Sons of Anarchy: A Grungier Version of Dawson's Creek

I curse Netflix and its meticulous backlog of cable shows. Watching programs in the traditional episodic manner is now painful.

Previously, I documented my obsession with The Walking Dead. Now, I’m on another kick. It’s called Sons of Anarchy. For the uninitiated, the FX show documents the eponymous California motorcycle club and their illegal activities.

With two full seasons under my belt, something has been gnawing at me. A sense of familiarity. It’s like I’ve seen this sort of show before. Then it hit me.

If you ditch the bikes, trashy women and guns, you’d be left with series that is very close to a successful late-90s drama – Dawson’s Creek. Before all you manly, SAMCRO-lovers click back, just hear me out. (FYI: SAMCRO stands for Sons of Anarchy Motorcycle Club Redwood Original.)

#1 – A Blonde Adonis 

James Van Der Beek

Charlie Hunnam

I think the photos speak for themselves. Need I say more?

#2 – Serendipity Becomes Ubiquity

One thing that always bugged me with Dawson’s Creek (yes, I watched it, no need to hook me up to a lie detector a la Seinfeld) is how crucial conversations and plot points always started out with a seemingly serendipitous meeting.

Scene: Pacey is bummed about breaking up with XX. He goes for a walk on the pier. And, he runs into XX only to engage in a spirited conversation and a romantic interlude.

SoA does the same thing. The hospital is frequently the meeting spot for chance encounters. For a series that features motorcycles so prominently, the main characters spend more time in hospitals in the first couple of seasons than the cast of Scrubs. Here’s a hint for law enforcement, bug the freaking hospital chapel!

#3 – A Brunette Beauty

Katie Holmes

Maggie Siff

Again, need I say more?

#4 – Small Town, Huge Significance

Dawson’s Creek was set in the fictional town of Capeside, Mass. SoA is set in the fictional town of Charming, Calif. Come on!

Both dramas succeed in making these small towns feel like the epicenter of everything that matters in the world. I don’t really have an issue with that. Though, I will say when a show like Breaking Bad is set in an actual city (Albuquerque), it adds a lot of realism.

Sure, shooting in a real city is more expensive. But, in the process, it helps alleviate the annoyingness of point 2. Want to talk to Walter White? You better call him, because this is the real world and he doesn’t exist only in three places.

#5 – Never Ending Circle of Betrayals

If one thing drives me absolutely nuts about SoA, it’s the frequent backstabbing. Then, just an episode or two later, the aggrieved party is right back in bed (sometimes literally) with the Judas.

I’ve lost count of how many times the Sons and Mayans have brokered deals, only to break them an episode later. It’s ludicrous.

At least the frequently changing affections of high school relationships are believable. Getting shot at with automatic weapons as a result of a betrayal seems like it would stick in your mind.

Anyhow, there’s my two cents about Sons of Anarchy. It’s definitely entertaining. However, in no way would I put it on par with the excellent Breaking Bad.

The Weekend I Watched 21 Hours of T.V.

I had just about given up on television. Aside from sports, there was nothing worth watching...or so I thought.

A couple weeks ago, AMC ran The Walking Dead marathon. After seeing the first two seasons are on Netflix’ streaming service, I scrambled to DVR as much of the series as possible. I’ve made foolish investments in DVR space before. (I’m looking at you, Terra Nova.) My expectations were a bit low. (Before we go any further, I guarantee there are no spoilers in this blog.)

Here is the principal cast from season one.

I watched the first episode of The Walking Dead on the iPad. Then I watched the second. Pretty soon it was past midnight and I was hooked. Since I’d DVRed season two, I resumed my Walking Dead feeding frenzy on the big screen. My wife walked by and uttered something about it being gross. Yet, three hours later and she’s saying, “Well, Shane does have a point. I mean Rick is being too nice.”

We caught up to the most recent season three episode several days. That’s 28 episodes. If you fast-forward through the commercials, each one is around 45 minutes. Yeah, 21 hours of television. My word! Thankfully we started this binge on a Saturday. And, I thought I was done with T.V.

So, how did this show suck me in when this genre has been done to death? (pun intended) There are gobs of zombie movies. Plus, a number of terrific post-apocalyptic flicks. Video game publishers have been cashing in on the zombie obsession for years. (To prove how crazy we've gone for zombies, watch this commercial. Yeah, that's real ammo for real guns. The bullet tips are green. Wouldn't want to mix them up with your other bullets.) In short, this series is different because it takes you from point A to B and shows you the choices made to get there in agonizing detail. Allow me to explain.

A lot of futuristic tales depict despondent, callous humans obsessed with survival. But they don’t show you who they were, or how they got there. The Walking Dead does this wonderfully. At the beginning, it’s the humans vs. the zombies. Any surviving humans band together. It’s a given. Joining a group of survivors has a pretty easy entrance exam: don't be a zombie. (FYI: props to the writers for never referring to them as zombies.)

Pushing forward, supplies become strained. Getting more becomes a greater risk. I mean, Hornady Zombie Max bullets don't grow on trees. As you can imagine, humans begin to turn on one another. The Walking Dead makes this transition flawlessly. In a series that prides itself on top-notch zombie makeup, the humanity takes center stage.

Don’t get me wrong, the zombies and effects are awesome. There is a lot of violence. Just a heads up if you’re thinking of watching this with your children.

If any of this interests you in the least bit, sit back and enjoy the ride. Like I said, the first two seasons are on Netflix. I’m sure you could also find them in the video store. The show is currently in the second half of the third season. To fully catch up, you’ll probably need to watch the listings closely and DVR the third season to date. Trust me, it’s worth it. The worst part of the experience will be once you’ve fully caught up. Then begins the weekly waiting.