Sons of Anarchy, Season 3, Episode 2 Oiled, Recap

I should begin the recap of Sons of Anarchy by saying something smart about what the show meant and then try to tie it all together but I just can't. Because... well... Tig was fucking awesome in Oiled. Let's engage in a bit of Tigapalooza  because I need to get it out my system before I can focus on the rest of the episode. I think that bottles of baby oil will become a sort of shorthand among fans of Sons of Anarchy much like skateboards are now. No Vaseline by the great warrior poet Ice Cube certainly takes on new meaning in light of this week's episode of Sons of Anarchy. Anyways... on to the Electric Tigaloo:

Oh, Tig, you creepy fuck. I've missed you. It seemed like you were so consumed by guilt about killing Donna that you might never get your mojo back. But boy howdy, did you ever. Was it the way you turned the Hummels around in the curio cabinet so they weren't staring at you? It was good start and a nice bit of art imitating life. Was it the short, pink, flowery satin robe that set off your curly locks so well? Perhaps. Was it the light reflecting off the bottle of baby oil that made your blue eyes sparkle? Maybe. Was it the fact that Little Tig is so big that the "humane" thing is to lube your joint up before you bump uglies with the help? Yeap. That's it. And the way you got your mojo back was so... animalistic. It's as if you've had a similar experience with a different species of mammal before. And even though you got shot by Gemma's dad, you still handled it with panache. (I'm putting a picture of Tig naked going to town on Amelia after the jump for those of you who haven't had the image burned into your memory.)

Okay, my dear three readers, on with the rest of the recap. Previously on as the Harley Rumbles, Gemma was reunited with her dad, Jax was sad/angry/naked, Tara grew a pair, Clay was awesome, and Hale was offed. 


First, let's start with Gemma because I gave her reunion with her father a short shrift in the last recap. How lovely is it that Nate Madoc is excited to see his daughter? The joy is truly touching. And the heartbreak of Nate not recognizing Gemma and her calm, gentle way of reminding her father that she is indeed his daughter. is so genuine that I can't make fun of it. But in the midst of all of this heartbreak and separation, Gemma is clinging to her family--her father and by pre-paid phone Clay, Jax and Tara. If Gemma only knew that there was only a fleeting sense of family left to cling to back at home... Meanwhile, she's go the Guatemalan Hottie to contend with. I'm still thinking that she is a plant. Nate with dementia, house that is about to be sold, nursing home bed waiting... the trio smacks of Stahl's handiwork.

Second, SAMCRO is trying to track down Cameron Hayes and Abel while trying to seek some form of retribution for the drive-by. But in all the elaborate plot points that bring the Sons in the (unpaid) employ of the bounty hunter and the fucking fantastic mellon-in-the-sand scene to get information about the motivations of the Mayans, they basically are rendered impotent. Not wanting another "Bloody 1992," they let the president of the Calaveras go in an effort to persuade Alvarez not to kill them/encroach on their territory. They can't get good information about Cameron out of any of their regular channels and obviously Jimmy O isn't forthcoming.

Third, Jax and Tara. Where do I even begin? Jax was teasing Gemma in Oiled because she runs everything, much like her mother. However, Jax doesn't respond favorably when Tara takes matters into her own hands, living out the What Would Gemma Do principle. He's not a fan of the beat down she gave to the Hospital Bitchface (who, I like much more after seeing her integrity swing both ways) nor does he like the idea of Tara taking a leave of absence from St Rednecks. Is Tara changing too much for Jax? Does he have too many Oedipal issues to find Tara's adoption of the WWGD philosophy acceptable? Does he love Tara because she is separate from the MC? Who the hell knows. But it's clear that Tara knows that Jax is wavering and she isn't falling in line or buying his line of bullshit. Bravo, Tara.

Fourth, and finally, the intrigue that is happening on two fronts. The Mayans are encroaching on Charming, by way of patching over the Calaveras to fulfill their end of the deal they struck with Zobelle and LOAN. There might be serious implications for that for SAMCRO and Charming down the road. On the Irish front, there's a shit-ton of intrigue and subterfuge going on. Father Kellan Ashby has got to be one of the scariest priests I've ever seen and this is coming from a non-practicing Catholic. He's the intermediary between Jimmy O and the Council (let's hope we get some more insight into the Council in future episodes).  Ashby carries out the sacraments and oversees the elimination of Cammie Hayes. Btw, how fucking horrific was that scene? I don't know if it was good acting or good makeup but Jaayysus, you could see veins in his face and shit. Anyways... there seem to be tensions between the old world and new world way of doing things, as evidenced by the tension between Ashby and Jimmy O. And there is the whole thing about pushing SAMCRO out that was mentioned but not elaborated on. And we have no idea how SAMBELL fits in with the council--perhaps through Maureen because of the SOA tattoo on her arm? It will be interesting to see how this plays out.

Odds and Ends

• When is Gemma going to find out about Abel, goddamnit? How long can this go on?
• So was Jax just charged with obstructing justice for attacking the guy at Half-Sack's wake? And not assault? Clay said that there were still assualt charges pending. Is that what he was referring to? Or was he talking about the season 2 raid on Zobelle's dinner of the faithful? Either my brain isn't working properly, there is a continuity/clarity issue, or Unser has some amazing pull to protect Jax from aggravated assault charges.
• Precious was... well... not precious but decidedly awesome. I'd clock Bobby-Elivs too for telling me that the check's in the mail when I haven't received a dime in child support in 6 months. 
• Opie's moment of reticence in the porn shop was pure acting brilliance. (Perhaps he could have picked up some lube for Tig while he was in the store? Just a thought.) The sorority swing that Luanne directed is on the shelves and reminded Opie that Lyla's career of choice is banging other guys. On film.   
• Jacob Hale disdained Unser as Chief of Charming PD last season and wanted him gone. All of a sudden he wants to protect Charming and wants to keep the sheriff out? This seems suspect to me. I wonder if Jacob got his application in to LOAN before Zobelle fled the country. It would fit in well with the Mayans cutting and packaging heroin in Lodi, wouldn't it? 
• What reason would Jimmy O have for not divulging Abel's whereabouts? 
• I love the African American MC from Lodi.
• There hasn't been enough Juice. Seriously. 

Just like last week, the screen caps come courtesy of Bobby Elvis' Bake Sale so go over there and check out the treasure trove of pics from Sons of Anarchy episodes--especially if you like Chibs, Opie, or Kozik.

Naked (NSFW) pictures of Tig after the break.

What did you think of the episode? The comments section awaits...

Eeeeeewwwwww

I'll have the Sons of Anarchy episode recap done tonight. Until then, take a cue from Tig and lube up... because it's the humane thing to do. 

The Questionnaire: Alex Trager

Next up in the series of imagined answers to the Inside the Actor's Studio Questionnaire, THE Alex Trager.  Otherwise known to Sons of Anarchy Fans and all that love and fear him as Tig.  If you missed the first installment in the series, you can catch up here with Gemma.  

What is your favorite word?

Brotherhood

What is your least favorite word?

Betrayal

What turns you on?

Mortuaries, Revenge, Loyalty 

What turns you off?

Guilt

What sound or noise do you love?

The soothing sound of a stockyard

What sound or noise do you hate?

"DROP YOUR WEAPON AND GET DOWN ON THE GROUND"

What is your favorite curse word?

Goddamnit

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?

Crime scene cleaner

What profession would you not like to do?

Anything where I don't get to work with Clay every day

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when arrive at the Pearly Gates?

Your taco two-for girls are waiting for you 

Who should be next?  Again, you tell me!   This time, I'll do the next 5 in the order they are suggested in the comments section.  Go!

Sons of Anarchy 2.09 Fa Guan, Recap

Please stay tuned while kayteadee finishes singing along and clapping her hands to the song at the end of Fa Guan, “Since I Lay My Burden Down”

Glory glory, hallelujah


Since I lay my burden down
…

All my sickness will be over


When I lay my burden down…


All my troubles will be over


When I lay my burden down...
.

Lord, I'm feeling so much better


Since I lay my burden down…


And now we join your recap of Sons of Anarchy, already in progress…. previously on As The Harley Rumbles, Luanne was killed, SAMCRO was unraveling, and Chibs was recuperating in the hospital with the “help” from his estranged wife.  So, this episode was all about laying down the burdens that some of the characters have been carrying around this season:  Opie and the loss of Donna, Jax’s isolation from the club and guilt over Luanne’s death, and Gemma’s rape.  Some burdens are still brewing though, and I’m talking to you, Tig.

            So, under the auspices of putting some not-so-gentle pressure on the judge overseeing the INS case against a Hamas gunrunner, Opie, Jax, Bobby Elvis, and Tig pay a visit to the presiding judge as a favor to Lin’s crew (and now we all know that fa guan means judge in Chinese).  When the boys in SAMCRO discover that their emotional leverage has gone down the tubes along with the judge’s son’s drug problem they are confronted with a bigger task than they realized.  Opie, who is on point, presses ahead using the junkie son as leverage and it is Opie’s undoing—in a completely good way.  Opie has a full on release/breakdown after coming to the realization that not everyone can/will protect their family from the evils that exist in the world.  And that whole exchange is all about Opie—it isn’t about the judge.  It is simultaneously liberating and heartbreaking. And just like great sex, Opie needs a cigarette afterwards.  And we see the burden of Donna’s death and his anger lifted off of his shoulders at the end when he lays one on Lyla while his daughter nearly does a faceplant on the breakfast table.  BTW, can I just say that Lyla is really growing on me?  She doesn’t want to be taken care of, likes Opie and his kids, puts up with that bitchace snob doctor, and seems very sweet you know inspite of being a Prius-driving porn queen with a coke habit but hey, nobody’s perfect.

             While trying to find another avenue to sway the judge, Jax turns to an incredibly distraught Tig (more on Tig in a bit) and dispatches Bobby Elvis to find some leverage to use against the judge.  I can’t decide whether Jax’s burden is the MC, Clay, guilt over Luanne’s death, emoangst over Donna’s death, or the burden of being the anointed son to bring change to SAMCRO.  Maybe it is all of them.  Only Kurt Sutter sitting on top of Mount Outlaw knows for sure.  Here’s the thing though, for all of Hamlet’s Jax’s talk about seeing the big picture, he is so blind with rage that he can’t see the Ima/Darby set up or the fire at Caracara is caused by anyone other than Clay.  This boy is too far into the forrest to see the trees.  For all of Jax’s earnestness about the big picture, he can’t see the one that Zobelle is using to stymy SAMCRO at every turn.  But man, does that boy have a fine, fine ass.  I knew it was going to be a good episode when I saw the nudity warning.   But ultimately Jax lays his complicated mix of burdens when he decides to go Nomad.  Yeah, we’ll see how well that works. 

            And last but certainly not least, Gemma lays the burden of her rape down at the end of the episode with the help of Unser, some good gospel revival music, and a curious homeless woman we have seen before.  Her name?  I shit you not:  It is “Homeless Woman.”  We saw her in the graveyard with Jax—apparently she had given him a blanket and he gave her a hoodie, touching; we saw her begging in Charming when Gemma may have misheard her say “Able will provide for us.”  And this time when she enigmatically while wearing Jax's hoodie said, “Everyone knows me,” to Gemma outside of the church.  Who/what is she?  My theory goes like this…  You know Hamlet is the overarching superstructure for Sons of Anarchy.  Well, my take on Hamlet—in addition to being a classic tragedy— is that it is a fantastic ghost story.  All of the characters are haunted, in one way or another, by King Hamlet’s ambiguous ghost.  Hell, the ghost scares the shit out of Horatio aka Opie, Bernardo, and Marceuls in the opening scene.  Anyways…before this becomes a 10^th grade English class.  I think that the homeless woman is a ghost.  And she is ambiguous.  And she will be ambiguous for the rest of the series.  I think it is a nod to Shaeskpeare. Just my opinion.  And ya’ll know what those are like, right?

            So let’s look at the burden still being carried.  AND I AM LOOKING AT YOU TIG.  My, my, my.  Tig is not handling killing Donna well.  At all.  Clay is cutting him out. Tig seems to want to protect Opie from the abyss. Our poor Tigger lost it when Opie had his meltdown.  Like the dude is weeping uncontrollably in his ski mask and can’t step up.  He is falling apart.   Not exactly the creepy sociopath who fucks livestock and corpses any more, is he?  How does Tig lay his burden down?  I have no earthly clue.  But it will be interesting television that is for sure. 

Remainders

• Chibs who I can’t understand a word that comes out of his mouth and all of my inlaws are Irish (even though Chibs is Scotish) and I deal with thick accents on a regular basis, the estranged wife and the ominous Jimmy O.  I smell the IRA coming and it doesn’t smell like Boby Elvis’ bannana bread baking
• When in the hell is Bobby Elvis going to connect the dots and put the dead wife stuff together?  Come on, man.
• Clay wants to do gun deals with Hamas?  ATF will be the least of his law enforcement problems.
• Will Darby and Chucky survive the fire at Caracara?  Only time will tell...  

And let’s roll out on Furry Lewis playing “Lay my Burden Down.” Why?  Well, because I’m partial to the old school blues and it is a damn good song.

Sons of Anarchy 2.04 Eureka Recap

So we open with Gemma helping Clay inject cortisone into his hands before the charity run.  While not making eye contact with Gemma, Clay talks about how the time away (An overnight trip?  Seriously?) might help Gemma get past whatever this is (SHE WAS GANG RAPED, KING CLUELESS).  Gemma gives a noncommittal ‘Perhaps’ and off goes King Clay.   Meanwhile, over at the Prince of Charming’s house… Jax who is incredibly easy on the eyes, keep up the good work sparky drops the L bomb on Tara, flashes his pearly whites and then…  wait for it…  goes to take care of his own kid.  I can’t tell if Tara is more surprised that it took Jax this many episodes to tell her that he loves her unprompted, the realization that she is Jax’s old lady, or if she is finally relieved from being the night time nanny.

The MC assembles at Teller-Morrow to depart for the charity/gun run.  Angry Opie tells Jax that his kids are just fine, thank you very much and now mind your own fucking business.  Piney stays home to man Castle Elsinore the garage, but per Clay’s instructions should mind the cars and not Gemma.  

And now for the scene of jocular, vulgar, hilarious banter amongst the members of the MC.  I have to hand it to the writers – how they manage an assless chaps joke and Neuticle joke in the same exchange is pure genius.   (And seriously, Neuticle seems to be a brand name of a company that makes testicular implants for pets that have been neutered.  So, I guess poor Half-Sack has that going for him)  Bravo.  It is moments like this that make me love these characters.  So off they go to save the children.  And, btw, thanks Happy.  Nothing says charity like firing off your Gloc before the crew heads out. 

And alas, cue the motorcycle porn as the MC rumbles out of town and hits the highway.   The whole scene is so badass. (Note to the writers: this is a motorcycle show, isn’t it?  Can we see a bit more of the Harley porn, please?).  The SOA picks up their handguns from the IRA guy.  Oh hi, IRA guy, hey, how’s your ass now that Juice’s finger isn’t keeping you from bleeding out? And we’re back to the Harley porn – thank God.  Wait. Not so fast.   Bobby Elivs’ fat boy bites the dust, taking out Tig.  All I can say is, it couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy.  So Tig is rescued from the evils of HMO limbo by bounty hunters.  Apparently Tig got a little too friendly with the cargo on a livestock transport in Oregon.  I just want to know what sort of livestock – cows, pigs, sheep, chickens?       

Back in Charming, Gemma gets the no-face mask of gang rape in the mail and heads to town to fuck up some shit.  Zobelle gives her his menacing evil yet pleasant bitchface and she runs back to the car to wave her pretty gun at a pushy redneck who wants her parking space.  Chief Unser comes to take her gun away and Gemma takes off in pursuit of Henry Rollins (yes, he has a character name but does anyone know what it is, really?  Yeah, you don’t either– exactly what I thought.).  Gemma tracks Henry Rollins down to the cleanest set of port-a-pots ever to grace the planet, gets him in her sights and then loses the nerve to fire because he has a family. Damnit.  At this point, I’m really missing Season 1 Gemma.  Darlin’ you need to get your ass-kicking mojo back. 

So Clay and Jax fight over whether, when, how, and how many guys it will take to rescue Tig.  Jax, a modern day John Adams, implores King Claudius Clay to call the vote.  Ah, but dear Jax, the MC isn’t ruled by democracy, it seems to be ruled by Clay’s brittle, arthritic iron fists until he is humiliated by his weak hands and lays his bike down before he can get off the lot.  Half-Sack comes correct with the intel on Tig’s whereabouts.  Piney rolls up with the flatbed and before Jax and Clay can fight (again), Piney rolls off with Jax, Chibs, Smiley, and Half-Sack to go liberate Tig.  And this scene is why I love Piney – he might ride a trike, but he’s still up for some good outlaw mayhem. 

The SOA rides off to relay the guns (yeah, remember those).  Piney and Tig drive off into the sunset sharing a bottle of Patron with two straws because germs are icky, ya’ll.   At the biker camp, the crew is celebrating.  Except for Jax who is angsting with his knock-off bottle of Jack Daniels.  Here comes yet another Jax/Clay confrontation that ends in Clay threatening to kill Hamlet Jax if he ever brings up the Donna debacle again.  Ah, good family times. 

The WTF moment for Eureka:  Opie.  Seiously.  Opie is now going all bitchface on Jax and telling Clay that he is with him no matter what?  Seriously?   If you only knew the half of it, darlin’.   

Best action moment:  Well, that would be Piney backing the flat bed into the motel, the look on Tig's face as he sees it coming, and then the balls-out rescue scene.     

The get over yourself moment:  Tara asking Chief Unser what he makes of her relationship with Jax.  Seriously?  She needs validation from the corrupt cop?