasons. It not only gives me a rush of wishing I was Gemma but, also gives insight to who these bikers are. Not only the bad points but also the good. You are a writer that no one can touch. I also was happy to see Steven King appear as a cameo. I wish my mother who recently passed away could have seen him. I even got her interested in your show last season.
John there just is no show as righteous as this one. I can't put it any other way. I love the show for both reasons you stated. It satisfies me on a cerebral level that few shows ever have and on a gut visceral level as well. I want to ride with these guys, fight along side of them, have them as friends and get to know them. Hell I think I have known a few of them. It can't get any more real then that for a fan. The fact that you and many of the cast are also ACTUALLY out here talking to us, on Facebook, at gatherings, out amongst the masses, posting pictures and telling stories about themselves and REALLY sharing yourselves with all of us makes you,them and the show itself something that feels like it belongs to us, the REAL people. Other shows you mention are good. But yours is great. Like I said. Righteous. Thank you all.
I watched the anticipated and well reviewed premier of a remake of a classic cop show on Monday night and could only say, "Is it Tuesday yet???" I've watched a bunch of the new shows on Network TV and there's a reason and SOA is beating the networks - SOA is Interesting and their big budget formulaic crap - not so much.
Curious, did you pitch SOA to anyone but FX? If so, I'll bet someone feels really, really stupid right about now! Congrats on the great ratings so far. Go enjoy some time off, you and your very talented wife have certainly earned it.
the new season is amazing...great work :) but ive got to ask... is it just me or does every chick that tig screws end up dead somehow? just an observation.
Honestly I don't see who could dislike this show or the turn it has taken. You are a mastermind, a genius in your own right. I will undoubtedly, and yes this is a stretch but shows how confident I am in you, your cast, your crew, your work; love this show, the cast the crew the entire thing. You all amaze and inspire me episode to episode, I can only hope one day to reach that creativity and acting level for myself.
All in all I got nothing but love for you, the cast, the crew, the show that makes my Tuesday amazing.
Thank you for being brilliant and thank you for Samcro from the depths of my heart!
<3
Love the direction of the show and how the characters and relationships are growing and expanding. Seeing Gemma's soft side with her Dad, priceless.
And the whole IRA side and stuff going on across the pond...excellent. Have been wondering what that's all about and glad it's being explored. And don't get me started on Maureen. I see she gives Gemma a run for her money.
Awesome season so far and I can't wait to see how everything plays out. Thanks for the experience.
I've been having "Happy" nightmares since the end of Season 2. He scares me, scares me in fact so much that my son and I did the "Happy vs..." (hannibal lector, the terminator) Happy won in most cases. Even in a good mood, with his hand on his woman's ass at the premiere the man has the most menacing stare.
When he tells Jax, "I'm so proud of you" for offing Westin. We thought - "What if there were Happygrams"..."Happy 8th Birthday Billy from your mother and father" via Happy's image and voice. "Happy 50th Wedding Anniversary Syliva and Morty from your kids".......its a frightening thought. Maybe Happy wake up calls, "Good morning Susan its time to get up for work". Jesus that scares me more than dying itself.
You've created a masterpiece. In my opinion there aren't enough people giving the show the accolades. I've been waiting for a weekly vice since Sopranos and Six Feet Under - for something as good, it turned out, in fact - BETTER.
Thank you!
Evan
And goddammit PLEASE reply to a least one of my tweets on Twitter! If I had a penis it would go limp with dissapointment. Its donkeykicks, maybe the 10 percent vision is getting to you.
Peace
Love the show!!! My only real gripe is that I wish it were longer...that hour goes by so fast. :D
I'm so glad that Sons is doing great in ratings. Normally, I wouldn't really give a shit either way if the idiot masses could figure out what a good show was but I love this show so much that I really think that the kind of innovation you bring to the table can turn around TV finally.
Those that have followed you for awhile know that you're reactive to say the least. YOu transfer that to the show so well though and that's one of the many things that, as a wannabe writer, I truly admire in your talent. I'd write more but this is turning into an ass kissing session.
sattess faksh'n: Episode 1 of SOA Season 3! Just hit all the right notes, for me. A nice little *dayum* ending. Not disappointed by Eps 2 and 3 either. Interested to see the impact the new characters have on the story (and saddened by the moving on of some others--though I will *not* say that with regards to Stahl-- sooner rather than later, please!). Actually had one of those LOL moments over Gemma and her glasses! Perfect.
Seven seasons? I can only hope and pray there will be so many!
I'm really drawn to the show, the characters are so wonderfully wrought on screen, and there's so much I want to know about the club members, I just hope we get enough episodes to delve into it all - Personally, I'm a huge Juice fan, and I wish my favourite puerto rican prison yard princess would get more screen time, but with the current arc, it's completely understandable. I hope his talents come into play soon! I also hope for more Bobby Elvis, because he is made of absolute WIN.
I don't think having Abel kidnapped by the IRA is so 'jump the shark' worthy. I think, given the situation that was created, it's a viable, and gutwrenching storyline. Jax is so vulnerable, and so brittle at the same time right now - I'm just waiting for him to break, and blow shrapnel everywhere. Father Ashby (as an extremely lapsed catholic) scares the absolute bejeesus out of me, and I find myself very intrigued by the irish connection. It gives the club a wider berth, and so many more options story-wise, which I, for one, am completely enthralled to see.
I just hope that with all the shit and abuse you've had to take with the series and storyline, that you don't lose faith in the viewers that stand behind you 100%. I'm so intrigued by the way the season is going, you can bet I'll be watching.
Big hugs, hope the reviews and reactions continue to be positive, and I'm glad to count your work as something to look forward to each week!
When a show can draw you in, and make you feel the emotional ups and downs that are protrayed in that story, you know its something special. While some fans may enjoy a show requiring no emotional involvment or feelings, I think the loyal fans of SOA are the opposite, they like to be caught up in the circumstances and drama that the characters face, i know i do, I look forward to each week to see where the story lines take the charecters in this world. Season three is looking to be another great season where you dont know how its going to end or what's going to happen.
Joel
Hi Kurt,
I'm on the fence as far as season 3 so far, so I am presently in the disappointed category. I love character background, histories and that kind of thing, but for me many of the elements aren't clicking yet.
I will continue to watch and hope that everything I love about the show will rear it's feisty, battered head in the next few episodes.
Regardless of what I think, I applaud you for sticking to your guns. Keep on rolling.
I dont give a shit where the story goes..Im diggin the journey getting there!
Thank you for giving me a wild ride every week ~~o-\o
Kurt,
This season is exactly what it should be... an extension and growth of characters and plot, with action and developments playing out as they do in a story that completely engrosses the viewer.
Thank you for sharing your imagination and talents, and keeping myself and countless others interested enough to watch every week!!!
I'm looking forward to the Irish plot development, looks like it could be juicy!!
I tell most people I know about the show. My family loves it. The actors are brilliant, the story line and surprises are both solid enduring entertainment. I hope you get as many seasons as you and cast have a desire to make.
I have been following the show from the get go and this season I missed the tv slots so I bought them from ITunes. I am an artist and activist. After 9-11 the local infamous club caught my attention. They put up the largest American Flag in NYC. Moving. I wrote a fictional piece a couple years later called Chopping the Street -- one mega million at a time about a woman that takes over an international biker club and turns them in to a global financial service firm on wheels. Dream: That it would be on HBO as a series or TV movie. I laugh every time I see the Sons of Anarchy ads on the sides of buses and telephone booths.
http://web.me.com/suzannahbtroy/suzannahbtroy/Podcast/Entries/2008/7/8_Chopping_the_street.html
Interesting what a supercharged emotional blogger you are Sutter.
best,
Suzannah B. Troy
Season 3 for me is getting very political. Whereas SAMCRO were dealing with rival gangs in the first two seasons, the threat in season 3 seems more like that of a superpower dealing with the rammifications of their actions, and having to think about the consequences before they act, based on how they affect their power base at Charming. The schism in their ally the Irish is also a particularly interesting storyline, and how that is going to affect their association with SAMCRO going forward. It is as if a show that started off with a main storyline loosely based on Hamlet has evolved mirroring elements of The Wire, with a progressive story having all the details matter, and the West Wing, with the internal and external politics/dealmaking, threats of coups, and reaction/backlash of the people that supposedly the Sons 'serve and protect' in the community proves there is plenty of story still to be told. FX would be barking mad not to give you the same backing that TNT gave the closer. If John Landgraf has any sense about him, he will give you ALL the seasons you want, and let you tell the story you want to tell.
In a way it's more than just a show to a lot of us fans, too. Don't get me wrong, I don't think the show is real, or anything weird like that, but it is thoroughly enjoyed, and it matters whether it's on or not.
I love SOA and this season is awesome !
I'm very happy I gave a second chance to SOA because the first time I saw an episode, I thought "WTF?", but you got me with the music, and now I'm crazy about the show ! I love all the characters, they are so interesting ! So crazy, so mean, so everything, but so human !
Thank you very much for SOA !!
Wish you the best !
Flore
France
All I can say is: Who is this woman Precious?!? I really want to know what made her sock Bobby in the eye like that - it was pretty awesome! I think it would be cool if we could possiblly see more of her and what drives their relationship, I'm intrigued . . .
I just love this show. No matter what direction you take it in, it just always seems to get better and better.
Hi Kurt! - Awesome show, huge fan!
Question: When will shows be available online for Season 3? Could you post an update or provide a link to a resource? I've been with you online since day one and my anxiety is off the chart. I'm behind already.
All the Best.
ahhhh growing pangs.
I loved season 1 and 2 for what they were. Season 3 weaves a much more entangled web that satisfies the senses on a much higher level.
Bikers and want to be bikers are not stupid people, I believe they will enjoy the brainier side of SOA as much as I do.
The characters are developing into people we all want to know, and hang out with, people who have become our friends, ones whom we care about what happens to them.
Real bikers are not getting into bar brawls every night, the smart ones know how to avoid conflict altogether.
I learn from smart people, i ask myself how would that dude handle this situation or that situation.
Kurt this show is excellent, it gets better every year and every week. Being Tuesday night I have cleared my bar brawling slate to watch another great episode. All the best to you and yours.
Howard Levine
Am I seeing this rite? One of the bikers is black? You are shit out of your mind if you think anything even aspiring to be a legit mc would mix have black and white members together. Thats not dripping thats the truth, anything else that says different is la la land political nice nice TV bullshit.
hey kurt you wanna see some reviews go to getwhatipaidfor.com its a website by fx to make dish network aware of how much they'd be loosing if they dropped fx... every other post if not every post says the same thing i said.. "if dish drops fx and SOA i drop dish!"
you and the show are loved man.. fuck what snotty critics say.. keep em coming otto :)
Kurt,
Maybe you could post this somewhere for the many Canadian fans of SOA. I recently talked with a representative of the SuperChannel network thathas aired SOA in Canada in the past regarding season 3. Apparently contrary to rumors they are still in negotiation for the rights to the current season so there is no air date as of yet. With that bad news and the fact that Canadians can't watch the series online at FX or Hulu (I know there are other priate options, but let's support the show folks) we are caught in limbo. Grumble, grumble....we like the show up here...hey we even have MCs up in the frozen north you know...
Thanks for listening to my rant,
Sean
Kurt,
You are a true talent, the first season of sons blew my mind, the best show to come along in a very long time. Naturally I have recommended the show to friends far and wide who have not be disappointed...
Until now. Season two took a little long to build momentum but I remained loyal, but I must admit this season is a struggle.
The Shakespearian inspired narrative has ended, and has too the flow of the show. I personally felt more depth and character was developed in the first season than the second and third combined. The successful aspects of season one seem to have been lost which is a real shame.
I hope this season improves quickly before my impatience gets the better of me.
For the love of all that is holy please please please wrap up the "Irish Dingo Stole My Baby" storyline already. I am a HUGE fan but thing is just starting to get on my nerves. Whatever you are trying to do surely you could have done it without channeling Days of Our Lives and still retained you artistic integrity. If this thing drags out all season I'm not sure I'll be back for season 4 - which is a shame because the first 2 seasons were quite possibly my favorite tv programs ever............
Kurt -
Hey! So here is my opinion, and like assholes, we all have one. (Some just stink worse than others (critics).) Keep doing what you are doing. Don't let anyone detour you from your vision for SOA. It is great the way it is. The viewers are the main critics and as the numbers show, we love it. Young and old, male and female, all find themselves hanging on the edge. Waiting deperately till the next episode. Sometimes we try to predict what will happen, and it goes completely different direction. That is what makes your mind so fucking awesome. I'm 26 from a small "Charming-like" town in Chattanooga, TN, and I can't wait for each new episode. Never had motorcycle background, and I still can relate to feelings the characters have. So in closing, don't listen to critics. They are just overpaid, pansy asses that wouldn't know a good thing if it crawled in their ass. You keep the show interesting and don't drag out story lines. Your mind is fucking amazing, so keep writing on your way!!
And I know you can't say anything, but I can help but start to think Tara is pregnant. Leave of absence, throwing up, and now break down when Gemma says she'll be a great mom.... ???? Can help but wonder!
Jenn
I'm feeling so lost after watching "Home"... Fuck.
Thanks.
I just realized that my previous comment(s) could be misinterpreted. In my state of emotional trauma, the words didn't come out correctly.
Feeling lost after watching S3E4 is an indicator (to me) of REALLY good writing. That's what the "thanks" was for.
The "fuck" was - "Can I make it through another two months of this? Then through another four years?!?" Ah, YES! And hopefully a few years after that!
Applause, applause, applause, but the Irish accent too thick for me, and I know I missed a lot of important dialog between the Belfast gangstas.
I'm proud to say I'm a fan who appreciates the character arc, story arc, and the twist and turns you take me on. While I like the testosterone rush you also manage to fit-in, it doesn't make the show for me. It's about the story, and from where I sit, you, your team of writers, cast, and crew are doing a kick-ass job.
I missed episode three due to vacation but look forward to catching up when I'm back in the states. Actually I'm in SOA withdrawl, lol.
That "hour" on Tuesdays surely does pass quickly! But it's definitely an hour I look forward to at the end of a workday. That said--I am just not liking the vibe of this season's Tara. Heh--maybe that's deliberate. A bit too *Ophelia* with her conflicted/torn self. Ep 4--another ending with a punch. Scenes with Gemma and Nate--well done, again. Noticed that Chibs and Tig seem to be doing a bit more standing back and watching lately. --Well, Tig *has* done some other stuff, too ;)-- Interested in seeing how things play out between Chibs and the (un)lovely Jimmy O. Keep it coming...no letdowns so far.
Hi,
I want to apologize not watching the series sooner, but - better late than never, right? I'm glad to be along for the ride for the rest of S3 after having finally caught up (it was a glorious two weeks when we watched nothing other than Sons of Anarchy. Well, ok. We also watched Mad Men). In a way, I'm glad because it took us a few episodes to really get into the world of SAMCRO and Charming - so if we did watch it live at the time, perhaps we would have lost interest in between the earlier episodes of season 1 . But anyway, marvelous and very thoughtful work, and hopefully we can get our friends into the show too, because this show requires, no, demands more insightful discussions.
Anyway. Season 3! I'm having some problems connecting with the characters in Belfast (mostly due to the accent, I think. It makes me annoyed with myself because I feel like I'm missing some crucial character building moments because I'm having enough problems just deciphering what they're saying in the first place.)
So...maybe I'm misinterpreting/misunderstanding the accent, but I'm getting the sense that the Jimmy vs. Ashby relationship might be a interesting parallel to the Clay vs. Jax relationship, all clearly not scared to use violence to make their points, but Ashby and Jax clearly both have their own wishes to make their own organizations less 'gangster'. Ironically Ashby is the older king about to be replaced, which fuels Ashby to concoct a plan to keep Jimmy in check by keeping Abel hidden from the Sons, and Jax is the prince next in line to his crown should Clay not be able to ride (which is already the case that they're trying to hide), but is too consumed by him trying to find his son.
I sense a lot of violent shit is going to go down in Belfast.
I'm one of those that really comes for the characters, brains over brawn. In fact that's how I explain SOA to people who say they don't like violence. I tell them it's really about morals, loyalty, honor, integrity, and love. I'm a sucker for a show with those elements prominently displayed in a truthful manner. That's what's important to me, so I want to see how others deal with all of that too.
Though there's nothing un-fun about a testosterone rush every now and again too. For instance, I looked forward to the scenes in Battlestar Gallactica, when the troops got in their battleships and fought like bloody hell. I was the last one to know that I went for that sort of thing. But it's because I cared so much for every character. And I cared because they cared about morals, and integrity, and would fight for and die for love and honor. Simply, they cared about what matters in life.
I didn't finish. Big things don't have to happen to make life interesting or TV drama interesting. A perfect example would be the marriage scenes with Coach Taylor and Tammie on Friday Night Lights. I could have watched hours of those two simply interacting together as husband and wife.
Or the scene where Gemma has to struggle with the idea of placing her father in a home. Well, that is a pretty big thing, but the exchanges between daughter and father were intimate, and quiet, and wonderfully done. So great drama can be about ordinary things. All those daily dilemmas we face, and choices we have to make are interesting drama in of themselves. In other words it's all good. SOA that is.
Wow. So Steven King, and a song sung by Katie (right??) What next?
Keep up the great work! I think the show has come so far since season 1, which is really saying something, since I've hooked since day 1!
I've really been digging the characters and what they have been going through this season (especially Tara and Opie)...it seems every character has their own story going on. Just great stuff all around. Can't wait for the next episode.
Hi there! Sitting outside the touristbureau in Thonon les bains, by Lake Geneva in France. Just seen the last episodes of season two, DVD, and enjoyed all the extra material. Especially the "round the table" though I wosh "Hale", poor chap, would have received a question too... Wish U put more gag material as the seie was real seious by topics. Think it's the first serie ever taking females menopause as an item. Great!
All the very best to U, your fantastic writings and crew./FAB
I love what you are doing with this season of SOA. I am excited to see something other than internal drama that is driving the club. I like the fact that something form the outside has united the members of the club and the bullshit between Jax and Clay is at rest (at least for now). You are a brillant writter and every week I walk away from the show having a different emotion about what just happened. I LOVE IT! As a fan, I would be thrilled if we could have seven seasons of Sons!
I just watched episodes, Turning and Turning, the Push and Widening Gyre. Excellent and amazing and wonderful and now I'm in withdrawal waiting to see what happens next. Season 3 is turning out to surpass season 2 and I never thought that could happen. Storytelling at its finest. SOA is hands down the best show on ANY channel. THANK YOU.
Titus' accent is just as good as Charlie's, and I don't hear any bitching about that. Pull up your pants, people! Show me a more lick-able IRA psycho with a better accent.
p.s. I'm always surprised no one counts Jamie McShane among the Deadwood alum. Yes, he had one episode. But he is inextricably linked to the core mythology: He's fucking Ned Mason, who killed the squarehead family and had to be shot by Wild Bill and Seth Bullock in unison, thus enterwining the fates of nearly every surviving resident of Deadwood.
Hey Kurt, The show is awesome! Whatever you're doing to me is the right thing! Take the show out on the twists and turns, cause that's what life is all about.
I got a question that's probably going to get me all kinds of flack, but here goes. Is there any chance we'll see an SOA member riding a Sportster? I'm a Sportster rider and a fan of Sportsters. Yes one day I will move up to the bigger stuff, but for now they've been very good bikes to me. I know they get the rep of being a"Bitch Bike" but I thought it would be cool to see at least one on the show.
Keep up the great work I follow the show faithfully!
Thanks for your time!
Joe
Tara problem my ass.
Thanks to everyone at SoA, from producers to cast to bringers of coffee, for one of the most excellent shows I've ever seen <3
If for some reason the creative team isn't allowed to finish their story on TV, I wish you still put out books so we can follow it! Or comics, like Jericho.
Love from Sweden
I sincerely appreciate the well written, high-octane ride that is SoA. Problem is my satellite service's agreement with FX just expired. Thus, I am SOL on SoA for the foreseeable future. Also, FX has not been allowing online access to full episodes, which further complicates the matter. Do you have any insider knowledge as to whether Season 3 SoA episodes will be available on all satellite services and/or the FX website anytime soon?
Heat job getting approved for the fourth season. Son's are kicking some major ass!
Thank you for making such an awesome show that I don't even mind forking over a $180 cancellation fee to get the bastards at DISH out of my life, or 3 bucks an episode at iTunes 'til the DirecTV people can get out here. Until then, I'll amuse myself with daydreams of how Gemma would handle these idiots.
kurt,
harly davidson motorcycles is fucked ,, i mean what a bunch of dick's they profit from your hard work, and have the adacity to screw you by bootleggin SOA shit. i hope you patent every damn thing remotely related to SOA.. and sue them assholes,,
good luckon your run with Victory Motor cycles
i respect you alot kurt,
Clay
Leave it to ABC to just take a Mad men episode and call it a series. Meanwhile, there was this period drama that seemed pretty good, but it got cancelled for being a period drama...what was it...Oh, yeah! It was fucking Deadwood! No, wait, maybe that was Carnivale.
Hmmm...Encore for tonight's ep will be on in 50 mins. So...Stahl is still scary. Guess when she's ready to end a relationship ...watch out! Jeez. Jax...grrr...dude coulda just went and had a beer or six! Though I do like that he seems to think of Tara as more than just a *chick*. Some folks' ugly really came out tonight! Off to Belfast sooon I hope. (At least Tara being all over the emotional radar is somewhat explainable)
My husband and I are such fans of the show! I want to commend you on how angry I am with Jax right now! Some times I love them and some times I hate them but I can never miss an episode! My heart is aching for Tara right now. These characters have never been more personal than they are when they are this vulnerable. I love that about the show. It is a world I know nothing of but I feel so much empathy for them. I cannot wait until next week!
I had to pour bleach on my eyes at the end of last night. (Shiver)
p.s. Why weren't Tig and Kozic naked during that fight?
I'm very satisfied that Jax nailed the porn star(star? heh). Betrayal is typically a way people sabotage their relationships; to most people, screwing up a good thing is usually an uncontemplated and automatic thing we do, but it seems that Jax did it deliberately. It was a very human thing to do. People sometimes show their 'good' by doing bad shit. (which is also exactly what Tara did by helping Tig and Gemma cover up the death of the home health worker). She showed loyalty (good) by doing some bad shit. People are fucked up. That's just how it is. I'm glad you went in this more realistic and believable direction. It will be interesting to see how Tara's pregnancy plays into this scenario. I'd love to see them together, but, eh, life is sometimes like that.
Thanks for Sons! Since Lost ended, I now have a reason to get out of bed on Tuesdays.
Annie Fanelli
re: "The Push"
As per my comment on your previous post:
MUUUUUUUUUUUUCH better!
:)
p.s. If you haven't seen Queer As Folk [UK version], you need to take care of that IMMEDIATELY! Russell T. Davies is a BRILLIANT writer, esp how he creates amazing characters. Have a great hiatus!
Kurt,
I'm going to start out by saying that I'm not writing to stroke your ego or to compliment you on your latest post but it summarizes exactly the way my I feel about the show and how it has evolved. I have watched every episode and I initially tuned in to get a sense for what the biker culture was all about (having just started riding myself). My motivation(s) for watching are completely different now and are driven by my fascination with the tragic and humorous elements of the Samcro family. There is no need to apologize for your nod to Shakespeare. I have found myself trying to explain SOA and MadMen to those who have watched the shows only infrequently and the response is either a blank stare or excitement - nothing in between. If critics don't pound on artists, there are no critics. Consider the constructive, ignore the rest and keep up the good work.
a. Love it all, I mean it, I wouldn't change a thing.
b. I only watch three shows religiously, and this is one of them.
c. Thanks, thanks, thanks for the extended screen time for Ally Walker. She and Katey are two beautiful statuesque queens of their time. Seeing them both in a scene is outstanding.
Mr Sutter,
Congratulations on the growth and success of the show (Sons of Anarchy). I hope for it's longevity. Since this is the only way I've found to contact you (as I am not too much for searching personal info), I figure my second attempt on this might go through. My first attempt consisted of a very long complementary note of your writing, the cast and their flawless projection and connection, and how (in my 35 years) this is the first show I have to literally sit through each episode and considered collecting the series. Quite a bit more was written with some of my background, but in all honesty, I would write it all again, if it wasn't for the fact that I can not recall all of what I wrote. Oy... well, better for you, I suppose. Ha, ha!
My little girls and I recently moved from CA to MT to join my fiance and his son. Our blended family is expecting a new baby boy due in Jan 2011. Though we really are not the theme kind of people, SoA is a hell of lot better than most of the stuff out there for babies. =) I hope this finds you well and I wish the best to you and your family(ies).
Ah... I did admit that I had a different motive for writing, but I will leave it as a fan writing and trying to contact you.
If you are willing to, please shoot us an e-mail at capntap@hotmail.com. My name is Terese and my fiance is Carlyle. Please write your name in the subject line as I delete e-mails from those I don't recognize. Thank you for your time.
Hello Kurt,
I am not sure if you will remember me, but I wrote you back during season one with concerns about how much the "N" word was flying around the screen, and the "Black/White" tension that the story line was leaning towards. I recall mentioning how much more entertaining I thought your show would be to find more creative ways to develop your characters as opposed to going with typical Neo-Nazi race wars.
Well.... I am happy to say how impressed I was when in Season 2 the "N" word was replaced with "Colored". And now in Season 3, the one time I notice it used, it served a legitimate purpose in moving the story along during a scene when Samcro is helped to even a score for their “Brothers to the North” the Grim Bastards.
Touché Mr. Sutter. As far as I am concerned SOA is not only better than the Sopranos, it is going to be the highest grossing drama ever created once it reaches it’s fifth Season, or whenever it goes into Syndication.
I tell all my friends to look past the long hair, and motorcycles and allow themselves to see the world through Jax’s eyes.
Good Masterpiece. Keep it up!
PS – Try to get back to Jax’s reading of his father’s Memoirs. It really helps new viewers to know what is Jax’s motivation, and I’m sure you don’t want him to lose his way.
Peace,
Kurt Wilson, Los Angeles
Kurt,
SOLID ep last night. Happy that finally things are heading to Ireland - happier still that my faith in your ability to get SAMCRO there believably and interestingly has paid off. Was that you playing JT in the picture with Mo and baby Trinity?
Thanks for the extra 30 minutes next week - can't wait!
~ken
Could fx do everyone a favor and go ahead and lock this show up for seven seasons already? We need to see how this series unfolds in its entirety. By the way , Paula Malcomson is doing such a great job this season. And Trinity being Jax's sister? Who saw that one coming!
I understand your creative issues. To this fan SOA would never be the same if was not written but Kurt Sutter. Why I love the character Jema and the other characters that you have created they would only be a mirror if there fates were left in the hands of another. I often think WWJD (what would Jema do) and apply those principles.
I think SOA is a great series which is very well written. It's just a shame that the whole IRA storyline has been full of inaccuracies and clichés. Hollwood has always approached Northern Ireland in a simplistic way and has often romanicised the IRA but it's disappointing to see such an intelligently-written show going down the same road. There was an opportunity here to show the complex reality of the political situation rather than pander to stereotypes. It's a slap in the face to all the innocent people, both Irish and British that have lost their lives or their loved ones to the IRA and other paramilitary organisations.
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