Chris Bryant | On 25, Sep 2014

Entering the second episode of Sons’ “Final Ride”, the audience is given a little progression on all fronts. Like a child testing the safety of a stormy sea before being swept away completely.

Toil and Till begins quietly, returning things to normal almost immediately. Unser has a tense but productive chat with Charming’s newest police chief – who appears cunningly in tune with the way the town works. Nero and Gemma are back to flirting constantly, while Happy is disposing of severed heads in an unmistakable Breaking Bad nod and Tig is…Tig. As the supporting cast settle into the new season’s judgemental and fate-led world, the main players set up to dismantle it once more.

The highlight of Episode 2 of Sons of Anarchy Season 7 is August Marks’ “patience” speech, instructing Jax to never act rashly regarding revenge (i.e. no kidnapping, torturing and murdering people with barbeque utensils). Although his advice arrives late, Billy Brown’s delivery of the speech is right on time; Brown’s imposing stare and calm delivery make him the perfect replacement for Harold Perrineau’s pragmatic businessman.

Sutter spends his finale setting up dominoes and readying them to fall. Jax explains his plan to Jury (Michael Shamus Wiles’ Indian Hills President) to unravel the Chinese gangs after their perceived murder of Tara. Both this oversight of planning and the lack of Tara appear to go hand-in-hand; it’s clear that, without Maggie Siff’s logical-yet-loving influence, Jax is beginning to make mistakes. None of them, though, are more surprising and explosive than the one that ends the episode.

A slow episode, providing more tone than content – both of which are bleak and filled with Reapers – Sutter’s tense writing, brilliant eye for schemes and the cast’s older, more serious expressions make sure that this is not the life-or-death Sons of Anarchy from previous seasons. The one rule that has perpetuated throughout the show is that members live and die for the club. Now, however, it looks like Jax’s penchant for revenge – coupled with Juice’s fear, Unser’s need to do right and Gemma’s uncompromising family values – could ensure that not only do many characters lose their lives, but destroy the club itself.

Sons of Anarchy Season 7 is available on Netflix UK, as part of an £9.99 monthly subscription, and on Amazon Prime, as part of a £5.99 monthly subscription.

 

Where can I buy or rent Sons of Anarchy online in the UK?

For more information, see where can I watch Sons of Anarchy Season 7 online in the UK?

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