Like an awfully large part of the population, I enjoyed Sons of Anarchy when it was on. Sure, it got violent, it got over the top, I thought it was a pretty good portrayal, not of motorcycle gangs, but of certain types of personalities who just happened to ride. It was, if you really think about it and go down the rabbit hole a bit, Hamlet on a V-twin.
Now, Shakespeare notwithstanding, I do miss the show and for the last three years since it went off the air, we’ve consistently heard rumblings of spinoffs and prequels and knockoffs.
Hell, I’ve even talked about some of these right here in this column.
Every few months or so, an article pops up with what, ultimately, proves to be a rumor or an idea that simply gets passed around as fact and then quietly goes away. Consistently, though, for the last few months, the rumor mill seems to have gotten their collective story straight and it appears that FX is moving forward with a sequel to Sons of Anarchy.
Now, the official word is that the series is still in development but will focus on the Mayans MC after Jax’s death.
Who’s in it?
Well, we know that the pilot has cast Andrea Londo and Edward James Olmos (you know, the Captain from the Miami Vice television show). Additionally, Sarah Bolger (Into the Badlands) is set as one of the leads opposite JD Pardo, playing Ezekiel “EZ” Reyes as a prospect in the Mayan MC charter on the California/Mexico border. Bolger will play Emily, the beautiful “guera” next door and childhood sweetheart of EZ. The word around the campfire is that Bolger and Pardo grow apart as they grow up and Bolger’s character marries into money and wealth.
What happens then?
No idea.
What does it have to do with bikes and the Mayans?
No idea.
What I do know is that whoever is in charge of this project – some have said it would be Kurt Sutter – a plus since he directed the original series – but variously, it’s been mentioned that he would only be the executive producer and the day-to-day could go to a lesser known name.
Who knows? The more you chase these threads, the less you find out. On the other hand, what we are sure of is that right now, FX has only ordered a pilot show be done, so it’s likely that this first installment will be a good one, even if it is only a one-trick pony. The hardest part of the project is undoubtedly how you can create a story based in the world of SAMCRO and not trip over yourself in all the threads that might have been started in this or that episode. As much as I look forward to it, I admit, it can’t be easy to build in the shadow of Sons of Anarchy – between the slowly growing violence of Jax’ life through the years up to the final episode, creating another story in that little universe that doesn’t collapse under its own weight is going to be hard.
The one thing we don’t – and can’t have – is a bland rewrite of SOA with a Latino flare. I don’t think that Sutter would stoop to that, but based on his body of work outside of the SOA world – The Bastard Executioner, for example – I have to be honest – it could be a toss-up.
Personally, I can’t wait to see how it all comes together.