# Sons of Anarchy **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 7, 2010, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sons-of-anarchy/552965 "2010-09-07T21:23:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2010, 10:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sons-of-anarchy/552965/21 "2010-09-09T10:35:15Z")
> [@Batsinma\_Belfry](#): > > Am I the only one who didn’t know the actor who plays Jax, is British? > > I saw [_Nicholas Nickleby_](http://www.imdb.com/media/rm365992960/tt0309912) this weekend. You could have knocked me over with a feather. I had seen that in his credits earlier and made a point recently of seeing the first little bit of NN on PBS. It is indeed a shock! There have been quite a few actors (both genders) that I have seen on Masterpiece (most likely one of the detective shows) who show up in a bigger production later. Gemma Arterton (from a recent James Bond movie) is another such case. Probably the biggest shock along those lines was how many of the actors on _The Wire_ were British, most surprising to me being Stringer Bell. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2010, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sons-of-anarchy/552965/22 "2010-09-09T10:37:41Z")
> [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](#): > > > [@Zeldar](#): > > > > Nowhere in this [synopsis](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1559905/synopsis), nor in the full cast list for the episode, can I find reference to the Republican candidate for mayor(?) who comes to Hale asking for support. > > That was Hale’s brother, who tried to get Hale in line with the Aryans at the beginning of S2, because they’d clean up Charming [get rid of SAMCRO and the others]. Thanks. See Posts #15 and #16 above. I knew he was familiar from earlier episodes, but I just wasn’t able to find his credits in this latest episode. Turns out I was just not as diligent as I needed to have been. ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2010, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sons-of-anarchy/552965/23 "2010-09-09T22:44:22Z")
I’m damned curious to know if they shot any scenes in Belfast city centre. During the summer there was one day when a stream of bikes with those very loud farty exhausts came up the street outside the office. Such was the racket that a lot of car alarms went off 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2010, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sons-of-anarchy/552965/24 "2010-09-09T22:51:42Z")
> [@Pushkin](#): > > I’m damned curious to know if they shot any scenes in Belfast city centre. During the summer there was one day when a stream of bikes with those very loud farty exhausts came up the street outside the office. Such was the racket that a lot of car alarms went off 🙂 Sounds like a strong clue. Has there been much chatter locally about the show shooting there? ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sons-of-anarchy/552965/25 "2010-09-10T00:03:07Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I just saw this episode. I liked it, particularly the explosive ending. > > One question about the show overall. Didn’t they suggest in an early episode that Clay killed Jax’s dad? Is this something the show is ever going to return to? Because the first season, they appeared to be setting up the conflict between Clay and Jax as the central story (i.e., “Hamlet on a Harley”). But they’ve since abandoned that idea. Yes, they did, and I think it will eventually “come out,” but the tension between Clay and Jax (and the division within the club) is going to go back-and-forth a bit, I think, before it happens. Look at S2; Jax and Clay are almost ready to kill one another when Gemma reveals her rape at the hands of the skinheads, and it unifies the club. I’m not saying it buries old beefs/grudges, but they’re all on “the back burner” for the time being. Sooner or later (if it hasn’t already), it is going to occur to Jax that it’s the old guard’s “business as usual” with gunrunning that got them into this mess. ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sons-of-anarchy/552965/26 "2010-09-10T00:19:08Z")
> [@Batsinma\_Belfry](#): > > Am I the only one who didn’t know the actor who plays Jax, is British? His American accent has gotten much better [since Undeclared](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2b5_2elFjg). 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sons-of-anarchy/552965/27 "2010-09-10T00:19:59Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > > [@Pushkin](#): > > > > I’m damned curious to know if they shot any scenes in Belfast city centre. During the summer there was one day when a stream of bikes with those very loud farty exhausts came up the street outside the office. Such was the racket that a lot of car alarms went off 🙂 > > Sounds like a strong clue. Has there been much chatter locally about the show shooting there? I haven’t heard a thing really, I’m not sure if I’m just dozing but there a few things like that that have passed me by. There was a troupe of Doctor Who beasties marching around the city centre the other day to promote a new Who show, missed all of that. ---
**Author:** ![smaje1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47774/32.png) [@smaje1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smaje1)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sons-of-anarchy/552965/28 "2010-09-10T17:50:39Z")
> [@Pushkin](#): > > I haven’t heard a thing really, I’m not sure if I’m just dozing but there a few things like that that have passed me by. There was a troupe of Doctor Who beasties marching around the city centre the other day to promote a new Who show, missed all of that. Ooh, tell us more about that! ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sons-of-anarchy/552965/29 "2010-09-10T18:27:03Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I just saw this episode. I liked it, particularly the explosive ending. > > One question about the show overall. Didn’t they suggest in an early episode that Clay killed Jax’s dad? Is this something the show is ever going to return to? Because the first season, they appeared to be setting up the conflict between Clay and Jax as the central story (i.e., “Hamlet on a Harley”). But they’ve since abandoned that idea. Yeah, that sort of petered out didn’t it ? The first season finale in particular was quite clearly heading in the direction of a SAMCRO civil war and then… nuthin’. Maybe it’ll pick back up when Jax gets his son back and realizes all the shit he’s been complaining about in the last episode is a direct result of SAMCRO being gangsters, I dunno. I really want to see Clay and Jax throw down at some point, and to get more info and quotes by Jax’s dad as well. Seems like an interesting guy. Crazy Irish nicking a baby for about zero reason ? Not that interesting, IMO. I also wish they’d put Mitch Pileggi back on the stage at some point. I really got a kick out of seeing Assistant Director Skinner as a racist hick for some reason. ---
**Author:** ![Xan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/ac8455/32.png) [@Xan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xan)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sons-of-anarchy/552965/30 "2010-09-10T22:56:42Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > > [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > > > I just saw this episode. I liked it, particularly the explosive ending. > > > > One question about the show overall. Didn’t they suggest in an early episode that Clay killed Jax’s dad? Is this something the show is ever going to return to? Because the first season, they appeared to be setting up the conflict between Clay and Jax as the central story (i.e., “Hamlet on a Harley”). But they’ve since abandoned that idea. > > Yeah, that sort of petered out didn’t it ? The first season finale in particular was quite clearly heading in the direction of a SAMCRO civil war and then… nuthin’. > > Maybe it’ll pick back up when Jax gets his son back and realizes all the shit he’s been complaining about in the last episode is a direct result of SAMCRO being gangsters, I dunno. > I really want to see Clay and Jax throw down at some point, and to get more info and quotes by Jax’s dad as well. Seems like an interesting guy. Crazy Irish nicking a baby for about zero reason ? Not that interesting, IMO. > > I also wish they’d put Mitch Pileggi back on the stage at some point. I really got a kick out of seeing Assistant Director Skinner as a racist hick for some reason. You know it’s possible that Clay killed John but Gemma had no knowledge of this. After the death of John and Gemma’s other son Thomas John “lost his way”. Maybe Gemma started an affair with Clay while John was deeply in grief over the loss of his youngest son. Gemma tried to have sex with Tig when she thought Clay didn’t want her anymore so it’s entirely consistent with her character. [Wiki Cite](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_characters_from_Sons_of_Anarchy#John_Teller) ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sons-of-anarchy/552965/31 "2010-09-10T23:10:56Z")
I figure what happened was he suddenly realized what the Sons had become (possibly as a result of his breakdown over Thomas’ death and the soul searching that usually comes hand in hand with that kind of thing, or coming back from that dark place and looking at things with new eyes), antagonized Clay over it and, well, Clay isn’t keen on being antagonized. Or Gemma realized a big dissension within the club would destroy the whole Big Family thing she’s got going, not to mention hurt a lot of people she seems to genuinely care about, and thus seduced Clay to get him to bump John. She is, after all, the mother of all ice cold bitches. Or was, until the writers got a case of the stupids and made her Christian-by-rape. Don’t get me started on \*that \*one. I admit I don’t have much to go on with this, besides a lot of innuendos and meaningful glances between Clay and Gemma, and the whole manuscript burning episode. Old man Piney also seems to still be raw about what happened back then, and while he keeps his mouth shut he’s always sort of egging Jax on to make a move, isn’t he ? I dunno, really - this is all as much irrational gut feelings as actual cogitations about the show. Evidently the writers keep “the truth” in the dark and leave hints towards multiple versions because they haven’t decided what the truth was yet 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sons-of-anarchy/552965/32 "2010-09-10T23:14:20Z")
Oh, BTW, and completely unrelated but does anyone know what the vertical golden pin is that Clay wears on his leather jacket ? He’s got two of those just above his name. One’s definitely a parachutist’s jump wings, but what’s the other one ? ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sons-of-anarchy/552965/33 "2010-09-10T23:14:49Z")
> [@Batsinma\_Belfry](#): > > Am I the only one who didn’t know the actor who plays Jax, is British? > > I saw [_Nicholas Nickleby_](http://www.imdb.com/media/rm365992960/tt0309912) this weekend. You could have knocked me over with a feather. The first thing i saw him on was the original _Queer as Folk_, and believe me, the biggest transformation between that character and Jax is not the accent. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Pigs\_in\_Space](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9d8465/32.png) [@Pigs\_in\_Space](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pigs_in_Space)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2010, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sons-of-anarchy/552965/34 "2010-09-11T00:28:57Z")
> [@Xan](#): > > You know it’s possible that Clay killed John but Gemma had no knowledge of this. After the death of John and Gemma’s other son Thomas John “lost his way”. Maybe Gemma started an affair with Clay while John was deeply in grief over the loss of his youngest son. Gemma tried to have sex with Tig when she thought Clay didn’t want her anymore so it’s entirely consistent with her character. > > [Wiki Cite](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_characters_from_Sons_of_Anarchy#John_Teller) Clay clearly ain’t the brains of the outfit. I don’t think he could hide something of that magnitude from Gemma. My take is that the death of John Teller won’t come to a head until later in the series. Once they start down that road, the story is moving toward the end. ---
**Author:** ![HazelNutCoffee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@HazelNutCoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HazelNutCoffee)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2010, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sons-of-anarchy/552965/35 "2010-09-12T12:18:00Z")
> [@ExTank](#): > > Okay, we’re off to the races! > > Other than the chase from the marina, and judging by the clock (I thought it would be a standard 1-hour episode) I thought this was going to be a turgidly paced episode. > > And then it goes out with a bang. Yeah, we were just complaining about how nothing seemed to happening when… whoa. Out of fucking nowhere. Hope this season doesn’t disappoint. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sons-of-anarchy/552965/36 "2010-09-15T14:56:07Z")
> [@Pushkin](#): > > I’ll have to wait a while to see the scenes they filmed in Belfast it seems, I wonder how the city will look. If all we get to see of Belfast is some traffic and a church exterior, I’m not sure why they would have made the trip. Did last night’s episode seem sort of thrown together, as if they took a break from planning where to go next? I still don’t see why they bothered Hal Holbrook. Unless he begged for a part in the show. Tig is always finding a way to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. What are the odds that Abel doesn’t make it through another episode alive? Could the creative staff have a thing against Catholics, you suppose? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sons-of-anarchy/552965/37 "2010-09-15T18:22:39Z")
Abel is either going to be sent back with apologies, the logical choice, or raised Irish, the dramatic choice. ---
**Author:** ![Hockey\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a183cd/32.png) [@Hockey\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hockey_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2010, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sons-of-anarchy/552965/38 "2010-09-25T02:56:25Z")
Anyone catch this week? Stephen King had a small role as Bachman. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![gallows\_fodder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2010, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sons-of-anarchy/552965/39 "2010-09-25T03:24:35Z")
This season just isn’t grabbing me yet. Last season, it felt like every episode was a 2-hr action movie crammed into 45 minutes, but so far this season has been moving very slowly and nothing’s coalescing yet. ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2010, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sons-of-anarchy/552965/40 "2010-09-25T05:09:26Z")
> [@Hockey\_Monkey](#): > > Anyone catch this week? Stephen King had a small role as Bachman. 🙂 Was that him? I thought “Hey that guy kinda looks like S. King,” but never bothered to check, because, well, it just never occured to me that it might be S. King. Appropriately creepy. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sons-of-anarchy/552965.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sons-of-anarchy/552965.md?page=3)