S07.E11: Suits Of Woe

[Tara Ariano]

Jax faces an ugly truth.

[Ohwell]

Then he must have looked in the mirror.

[Artsda]

Finally it all comes out.

 

'Anarchy Afterword' has another new host - Anarchy Afterword will have another new host when it returns to FX Nov. 18, following episode 11 of Sons of Anarchy‘s final ride. Kevin Ryder, co-host of “The Kevin & Bean Show” morning show on Los Angeles’ KROQ, will sit at the head of the table. This week’s guests are Jimmy Smits and Drea de Matteo in-studio with Theo Rossi set to appear via satellite.

[Disraeli Ears]

So - anyone else think Juice meets his maker in this episode?

[Artsda]

Only if he tells Jax everything about Tara/Gemma. I think Juice lives until he spills.

[henripootel]

Only if he tells Jax everything about Tara/Gemma. I think Juice lives until he spills.

If he dies before he spills, he'll have had the most pointless plot line this season.  Hell, for all the seasons.

[Ohwell]

I'm thinking Nero might bite the bullet this week.

[Febgirl]

 

I'm thinking Nero might bite the bullet this week.

  Oh no! Not the Cat Daddy!!! He, Wendy, and Juice are on the aftershow tonight... Could be....

    My major fascination these days is the reveal of the identity of the Rat.  Paris Barclay was interviewed and said, It's someone who has logical intel on the location of the guns, but someone no one would expect.  A lot of people are saying it's 

Tig, based on his history with Marks

 But after thinking about what Barclay says, I think the most shocking reveal would be if 

Chibs were the rat-- total Keyser Soze moment

[Ohwell]

I would love it if that second spoiler were true.

[Artsda]

 I think it'll be someone

who hasn't been one of the core guys from day 1. Chucky, Rat, anyone else. If it's one of the core 4 (Jax, Tig, Chibs, Happy) that we're left at. I think it'll be unsatisfied and rushed because there would be so much more story to tell if it was.

[Febgirl]

 

I think it'll be someone  Spoiler

 Of this selection, I vote for 

Chuckie. Remember how he told Gemma a few episodes back, "I know you think I'm a joke, but I'm a good listener"?

[Disraeli Ears]

I think there will be a big development or perhaps a cliffhanger tonight. Then we will have to sit on it for 2 weeks (no new episode Thanksgiving week).

[Joan van Snark]

 

I think there will be a big development or perhaps a cliffhanger tonight. Then we will have to sit on it for 2 weeks (no new episode Thanksgiving week).

 

God I HATE when networks do this!!!  That is when I really want to sit back and relax and enjoy the show when I might not have to go to work the next day!  I mean is there really that much going on 2 days before Thanksgiving?  I could maybe understand if it came on Wednesday or Thursday.  HATE HATE HATE!

[suomi]

Oops, posted during episode (deleted)

Edited November 19, 2014 by suomi

[missy jo]

Finally the payoffs! Pretty much all the payoffs, crammed into one episode!

 

Sutter was probably aiming for this to be Sagal's Emmy reel*, but it rightfully should be Charlie's or secondly, Jimmy Smits. Hunnam knocked that shit out of the park in the last scene.

 

*Although the awards ignore SoA each year, much to Sutter's chagrin.

 

ETA: I've been, rightfully IMO, hating on this season. So kudos, but why weren't they doing good work before this?

Edited November 19, 2014 by missy jo

[Burninrose]

this show better win some damn Emmys

[Primetimer]

Jimmy Smits is so good in this week's episode. Also, Jax knows that Gemma killed Tara, blah blah blah. But mostly: Smits killed it.

Read the story

[Puddy]

Certain types of shows never win, just like movies.  Too politically predictable.  Stuff with this much gore?  Nevah.

Edited November 19, 2014 by Puddy

[spaceytraci1208]

I've had it with Mumm-Ra The Everliving (bka Wade Unser)...self-righteous old mummy. I cheered when Jax punched him in the face.

I was pissed when Juice called Gemma, but I guess they had to drag this out a couple more episodes.

[Lambie]

Holy shit! Charlie Hunnam remembered how to act! His scenes with Nero and Juice were so, so good. And Nero's breakdown on the curb? Come on, mano. That was heartbreaking.

I have hope once again for a satisfying conclusion to the series. It was waning...but this episode was so fantastically strong.

[Puddy]

I have to confess ~~ I can't watch until I come on here.  It's like I need to be dipped in slowly.  I can't take being thrown in the deep end of the pool.

[shanndee]

Nice to see a decent episode for a change. The acting was certainly top notch.  The range of emotion on Jimmy Smits' face while Jax told him the truth was a thing to behold.

 

Was I supposed to recognize the road sign that Gemma drove past?

[GleamingMist]

I KNEW it was Barosky.  Who else would it be?

 

IMO the best episode all season.  I've never been a Juice fan, but I enjoyed his scenes tonight.  Marilyn Manson using him as a love toy cracks my shit up for days.

[Stratego]

Nice to see a decent episode for a change. The acting was certainly top notch.  The range of emotion on Jimmy Smits' face while Jax told him the truth was a thing to behold.

 

Was I supposed to recognize the road sign that Gemma drove past?

She's going North on the 101.

[Glaze Crazy]

So glad Juice told Jax the truth. I really worried he might try and take the blame for Gemma, since he knows he's a dead man walking anyway.

 

Really liked the visual of the club meeting where Jax told them the truth about Tara.  Not the fancy carved club table but a couple of folding card tables and the chess board table shoved together.  A good metaphor of how the club might not be so solid and permanent any more.

 

Jimmy Smits, pick up your Emmy nomination at the front desk.  His last scene with Gemma left me so sad for his loss of faith and his finding out or finally realizing the person he loves is a murderer and a manipulative witch.  His scene with Jax just put the final cap on his deep pain while trying to keep Jax from going the ultimate deep dark route.

 

Katey Sagal's Gemma was great too.  She's such an evil character and yet I could feel her pain as all her B.S. has finally, finally come back to land in her lap.  She's lost everything she loves and still she won't think it's all her fault.

[Disraeli Ears]

Was I supposed to recognize the road sign that Gemma drove past?

Isn't Eureka or somewhere around there where Gemma's dad is in a home?

OMG - Juice was awesome in this Ep! So sad, so confession-y! "Around here, I'm everyone's asshole" or whatever - that made me laugh and then go, "awww, poor Juice."

I knew Barofsky was the rat. It seemed so obvious, even though some interviews with key players made it seem like the rat would be a club member or Chucky. Heck, I was kind of disappointed; some of the batted-around theories about Tig and Chibs were more interesting than the actual reveal.

Jimmy Smits was pretty awesome. The scene on the phone was fantastic. And somebody put some onions in the room when Jax met up with Nero at the end. Jax crying - aww, so sad! No, really.

[WatchrTina]

Random thoughts:

 

Was anyone else yelling at Unser to STFU and stop warning Gemma about what was going down.  He's the reason she got away -- well him and Chucky.  Fucking Unser.

 

Chucky: "You're my best friend."

Gemma: "I accept that"

Chucky: <puzzled expression -- trying to figure out if he just got dissed>  Yes Chucky, you did.

 

Did anyone else find the car chase . . . odd.  After so many seasons of people on bikes a car chase just felt wrong somehow.  I kept wondering how Jax got that good at driving, given that he rides his bike most places.

 

I, for one, was really relieved when Juice came clean. I kept worrying that there would  be another twist and I just don't think I could have taken it.

 

Nice work by Jimmy and Charlie.

[La Tortuga]

I swear to God, nobody on this show can keep a damn secret EXCEPT for Gemma.

 

Jax: Wendy, don't tell anyone I know what you just told me.

Wendy: (immediately tells Gemma)

Jax: (immediately tells Unser)

Unser: (immediately tells Gemma)

 

Juice is right, these people are all a bunch of blind fools.

 

I will have more to say tomorrow. Tonight, I am much too pissed.

[Disraeli Ears]

The car scene WAS odd. What the hell was that music? I was waiting for the Keystone Cops to roll up on Jax.

Edited November 19, 2014 by Disraeli Ears

[missy jo]

I've had it with Mumm-Ra The Everliving (bka Wade Unser)...self-righteous old mummy.

 

I actually really liked his speech to Jax. He said all the things I was thinking, and then took some action for a change by putting out the APB.

 

For that strange jazz-fueled car chase.

[HunterHunted]

I was indeed yelling for Unser a.k.a. aunt Blabby to STFU. Nobody on this show can keep a damn secret. Also where does Under get off ordering an APB on Jax.

That said this episode was a joy and a disappointment. A joy because the plot actually moved, actions mattered to characters we've watched for 7 seasons, and the acting was great. A disappointment because I had to wait 10 episodes to get this. I was this close to a mayhem vote to put myself out of my misery of the previous pointlessly sluggish episodes.

Also why did every adult have an inability to call Wendy Abel's bio mom when recounting Jax' disclosure? It was all first mommy this. First mommy that.

Edited November 19, 2014 by HunterHunted

[GraceAnne]

I practically stood up and did a slow clap for Nero.

In my opinion the acting MVP tonight.... AND the only one who has brought up "hey, uhh maybe, you know, you should honor your DEAD wife's wishes and get the FUCK outta here.... Mano". Or something along those lines. But no- pretty but so dumb Jax is like "WHELP, guess we'll see about more gun running." Another brilliant decision..... It must be a Tuesday night.

[tilly]

I love Unser taking the "why should I help you/you burn me on this and we are done!" highroad from his caravan that currently resides on Teller property, ten yards from their clubhouse. Yeah, because you've done a bang-up job of distancing yourself from the club so far. 

 

Juice is so sad at this point. He's like a puppy that got clipped by a car and just isn't right anymore. Theo Rossi has been really impressive this season. 

 

I would have enjoyed it if the episode ended with a very Arrested Development-y "and that's why you always listen when people say your mother is a violent lunatic." Whether you liked her or not, I think Tara deserves one hell of an I TOLD YOU SO at this point.

[ChicksDigScars]

That scene on the phone, with the camera playing off Jimmy's facial expressions. WE knew what he was hearing. There was no need for us to hear Jax tell him. But Smit's face....OMG. Stunning.  If they don't hand that man a freaking Emmy award for this show, then we KNOW that there's something fishy going on at the Academy.

[NorthstarATL]

The acting tonight was so good! I still hate how we got here (Tara and the crucifix in the prison in the worst game of Clue ever was a particularly low and manipulative point), but siince this wqas doubtless endgame all along, it seemed seamless. Jax connecting the dots as to all the repurcussions that his mother's lies have led to and that he brought about through his own actions was a bit of self-awareness that I feared he had lost for good. That Gemma still thinks she's somehow not the worst person in the world is appropriate to who she is, and it was almost heartbreaking that she still thinks a future with the club is the best path for Abel's life. Jimmy Smits was indeed perfection, and, on a shallow note, reminds me that hotness need not fade with age.

  I've been wracking my brain trying to figure out where a satisfying finale will go, and I can't quite get there, but after this episode I have a bit more faith that the show might deliver the goods.

Edited November 19, 2014 by NorthstarATL

[larapu2000]

I actually think Juice was going to take the bullet for Gemma when he met with Jax, and then Jax told him about what happened to Bobby, and Juice was all, "Deuces, bitch!  SAMCRO for life!"

[ChicksDigScars]

Did anyone else find the car chase . . . odd.  After so many seasons of people on bikes a car chase just felt wrong somehow.  I kept wondering how Jax got that good at driving, given that he rides his bike most places.

 

Chrysler product placement. Just like the episodes where all the guys drink Miller Lite.  They threw the sponsor a bone after years of service. "Let's have a car chase for once." You may notice that the ride that Jax carjacked was a shiny, new black Dodge Challenger. That car chase was a "thanks for the sponsorship" nod to the boys in Detroit. It was the only car that came through unscathed. I notice that the sheriff cars that were smashed to bits were NOT Chargers. San Joaquin County must be the only place in the U.S. where cops don't drive Chargers. You can't crash the sponsor's cars up. 

Edited November 19, 2014 by ChicksDigScars

[Artsda]

That was the weirdest and oddest car chase scene ever. I couldn't pay attention to the scene because I kept wondering what the heck was up with the music. It was the soundtrack to the chase that threw the scene off, they always have good songs for chase scenes. Like Pearl Jam or Awolnation.

 

The Juice and Jax scene was amazing, so well acted by them both. I was mesmerized during the scene and couldn't look away. Jax's eyes were just glossy the entire scene.

 

Charlie just knocked this episode out of the park and that final scene with Nero, amazing. 

 

I figured it had to be someone that rat wasn't a real club member, Barofsky fits. Sutter wouldn't hurt the club anymore with them already so broken and just losing Bobby. 

 

Poor Juice, he's done and he knows it. :( I'm sad to see him go.

 

Gemma knows Jax would go find her at her father's house, so if she's "hiding" there it's to eventually have a face to face with him. Did like her passing the torch (the ring) to Abel with his "goodbye grandma". Gemma acknowledging Wendy as Abel's "mother" to Abel's face and Jax even saying "our boys" to her. 

 

Can't believe there's only 2 episodes left.

Edited November 19, 2014 by Artsda

[bfg]

By far the best episode of the last season and maybe the last few. Seems like it took forever to get here but the payoff was mostly worth it. Great acting all around tonight as well. I'm curious where they go in the last two episodes but I hope it's not a letdown.

Happy I'm not the only one who thought that car chase music was really weird.

[Toxic]

Wow. Color me impressed that everything unraveled in this episode. I was extremely surprised when Jax went ahead and told the club the truth about Gemma killing Tara. I thought that information, after everything that's happened, would be too damaging and he'd keep it to himself. Still not sure how it'll end but I did like Gemma running around saying her goodbyes, and I agree that she's going up to her dad's where she'll wait for the face-to-face with Jax.

The direction and editing of Nero's phone call when he learns the truth was amazing. Broke my heart even though we've been prepared for months to see it unfold.
 

I'm having a bit of a flashback to watching Dexter live for years and years, and how for most of the early seasons of the show I did not want him found out/caught/killed, but by the end (after that horrid finale) I was really annoyed he survived. For some reason, I also kind of wanted Gemma to mostly get away with what she did (Jax finding out, sure, but not the club/EVERYONE.) Still can't decide if I want her to die, now, but after the last scene I'm thinking she won't be killed. I hope I'm not disappointed by another finale.

However, I do really want Unser to kick it. I swear, if the one character who has had a legitimate reason (stage 87 cancer) to die SINCE SEASON 1 makes it out alive, I will pitch a fit.
 

I wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry at Juice's "all I am in here is someone's asshole" line. Okay, I laughed but then got kind of sad.

And yes I could not take that car chase seriously. WHAT was up with the music?!

 

I swear to God, nobody on this show can keep a damn secret EXCEPT for Gemma.

 

Jax: Wendy, don't tell anyone I know what you just told me.

Wendy: (immediately tells Gemma)

Jax: (immediately tells Unser)

Unser: (immediately tells Gemma)

Rofl! So true.

Edited November 19, 2014 by Toxic

[Darknight]

I actually think Juice was going to take the bullet for Gemma when he met with Jax, and then Jax told him about what happened to Bobby, and Juice was all, "Deuces, bitch! SAMCRO for life!"

LOL. I feel bad for juice but then I don't. I can't see Jax killing his mother but the one thing that matters to her are the boys and the club. So maybe Jax will kill himself and the club so Gemma can suffer

[placate]

The car scene was so fake and hilarious.  LOL here is the Challenger, did we not buy enough enforcement from Breaking Bad? The musical choice made it seem like a bad rendition of Monty Python. Here baby, gonna give you a ring that your legimate son who got the same ring was made president! Little Psycho is emotionally drawn because Grandma is a psycho,

[Sir RaiderDuck OMS]

ITA with everyone else who thought the music during the car chase was a disaster; it took me right out of the scene while I asked myself "WTF is with this music?" If Sutter was getting tired of metal or whatever, why not go old-school Bullitt-style and not have any music during the chase?

GREAT acting job by Hunnam, but it came at the expense of his already-shaky American accent. In a couple of scenes, I don't know that he was even trying to sound correct.

Speaking of the car chase, Jax had an APB out on him for assaulting Unser. He's now added armed robbery, reckless endangerment and hit-and-run. Great thinking there, Prez.

Smits hit it out of the park tonight. I particularly loved that weird leg bounce right after he found out what Gemma had done. It had the potential to look ridiculous, but it came off as a guy who literally didn't know what to do and wanted more than ANYTHING to wake up in that moment and have it not be true.

[Hava]

When Jax said to Juice, "I'll make sure it's quick," did anyone think Jax may have been referring to Juice's death instead of Gemma's? I haven't been paying close attention to the show this season so I may be completely off or it may have been completely obvious (in which case I am dumb to have noted it), but I just wanted to see what others thought.

[Sir RaiderDuck OMS]

When Jax said to Juice, "I'll make sure it's quick," did anyone think Jax may have been referring to Juice's death instead of Gemma's? I haven't been paying close attention to the show this season so I may be completely off or it may have been completely obvious (in which case I am dumb to have noted it), but I just wanted to see what others thought.

I assumed that's what Jax was telling Juice when he prefaced it with "Thank you for telling me the truth:" Juice cover-up of Gemma's involvement led to a whole lot of deaths, including possibly Jax's own (if the other chapters vote Mayhem for killing Jury). No way Jax lets Juice live at this point, but at least he won't order him tortured; of course, the guards may have other ideas.

[Lonesome Rhodes]

I absolutely loved the homage to Bullitt.  The music was spot on.  The specific cuts - most especially the one where the cop car flipped over that parked car, were early 70s cinema perfection.  Cheesy as all get out.  Awesome.

 

Am I the only one who channeled Gollum when the RIng was passed on to Abel?  At the rate his family is vanishing, can y'all see him muttering, "My preciousssssss first Ring."?

 

I didn't buy CH's overwrought emotion from the jump of the encounter with TR (Juice).  Even stoopid Jax was always careful to treat Juice like a cur at all times.  He simply would not have gone in showing weakness.  To me, Rossi acted the crap out of that scene.  Sutter gave Juice too much credit for savvy/smarts, but those words were not TR's fault.  Juice would not have shown much relief or hope once he spilled the final beans.  This was the crucial moment and TR did not betray any hoped-for acceptance awaiting Jax' reaction.  Then, when he recognized nothing had really changed and he was doomed, there was a similar lack of reaction.  Good stuff.  YMMV.

 

The biggest issue I had while watching was when Nero came to see Jax at the end.  I get that Nero was made a moron by his feelings for Gema.  That ended on the curb.  His affinity for Jax was already tenuous, if not gone.  What was in it for him to attempt to counsel Jax to show mercy?   That club pulled almost every rug he had out from under him and he came back for more?  It would have been far more realistic if Nero came and tried to assassinate Jax.  

 

I do like that Sutter seems to be taking us full circle back to "the life" and the code by which they live.  Jax has well earned Mr. Mayhem.  His brothers will not stand in the way now.  

 

I want Barosky, the ultimate cockroach, to come out of this with even more power and riches.  I also want Conor to stand on his very tough answer he gave Jax in the Afterword preview.    

Edited November 19, 2014 by Lonesome Rhodes

[BeatrixK]

Holy Stage 58 Cancer, Batman!

 

Car Chase:  I'm with y'all - it was the SOA equivalent of the Willow/Jaden Smith interview:  Made no sense whatsoever.  (Although now Jax can add GTA, felony evading, assault on an officer....and a bunch more shit to his assault charge.)

 

Jimmy Smits - the guest/supporting Emmy goes to you, mano!  Oh, he sold it - and I bought it.  On credit.  I'll be paying for it for years and don't care!  And, I will give credit to Sutter -- Spilling the beans to Jemma via Smit's slowly crumbling heart in silence...brilliant.  After all the lies Jemma spun in order to save her ass, it's fitting that her one lifeline of 'safety' evaporated in silence.  Bravo, folks...BRAVO! 

 

And it's still a seriously messed up world when Courtney Love remains your beacon of reason and sanity.

Edited November 19, 2014 by BeatrixK

[panthergirl13]

FINALLY.

 

And totally agree about Jimmy Smits...great performance.

 

But again, Sutter...if you kept this episode to one hour it would have been so much cleaner. Yes, you got to do your homage to Bullitt but what did that really add to the show? Zilch. 

 

I started watching the AfterShow but turned it off after TR. Was there anything worth seeing, or just another Schmoopie session? (we get it... you're all in awe of each other, humbled by the honor of appearing on the show because you are also a fan, blah blah blah)

[terrymct]

I actually think Juice was going to take the bullet for Gemma when he met with Jax, and then Jax told him about what happened to Bobby, and Juice was all, "Deuces, bitch!  SAMCRO for life!"

 

And Abel.  Jax explaining what Abel was going through and his concerns for Abel's treatment.  

 

I didn't like Juice's scene with Althea and Unser.  He was the frigging Oracle at Delphi.  Why not tell them and go into protection?  Maybe he's tired and ready to die.

 

Jimmy Smits was AWESOME.  Absolutely awesome.  He stuck with Gemma much longer than he should.  I liked when Nero was advising Jax at the end and comforting him like a father would.   Nero was right in suggesting Jax follow Tara's wishes and get the kids out of Charming.  The obvious idea would be for Jax to take them, but I don't think the Sons will let him get away with killing Jurry for no reason.  It's going to be Nero and Wendy, unless Gemma finds one last way to screw over Nero and gets him killed, then it will be Wendy driving off with the kids.

 

Jax actually has a fairly decent (given his social circle) group of close advisors:  Tig, Chibs, and Nero.  They cover a lot of ground from psycho to somewhat stable.  He needs to do some listening now.

 

Gemma is running to her father's place.  Jeeze woman, why not head to Mexico or Canada, or somewhere in the deep South and just disappear?

When Jax said to Juice, "I'll make sure it's quick," did anyone think Jax may have been referring to Juice's death instead of Gemma's?

 

That's exactly what he meant.  Juice gets the benefit of a quick death because he told the truth.

[Raachel2008]

I hate, absolutely hate, that Gemma gave Abel the club ring.  She just doesn't  get it.  It is bad enough that her son went down that path.  Now that she has seen all of the carnage, of which she has played a large part in causing, she wants that to continue with the next generation?

 

 

THIS a billion times.