The roaring engines are back. Street side conversations are now near impossible as every word drowns in the orchestra of Harleys. But the obnoxious shrieks are welcomed. They mark the return of television's most revered drama.
"Sons of Anarchy" is back for its sixth season. The premiere episode left fans shaking, unable to tear their eyes away from the screen despite the ruthless bloodshed that tore through an innocent elementary school. Some were enticed by its gripping finale, others upset with its brashness.
The Parents Television Council in particular took great offense. According to Entertainment Weekly, they singled out the episode as a reason why consumers should be able to choose which cable networks they pay for under the proposed TV Consumer Freedom Act.
"What FX chose to show - a scene of a young boy murdering innocent children in a school with a semi-automatic gun - is enough of a reason for consumers to have the choice not to underwrite such horrifically violent and disturbing material," the organization claims. "Think about the parents who have been personally affected by real-life school shootings - even they were forced to contribute to FX on their cable bills. This is an outrage, and the time for consumers to have real choice has come."
"Sons of Anarchy" creator Kurt Sutter responded to the claims in a civil, yet defensive manner. "I would imagine these are not evil people," Sutter says. " But they are just not very intuitive or intelligent individuals," he said. "It's such a small and simple view of process. The fact that people want to be monitoring what my children watch is terrifying. There is no awareness of what is the bigger objective of that episode, the bigger point of the narrative. And to me that's a really simplistic, dangerous view of anything, never mind the creative process."
And let it be known: the brutality will not let up. Kim Coates, who plays Tig, tells fans that Season 6 will put the characters through pure misery. "This season more than any other season, in my humble opinion, is the saddest mother***ing season in the history of television. It's heavy," he says. "[We had] Gemma in Season 2 getting raped, Season 3 had the whole Irish drama, Season 4, Juice hanged himself and Clay beat up Gemma, Season 5 with Tig and his daughter - and Opie. "Every season has topped the last, and this one I'm sure will do the same. It's violent."
So what's on deck for next week's episode? Lee Toric offers Clay a deal that will grant him immunity, Gemma pushes for custody of Tara's child, and Jax threatens Lee, advising him to steer clear of SAMCRO.
"Sons of Anarchy" airs Tuesday nights on FX.
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