BetyBee

I watched Natalie's interview on Survivor Live. She is beautiful, open and funny. I'm really glad she won.

One aspect of Nero's story that has always bothered me is his blaming his son's spina bifida on his wife's being a junkie. Spina bifida is a neural tube defect and it can happen in any pregnancy. I have a nephew with spina bifida and his mother had excellent pre-natal care and has always had a healthy lifestyle. It happens. I blame Sutter of course for the misinformation! As much as Jax may want his boys to be taught to hate him, Wendy and Nero are not going to do that. Wendy still loved Jax when he died. I think his suicide was a coward's way out and it is very dangerous to his boys for him to suicide, especially if it's true that his father did so too. That is a very difficult burden for children to bear. The best we can hope for for these (fictional) boys is that their new life will be so far away from the club and the poison that Grandma and Jax would have raised them in, is that nurture will overcome nature and they will have fairly normal lives.

I like it too and I like the play on words of "a murder of crows".

Lin - Triad suffered the most and for absolutely no reason. And Jax is still killing them off! He's a monster. He'd kill off Tyler too, if the Irish didn't want to work with "black". Yet Sutter would have us think of Jax's legacy as building a rainbow coalition of thugs. At least, if that's the unwritten bylaw Jax wants changed.

I re-watched Red Rose yesterday. On second viewing, I found less fault with it. And I found the 3 major character deaths to be even more chilling. I do think that even though it seemed on first viewing that Jax & Gemma did not care about Unser or his death, I felt less so the 2nd time. Jax tried to get him to leave and Gemma was too wrapped up in her own imminent death to react other than a nod. It would have been nice if she had urged Unser to leave. He might have listened to her, but I think everyone in that room was on a death march. I still think that Jax's leg issue must mean something.

That's hilarious! Seriously, I started watching the first few eps of Season 1. So interesting to see how things have changed and how many characters are dead and gone. Juice was a smart one back then re computers, but a bit of a screw-up. And honestly? Chibs is much hotter now. Tig looks better too. They both seemed a little puffy back then. I was surprised to see how kind Jax was to Wendy. He even took the blame for their marriage falling apart and admitted he didn't want a baby. Clearly, the idea was that he felt differently once Abel was born, but he's never been a great dad. He was also reluctant to murder back in the day and tried to avoid it. There was a scene back then where Gemma burns up a picture of her wedding day. She was very pregnant and Clay was smiling away in the picture, beside the happy couple. It seemed back then that Sutter was flirting with the idea that maybe Clay was her baby daddy. I don't know. I think Unser was more of a bad guy back then too. Oh and she mentioned to Jax that he too had the family heart issue, but was strong. I didn't remember that at all! I wonder if that could tie in to the leg weakness Jax had in this episode.

That Ellen clip is hilarious. As for spoilers, I'm just doing my best to avoid them. I'm used to avoiding spoilers on Tuesday, since I never see the show until Wednesday. It's the same with Walking Dead. I have a nephew who always posts spoilers on FB, so I stay off of there until I've seen my favorite shows. I love speculation, but not spoilers!

Well said, henripootel. I think Sutter is a terrible writer and his plots are full of holes. Just the way these people flit around the tiny state of California (hah!), accomplishing so much in a 24 hour period, is ridiculous. And this made me think about the retconning that went into Tara's clearly passionate, most likely by someone close to her, murder, magically became "gangland style" a couple of episodes ago. Gemma's murder looked gangland, not Tara's, but Sutter pretends for the sake of advancing his storyline, all reasoning aside.

I am of the belief that Jax was asking the council for his own crew to kill him to honor the mayhem vote. It would kind of be a reflection of Gemma's urging him to follow through on killing her. However, this morning I woke up thinking about the homeless lady. She has to be an angel, since she transported herself hundreds of miles away without benefit of a car. So, I think she will appear in the road when Jax is riding the blue bike and he will swerve and die in an accident. It might even be in the same spot where JT died, especially since the angel is likely Brook's Mom, who was also killed there.

Did Jax say he wanted the unwritten by-law abolished or to be enforced? For some reason I came away thinking that he was asking the council if his own club could carry out the mayhem and kill him. But everything I've heard or read about this episode seems to point to him wanting to abolish racism in the gangs. I'll have to watch again. ETA - I think Jax's new limp is meaningful. Perhaps it will cause him to spill JT's newly repaired bike at just the right moment and he'll be able to take himself out? I see Artsda had the same thought I did about Jax wanting his own club to do his Mayhem.

I think we've all been victims of poor writing much of this season. Left to draw my own conclusions, I decided that Gabriel went looking to see if his own child perhaps had been killed at the school. Who is Mary, the owner of the Bible and the backpack? Did he know her? Although, if he did have a child at that school, even a chicken-sh*t like Gabriel would have checked on his child's fate long before this, I suppose. It's really irritating to me that the hospital story and the Gabe story make so little sense. At least Abraham's story was fleshed out for us. Beth's death was senseless, imo. Really, what was she going to accomplish with that little scissors? And we are not even left with the info that ANY new characters followed our heroes out of the hospital. Not even the strawberry loving geezer? No one? They all chose to stay in the evil they know? That makes Beth's death even more meaningless. All that said, I did cry when Maggie looked expectantly for her sister to walk out of the hospital, only to have her heart broken. I also heard on a podcast, a theory that ties the title Coda, a musical term, to Beth's story arc. That made sense to me. I just wish that any viewer could figure things like that out from watching the show, rather than from extraneous information.

Very odd writing on this one. The only reason I can think of for Kalinda confirming with Dylan what time he gets home from school is that her back up plan is to kill Bishop. I'd be okay with that. I have no idea where they are going with the Geneva affair, Alicia's note to Grace or the Finn stuff. It seems to me from the Alicia/Finn conversations that maybe they have already slept together? They always seem to be skirting something.

Those reviews are so comforting to this disappointed viewer. I do believe that Katims would have us believe that we are heartless where his characters are concerned. Instead, we have common sense on our side and he is ridiculous. I can't wait for this nonsense to be over. What a joy it was to read that even "professional tv viewers" agree!

After Max PUSHED Aaron and his MOTHER, words came out of my mouth unbidden, "Put that kid in a reform school." But Katims wasn't done. Kristina glaring at drivers whose cars she ran in front of after running after the most special snowflake of all was bad enough. No, he still wasn't done. Then she tells her monster child that he is brave. I am amazed at the ridiculousness of the writing on this show. We are definitely supposed to think that Kristina is super-mom. I listened to the Afterbuzz TV podcast this episode and they all agreed that Max was brave and Kristina is awesome. It is apparently an alternate universe. I am not going to miss this show. But I already miss the show it might have been.

I did not even think of Tig hurting Venus or vice versa; however, I didn't really believe Tig's "heartfelt" speech. I don't know if the actor didn't sell it (for me) or if it was just so out of character, but I didn't find it as touching as many others did. I totally buy Walt Goggins as Venus, but I don't buy a sincere and deeply in love Tig.

I was blown away by the ending, then immediately fearful that Jax wouldn't believe Abel and would head in the wrong direction like he always seems to do. Jax's glee at Juice's situation made me think that he might reveal to Tully who Juice's father was after he no longer has any use for Juice. Jax is a cold hearted bastard. I'd like to see Gemma get what she deserves, but I don't trust Sutter at all. Still, at least he finally gave us a good episode.

I've been thinking a lot about this. I don't think Gemma will die, at least not by Abel's hand. That is too dark a place for even Sutter to go to. I think that he keeps showing us how awful Gemma & Jax are when it comes to parenting kids for a reason. I mean really, burying Uncle Bobby steps from the cabin & laying him on the picnic table where Abel can and did see him - all shot up and missing an eye! And let's not forget there there is a junkie in the house (2 actually) and drugs as well as loads of guns. It's ridiculous. I think he's showing the relative better parenting of Wendy and possibly Nero (though I think he's doomed) because he has plans for the kids to get out of Charming and away from the poison that is Jax & Gemma. Nero may hand over access to the farm to Wendy with his dying breath, but I believe that is where she and the boys will land. Since Gemma knows all about the farm and no one could keep her from "her boys" she will either have to die or go to prison. I think she'll go to prison and Jax will die. As for Unser, we are going to waste at least 2 more episodes with him blabbing all to Gemma. His ridiculous love for her is what facilitated her murdering Tara in the first place. I would imagine that he is doomed as well, but since he's a "good" guy, he'll probably die saving someone - Eglee, Wendy or the kids. I'm not sure who the "rat" is - I think it's quite likely Chucky, since his hands are not as dirty as Rat's, but Rat is the other possibility. They have both had some odd close ups that seem to be pointing out that they might be duplicitous. If it's a long term rat working with the feds, then I think it's one of those 2. If it's a short term rat, only "guilty" of revealing the whearabouts of the guns to the Chinese, then I think it's Barosky. He seems pretty fed up with Handsome Jack.

How about "Birth Mama"?

I thought that the actor playing Max looked like he was about to crack up when Adam and Crosby were explaining the bases. It was nice to see a smile, however small, on Max's face.

On Rob Cesterino's latest post show recap, he mentioned a couple of things that struck me as interesting. One is just funny - that apparently Juice's jailer's are keeping his head shaved. The other thing. Another idea they've been floating is that the "rat" might be Chucky or Tig. Chucky because he's "a good listener" and used to work with the Triad and Tig because Jax set him up to be killed at that warehouse, but he survived, perhaps after making a deal with Pope (or Marks - I forget which). I've read those theories elsewhere, but when Rob lays them out, they are hilarious.

Ugh - I have zero faith in Sutter telling a reasonable story. He is retconning to make John Teller's death a suicide, imo. Maybe Tara's death will be a suicide too, by episode 13. I hope I'm wrong and Gemma gets what she deserves - a life alone in prison, surrounded by women who are far tougher than she is and zero contact with "her boys". .

Thanks, leisawoo. I do remember Jax whispering that to Juice, but I didn't remember him sending him after Gemma. I dislike Unser too - he's the one who got Gemma all upset with his misinformation. Everyone seems to forget how upset she was that night and to forget about her stealing Unser's truck.

I really have no idea how it will end. I've been listening to podcasts and reading what I can find on the internet. Some seem to think that Chucky is a Fed, some think that Ratboy will live up to his name. I think it's most likely that Jury has a plan for revenge on Jax and that Robocop will help put an end to" Handsome Jack's" plans. But one thing has been bothering me. Why did Juice go to Jax & Tara's house the night of her murder? Did he ever say? Whatever happens, it will be gruesome. I think the only thing that would really bother me is if Gemma gets away with murder and the show ends with her still thinking of herself as Grandma of the year.

This. Kids pick up on everything and no one acts normal around Abel. Even when Tara was around, she was all tense and fearful and making plans to leave and packing them up on a moment's notice and staying in a motel with them. Then since she died (his mother that he loves DIED), he has a stream of different caretakers, whatever hooker, crow-eater or porn actress is available to make him a sandwich. Dad is distant, Grandma is keeping her distance. His life is a disaster. Poor kid, the one all these idiot Tellers claim to be doing everything for. It's disgusting.

If Winsome is to become the new love interest, then why did Sutter have her say something as stupid as anti-semantic? Or does he think that is correct usage? I would think that she would be some brilliant accidental whore if she was meant to be good enough for clever (not) Jax. Did I mishear? I thought Nero asked Alvarez for twice as much money as his half of Diosa is worth. Does Nero have a secret plan? I was certain that Nero would be the one who got killed when Gemma sent the message for him to come to the cabin. I also thought Thomas, then Rat might die at her hands. She is certifiable!! They certainly don't seem to worry about guns around small children. I have a feeling the bad seed will get hold of a gun and blow his "good grandma" away. I just hope little Thomas doesn't get caught in the crossfire. And poor Abel - what a life he's had!