"It's gonna be a tough afternoon." - Gemma
I've written a fair amount about how this season of Sons of Anarchy has treaded a bit of water. We've been waiting for the story line to grab a foothold and move in a direction where the club, Jax, and Gemma come closer to fully understanding their pasts, presents and futures. With tonight's "Home" we saw the story move in a direction where real progress is forth coming. And though the writers still had some fun at moments, we got a gripping story about how the characters are once again headed on a tricky path toward real answers, some of which we've been waiting for since season one.
Gemma's tough afternoon was for all intents and purposes a massive understatement as we saw her come to grips with a whole host of issues all at once. She finally came to the point of having to put her somewhat estranged father away in the nursing home for good. This scene was about as gut-wrenching as they come and illustrated just how hard it is to finally say goodbye to someone (especially when they are still alive). Gemma's reaction (brilliant) to Nate's reaction (award-winning) was as tough a television scene as there is.
The emotion of the moment for Gemma spiraled her into calling Agent Stahl, heading back to Charming to reconnect with her family, finally getting the news about Abel's real whereabouts and succumbing to the "family flaw" (a possible heart attack). It was an epic turn for the worst that leaves the show on familiar and much-missed intriguing ground.
Where Gemma and SAMCRO represent a unified, Abel-finding front,** the IRA faction are dealing with the infighting, no "I" in team problems SAMCRO has fallen victim to in the past. And as the Irish contingent story gains more steam, it also harbors so many more questions as to who is for what and where all the sides align. What does Father Ashbry want with SAMCRO? Is Jimmy O just a gangster or something more? How does John Teller's time in Ireland play into all of this and what was his relationship with Maureen? Where exactly is Abel?
**Gemma is going to get up and tell them Abel is in Ireland right? Please don't tell me she goes into a coma and her phone breaks or something.
Sons of Anarchy is at its best when the characters are reacting to problems in legitimate ways. Where the bikers and their families are dealing with clear problems (Zobelle, Stahl, the Mayans, now the IRA) head-on rather than running in circles searching for answers. If a problem of this season has been lack of focus (for the club and the show), the realization for everyone (finally) that Abel is in Belfast puts an end to the wheel spinning and gets us headed toward solutions.
Many other thoughts on an excellent episode
- Clay getting older has been a reoccurring theme throughout the show's run and been part of the problem between he and Jax. Where we're to assume Jax wants a more progressive approach to the club, Clay has wanted to keep business as usual. But tonight the age issue was dealt in a more a Clay's-an-old-man way than just conflicting generational ideals. Clay is just getting old, plain and simple. He couldn't ride unless his hands were tied to the handlebars for Christ's sake. How much longer can he keep going even if he wanted to?
- How close are SAMCRO and SAMCBO (Sons of Anarchy Motorcycle Club Belfast Original) beyond just their identical jacket cuts? The Irish didn't have any problem lying to their North American cronies.
- Hal Holbrook deserves an Emmy. While we weren't nearly as connected with his character, this story reminded me an awful lot of when Uncle Junior was put away in the mental home near the end of The Sopranos. You just knew they were destined to die alone.
- Sons must be really hard up for cash if Opie is selling his Panhead for the cause.
- You would think with all the heat on SAMCRO and Gemma, there would be some kind of tail on the guys as they visited Gemma. Hell they could have led the Feds right to her.
- Katey Sagal with an awesome allusion to Married With Children when the suggestion comes out she could go red head. Gemma would rather kill herself. Come on, who didn't love Peg Bundy?
- God Tara is just so freaking unlikeable it is almost scary. I am legitimately torn as to whether the writers actually want us to dislike her, or Maggie Siff was just possibly the wrong choice for the role.
- Man Tig has just been funny as hell over these last few episodes, tonight somehow taking the blame for the Guatemalan maid getting whacked.
- Commenter questioned last week whether Tara might be pregnant. I think there is something to that notion. Last week she randomly pukes. This week it's crazy mood swings between rage and tears. She could be preggo. Or maybe she is just reacting to having aided and abetted in a murder. Same difference right?
- For the music people, final song in episode was "Bird on a Wire" by Midnight Choir.
