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.
