I am not hating this season as much as others on here seem to be although if we are going to get more abel this year I could easily head that way. There was already way too much Abel in that episode for a whole season. Hopefully they move away from him as he is an awful actor (hate to go after a kid but doubt he is reading), awful character and brings nothing to the show. I don't know why TV writers seem to get fixated on these bit characters and often bring them into the show way more than they should.
If this "revelation" is at all used for jax to go after Gemma then it will be pretty tough to swallow and a really stupid plot line. There is no reason to believe Abel as he already has shown himself to be a liar when it comes to Gemma and he has no reason to know what happened. If you already ignored the fact that it made no sense for Lin to kill Tara in the first place and even less sense to bring the goon who did it (when he has 100 other goons at his disposal) to a party where he could be recognized then why listen to the 4 year old liar?
I think you should give the kid a break. Remember: he's the kid of a junkie. There's likely to be some odd stuff going on in that kids head. To have a 5 year old hold a face that is devoid of emotion for that long, is pretty good acting. My kid couldn't do it... she'd be giggling after 5 seconds.
And the opening montage: I could stare at Jax's butt all day long!
Holy crap, Charlie Hunnam is hot. His scene in the opening is the only one I appreciated. Everything else was unnecessary.
The reveal sucked and I still maintain that the Abel kid is terrible. I know he's a child, but geez. Between the monotonous voice and blank stares, you could get better acting from a ventriloquist doll.
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It started with the worst opening to an episode in TV history. It ended with maybe the worst reveal in TV history. Historic night for Sons of Anarchy. That was painful and funny in not the way they wanted.
I found those two scenes decidedly less painful than all the scenes with the excruciating dialogue between the various lovers.
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It started with the worst opening to an episode in TV history. It ended with maybe the worst reveal in TV history. Historic night for Sons of Anarchy. That was painful and funny in not the way they wanted.
This. So awkward.
The first 15 minutes or so after that was so drawn out and boring.
Pretty weak episode overall, minus the white on black scene in the country.
tough crowd. I thought the episode was pretty good, surely one of the best ones this season. The reveal was not disappointing to me at all because I thought it was done pretty neatly. Abel effectively did what his father did last episode (as in trying to get somebody in trouble with the police for something he/she had nothing to do with), and he tried to do that in the same way that Tara did (blaming Gemma for an injury that she had nothing to do with) last season ... I thought that was an interesting concept and the build up to the reveal was nicely done too (sometimes I forget that Charlie Hunnam can actually be a decent actor). Connecting those storylines actually made sense for a change and in a disappointing season, I'll take that. I'm just glad that Jax finally knows the truth and that's what matters most to me. It's a necessary step with only 3 episodes to go and I thought they could have handled the reveal A LOT worse.
I thought the episode was way too long though, all those discussions between the "lovers" were unnecessarily long and the Tulley/Juice thing was just lazy. I was almost disappointed that they already took out Moses, he was by the far the most interesting "new" character and actually made for a serious antagonist. Who's left now for a big showdown? Marks is in prison. Nero is set to ride into the sunset. Jarry is a joke compared to Hale and Roosevelt. Alvarez is about to take over Diosa and the Niners are in bed with the Sons anyway. Soooo ... Tully?! Maybe they have to bring back Zobelle
oh, and the hate on the Abel kid in this thread is ridiculous. Even if we ignore the fact that the "actor" is, what, 5 years or so, let's not forget he's portraying a junkie's kid (which has obviously influenced his health) who is growing up in the most unhealthy environment possible for a kid, filled with death and violence. What would you expect from a kid in that situation?
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As I've said before I just want this to be over! However, this was the best episode so far this season IMO.
With regard to Abel, yeah the acting is cringe worthy and if it were me that cast him I would be embarrassed, but whatever, I don't think this show requires a great deal of "acting muscle".
Also- I noticed during the closing credits that Abel is played by identical twins (Evan and Ryder Londo) which will be interesting when the time comes to hand out Emmy awards!!
When casting children, usually the most important thing is to get kids who will take direction and sit still and keep quiet during shooting.
The Londo brothers have been playing Abel for three seasons now, and he was mostly a background character for most of that time. They were cast when they were 3 or 4 years old, so it's not really surprising that they're not great at carrying heavy dramatic scenes. They're still only 5 or 6.
Also, kids in these types of roles are usually kept away from the more extreme stuff on the show, so it's tough to know what the kids are actually seeing on the set and reacting to.
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I am not a parent, but it seemed like maybe that was not the right time to tell Abel that his real mother was Wendy. The kid had just taken a fork to his arm, and tried to blame it on his grandmother. He's clearly got some stuff to work through. Would that be the best time to throw another log on the fire in the form of "that chick wasn't your real mother, this is your real mother. Surprise!"
I thought that Abel was going to draw something and that Jax would interpret Gemma killed Tara from that. I also thought Wayne would play a role in the unraveling. He still could, but I thought he would figure things out and then point Jax in the right direction or maybe confirm Abel's story.
It looked like Jax believed Abel when he said it, but like someone said above, this kid has already proven his dislike of Gemma. Plus kids say weird stuff all the time. Would be really easy for them to write it off. It will be interesting to see what Jax does with this.
They are really heaping on the relationship crap this season. I don't care about any of these relationships. I don't. There is no part of me that cares. Although, I will say I was saddened to see Rat cheat on the babysitter with a hooker.
I need to see Jary die. I really do. I just cannot stand anything about her. Every ten seconds she's gotta be analyzing the relationship with Chibs. She seems to need him to constantly qualify every bit of their interactions. God, is she dumb? I just hate her so much. So entirely useless.
The Juice stuff... I don't know. Seemed like it wasn't entirely necessary. I am not sure if we are supposed to feel for Juice now or what. I really don't.
Tig and Venus -- I like Venus. I really do. It is actually kind of nice to have a transsexual character on the show that actually has some depth and isn't totally a one dimensional stereotype.
The eyeball thing, sweet Jesus, that was insane. Ugh. I liked that whole scene though. When Jax and the guys came up through the storm cellar, that was some badassery.
The opening was bizarre, but kind of funny. I can't say that I liked it, but it was campy.
I guess they have succeeded in leaving us guessing. I really don't know where this goes from here. I really don't.
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For the people complaining about the open. The sex was about feeling something because everyone feels dead inside and it's starting to really take its toll on the club and on everyone else involved. From the guilt, the loss and the stress, everyone is starting to break down. Sex is a way to feel something. That was all it was about. Jax crying in the end is a major tell.
For everyone wondering who the real enemy is. We've been watching him materialize from the beginning of the show.
Hated the Venus and Tig declaring love scene. It was like 8 minutes long, just ridiculous and unnecessary. Brutal.
And as much as I didn't want Abel to be the one to get Jax's mind on Gemma, I thought it turned out okay. The scene was as obvious as it gets, but Jax's facial reaction to Abel's question was what made that scene. I've watched it a few times now and it's good every time.
Hated the Venus and Tig declaring love scene. It was like 8 minutes long, just ridiculous and unnecessary. Brutal.
Every second Walton Goggins is on screen is a win for any series. I also thought it really helped to round out Tig's character into something other than a twisted, maniacal, pervert. Coates' character is undoubtedly one of the more interesting personalities on the show, and the exploration on the depths of that character have been too few and far between.
I thought it was pretty impressive how the writers and actors were able to convincingly transform their relationship from a comedic sideshow into something meaningful that really gave more substance to a long-standing character.
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I loved Marilyn Manson reading a love story to Juice.
You would have to think now that Juice is going to flip or something. He has knowledge that the cops want and I can't imagine that he likes being prison raped daily by a white supremacist (jelly or no jelly).
As for the rest of the episode, I thought it was pretty good. I am happy with the reveal, but I hope that Jax doesn't take it as gospel. Something else still needs to happen to really drive it home I think.
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We didn't get a montage last week, so they make up for it this week - boy, do they! The entire cast take a break from being scumbags to audition for Charming Theater's twelve-week run of Caligula. The only one not getting any Bobby post-death grief loving is Wendy, but thankfully they ADR'd in the sound of a vibrator. Don't Tig and Venus make such a cute couple?
At the end of the montage, Jax gently weeps while the hooker with the heart of gold consoles him. Awww.
Oh, and Juice is taking it up his colonic highway from Marilyn Manson. Like, why? More on that later.
Nero gets his weekly "Mano" in on top of his pressing Jax about the farm.
Jax' accent slips as per his episode-to-episode contract stipulation.
Little Abel is off to school with a cut over his eye, a fork in his lunchbox and a Thug Life plan to frame Gemma in his heart, because that's what five year old kids who eavesdrop do on this show: they become master conspirators. Oh, and if the kid's acting seems a little off, don't worry, he's not the worst one on this show.
That honorific would go to Marilyn Manson as Tully, obviously hired for name recognition and not talent. Manson has a sit down with Jax (I love that these prisons let known felons consort with one another almost on a daily basis, by the way) and CONSTANTLY glances down at his lines and STILL reads them with all the oomph of a wet fart. He and Jax go over the plan to kill Lin, but why haven't they done that yet? Could it be because Sutter is stalling, and the only way he knows how to stall is to feature Juice getting Mansoned? Juice may love the club and may be willing to do what it takes to get back in its good graces, but nothing in the last seven seasons suggests his character would go this far - and let's just play devil's advocate and say he would - what's the point? How does love poems, KY jelly and taking Manson's Antichrist Superstar get him any closer to killing Lin? Oh, Sutter, you and your shock value.
Elsewhere, Jax goes to meet with his newfound AB buddies; one of them insults Tig so Jax and crew end up shooting and killing two of them because, well, it's over twenty minutes in and we haven't had anyone use their gun yet.
The AB alert Samcro that Leland The Lone Wolf is on his way to cap Eglee, but no worry, he gets his backside handed to him by Super Cancer.
Jarry questions Unser, claims they can't keep protecting Samcro, starts daydreaming about garage sex with Chibbs.
Ratboy and T.O get abducted by faux-Marks and he threatens to do to them what he did to Bobby lest they give up the location of the pastor's family. T.O caves and sends faux-Marks to... AHA! PLOT TWIST! Not only that, but PLOT TWIST THAT WAS CONSPIRED OFF SCREEN BECAUSE, HEY, SUTTER SUCKS THAT MUCH! Faux-Marks and his entire organization are sent to the AB house instead, where everyone is waiting to ambush them. Faux-Marks has been shown to be devious, cunning and, above all, smarter than anyone else on the show, but we need to finally advance this plot so it's time for them to act completely dumb: no scoping out of the location, no confirming the information checks out first, not even taking along one of the hostages for leverage: nope, they just walk RIGHT into the trap. They even sweep the house and land and STILL get ambushed. Jax does to faux-Marks what faux-Marks did to that fat guy.
Don't forget about Juice during all this: he's busy listening to Marilyn Manson write new lyrics. You see, he's in solitary so he can't get to Lin, but at least he can get regular visitors so Sutter can fulfill his daily quota of crappy shock value.
Child services, after seven seasons, finally gets involved when Abel convinces them that his down the street and not across was perpetrated by Gemma. What a cunning little kid. He can barely complete a sentence but he sure can frame someone to advance the plot. Meanwhile, Jax broods over all this.
Chibbs tries to break it off with Jarry; they have Lethal Weapon 3-style sex instead.
Venus tries to break it off with Tig; they whisper sweet nothings to one another instead.
Finally, Jax tells Abel why he's such a moron: he came from the junky, not the educated doctor. Boohoo. How does Abel thank Jax for revealing a branch of his family tree? By letting him known Gemma killed Tara.
Cue stifled yawns.
Sons of Anarchy was filmed before a live studio audience.
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We didn't get a montage last week, so they make up for it this week - boy, do they! The entire cast take a break from being scumbags to audition for Charming Theater's twelve-week run of Caligula. The only one not getting any Bobby post-death grief loving is Wendy, but thankfully they ADR'd in the sound of a vibrator. Don't Tig and Venus make such a cute couple?
At the end of the montage, Jax gently weeps while the hooker with the heart of gold consoles him. Awww.
Oh, and Juice is taking it up his colonic highway from Marilyn Manson. Like, why? More on that later.
Nero gets his weekly "Mano" in on top of his pressing Jax about the farm.
Jax' accent slips as per his episode-to-episode contract stipulation.
Little Abel is off to school with a cut over his eye, a fork in his lunchbox and a Thug Life plan to frame Gemma in his heart, because that's what five year old kids who eavesdrop do on this show: they become master conspirators. Oh, and if the kid's acting seems a little off, don't worry, he's not the worst one on this show.
That honorific would go to Marilyn Manson as Tully, obviously hired for name recognition and not talent. Manson has a sit down with Jax (I love that these prisons let known felons consort with one another almost on a daily basis, by the way) and CONSTANTLY glances down at his lines and STILL reads them with all the oomph of a wet fart. He and Jax go over the plan to kill Lin, but why haven't they done that yet? Could it be because Sutter is stalling, and the only way he knows how to stall is to feature Juice getting Mansoned? Juice may love the club and may be willing to do what it takes to get back in its good graces, but nothing in the last seven seasons suggests his character would go this far - and let's just play devil's advocate and say he would - what's the point? How does love poems, KY jelly and taking Manson's Antichrist Superstar get him any closer to killing Lin? Oh, Sutter, you and your shock value.
Elsewhere, Jax goes to meet with his newfound AB buddies; one of them insults Tig so Jax and crew end up shooting and killing two of them because, well, it's over twenty minutes in and we haven't had anyone use their gun yet.
The AB alert Samcro that Leland The Lone Wolf is on his way to cap Eglee, but no worry, he gets his backside handed to him by Super Cancer.
Jarry questions Unser, claims they can't keep protecting Samcro, starts daydreaming about garage sex with Chibbs.
Ratboy and T.O get abducted by faux-Marks and he threatens to do to them what he did to Bobby lest they give up the location of the pastor's family. T.O caves and sends faux-Marks to... AHA! PLOT TWIST! Not only that, but PLOT TWIST THAT WAS CONSPIRED OFF SCREEN BECAUSE, HEY, SUTTER SUCKS THAT MUCH! Faux-Marks and his entire organization are sent to the AB house instead, where everyone is waiting to ambush them. Faux-Marks has been shown to be devious, cunning and, above all, smarter than anyone else on the show, but we need to finally advance this plot so it's time for them to act completely dumb: no scoping out of the location, no confirming the information checks out first, not even taking along one of the hostages for leverage: nope, they just walk RIGHT into the trap. They even sweep the house and land and STILL get ambushed. Jax does to faux-Marks what faux-Marks did to that fat guy.
Don't forget about Juice during all this: he's busy listening to Marilyn Manson write new lyrics. You see, he's in solitary so he can't get to Lin, but at least he can get regular visitors so Sutter can fulfill his daily quota of crappy shock value.
Child services, after seven seasons, finally gets involved when Abel convinces them that his down the street and not across was perpetrated by Gemma. What a cunning little kid. He can barely complete a sentence but he sure can frame someone to advance the plot. Meanwhile, Jax broods over all this.
Chibbs tries to break it off with Jarry; they have Lethal Weapon 3-style sex instead.
Venus tries to break it off with Tig; they whisper sweet nothings to one another instead.
Finally, Jax tells Abel why he's such a moron: he came from the junky, not the educated doctor. Boohoo. How does Abel thank Jax for revealing a branch of his family tree? By letting him known Gemma killed Tara.
Cue stifled yawns.
Sons of Anarchy was filmed before a live studio audience.
Ouch!
Of course the show does require suspending logic at points, but it is actually more logical to me that "Faux-Marks" would do something stupid. They thought they were smarter than everyone, and that is usually when people end up doing something dumb. I also don't mind we find out that characters conspired off screen. You really need that and I can't think of any series that doesn't implement that strategy at times.
It is the curse of being a final season though, that writers start using some cheap ploys to advance the plot (Breaking Bad still takes the cake IMO when Hank found the book in the bathroom). SoA seems to have just saved it for later instead of getting it over with earlier in the season.
I have to agree though that the scene with Tig getting the greenlight to shoot the AB guy because he insulted him was a little much.
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Last edited by FlamesAddiction; 11-14-2014 at 10:47 AM.
Of course the show does require suspending logic at points, but it is actually more logical to me that "Faux-Marks" would do something stupid. They thought they were smarter than everyone, and that is usually when people end up doing something dumb. I also don't mind we find out that characters conspired off screen. You really need that and I can't think of any series that doesn't implement that strategy at times.
It is the curse of being a final season though, that writers start using some cheap ploys to advance the plot (Breaking Bad still takes the cake IMO when Hank found the book in the bathroom). SoA seems to have just saved it for later instead of getting it over with earlier in the season.
I have to agree though that the scene with Tig getting the greenlight to shoot the AB guy because he insulted him was a little much.
That's exactly what happened with Walt in Breaking Bad. He had developed to a point that he felt untouchable.
__________________ "It's a great day for hockey."
-'Badger' Bob Johnson (1931-1991)
"I see as much misery out of them moving to justify theirselves as them that set out to do harm." -Dr. Amos "Doc" Cochran
