Anybody think that Sons of Anarchy jumped the shark?

RexNFX79 · #1 12-09-2011, 01:09 PM

I was watching the series finale this week and was a little disappointed with it and the season as a whole. SPOILER ALERT I think if they were going to have Clay get shot, he should have died. Having him survive and now be in the hospital just seems a little too Days of Our Lives for me. I also thought the storyline where the cartel guys ended up being CIA was a bit much. If the CIA wanted to supply a cartel with weapons, I don't think they'd let some volitile little MC do it for them. I thought the entire season was setting up these crucial sort of breaking points within the MC and individual relationships and the club was digging a hole that everyone wouldn't come out of and then magically, they do (with the exception of Piney of course). I'll be really dissappointed if some members don't die or go to jail next season, I think it's the logical next step. I actually think they may kill off Jax at some point but maybe not.

bongomania · #2 12-09-2011, 01:30 PM

I feel the same way. I was addicted to the characters and the great writing in the first 3 seasons, but the 4th season has been one big groaner after another. Mostly characters doing totally implausible things, for no reason, and taking forever to do it.

"I'm going to walk over here, and I'm going to take a whiz, and you all just look the other way for the next ten minutes, while I phone the Feds and/or trigger a bomb, and when I come back you will all just accept that I was taking a whiz".

"I'm doing this ridiculous thing, and failing to accept help from anyone, to protect (Tara, Ope, the club, "what we've worked so hard for", etc.) and i'm going to do this in the most roundabout and ineffectual way possible, so that nothing is actually protected."

"If (Jax, Clay, Ope, whoever) finds out what happened, it will CRUSH THEM, or "it will be bad", so we need to kill somebody to prevent somebody else from finding out about somebody being killed, because that would be bad."

Maybe next season the writers will get a cup of coffee or something and earn their paycheck.

IMO the only redeeming moment in this season was when Unser told Opie the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. That was something I could believe in, that made sense, and that actually advanced the storyline in a non-ridiculous way.

RexNFX79 · #3 12-09-2011, 03:32 PM

You absolutely nailed it. When Unser was talking to Opie, I thought "now something is finally happening" but alas, it lead to the Dallas like shooting of JR....err, Clay. I'll still watch the next season but the writing really needs to get better and the story needs to move a lot faster. This whole season felt like it moved the story a week and a half or so, ridiculous. Clay should have died this season. I hope they keep it more grounded in the upcoming season, sort of like in The Shield. I loved that show because it knew the main characters were bad and bad things usually happen to people like that. Even when Mackey got free from all his crap, it came at an enormous cost to him. Sons seemed to have that mentality too up until this season. I don't know where they were going. It's almost like they were writing the last season and then suddenly got renewed and had to keep all of the characters alive and out of jail for another season.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bongomania

I feel the same way. I was addicted to the characters and the great writing in the first 3 seasons, but the 4th season has been one big groaner after another. Mostly characters doing totally implausible things, for no reason, and taking forever to do it.

"I'm going to walk over here, and I'm going to take a whiz, and you all just look the other way for the next ten minutes, while I phone the Feds and/or trigger a bomb, and when I come back you will all just accept that I was taking a whiz".

"I'm doing this ridiculous thing, and failing to accept help from anyone, to protect (Tara, Ope, the club, "what we've worked so hard for", etc.) and i'm going to do this in the most roundabout and ineffectual way possible, so that nothing is actually protected."

"If (Jax, Clay, Ope, whoever) finds out what happened, it will CRUSH THEM, or "it will be bad", so we need to kill somebody to prevent somebody else from finding out about somebody being killed, because that would be bad."

Maybe next season the writers will get a cup of coffee or something and earn their paycheck.

IMO the only redeeming moment in this season was when Unser told Opie the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. That was something I could believe in, that made sense, and that actually advanced the storyline in a non-ridiculous way.

Lee H · #4 12-09-2011, 03:36 PM

as a real biker who lives in Northern California, I think it jumped the shark part way through the first season.

Datsgor · #5 12-09-2011, 04:13 PM

Yep, they jumped the shark during the first season. I struggled through the second season. But when that baby got taken and they were all standing at the end of the dock, watching the boat leave, well, I was just embarresed for them all.

Stinsok · #6 12-09-2011, 04:15 PM

Not until they go on a group vacation to Hawaii.

RexNFX79 · #7 12-11-2011, 01:58 PM

I can accept some ridiculousness for the sake of entertainment and the whole kidnappped child thing was a bit much but I thought that the way they finished season three kind of redeemed them a bit. This last season just kind of sucked.

Dr. Cheese · #8 12-11-2011, 05:24 PM

I just started watching Sons of Anarchy a few weeks ago, and I really enjoyed it, but as the OP said, that season finale was like something from a tacky daytime soap opera. The show will have a hard time gaining credibility next season.

LiquidMidnight · #9 12-11-2011, 10:02 PM

Is it possible for a show to jump the shark in its series finale? Generally, jumping the shark refers to a time in a show's run that it starts sucking, and then continues to suck for the next two seasons as it dies a slow and painful death.

Sorry, just being nitpicky.

bongomania · #10 12-11-2011, 11:04 PM

Well yeah, if we were being cynical we'd say the next season or two will be a slow, painful death.

I'm still hopeful though.

Lee H · #11 12-11-2011, 11:07 PM

didn't the original shark jump precede another 7 years?
we are talking about the third season of Happy Days, right?

**Thor** · #12 12-11-2011, 11:20 PM

If you know what 'jumping the shark' means are you really part of the SOA target audience?

bongomania · #13 12-11-2011, 11:38 PM

Who is the target audience in your estimation?

Lee H · #14 12-11-2011, 11:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thor

If you know what 'jumping the shark' means are you really part of the SOA target audience?

I was young, and Fonzie was my hero...and the first bike I ever bought for myself was a triumph

really I think the target audience was West coast people who were fearful of the news. There has been tension building up with west coast motorcycle clubs for a while, and it has gotten a lot of press. I have always thought that this was thrown out there because of all the publicity that "bikers" were getting. it has certainly taken advantage of the publicity, and the marketing is rivaled only by Gene Simmons.

I was Christmas shopping, with my family today. A kid in the mall, saw my long hair, and a real bike rally shirt, and held out a SOA hoodie... I just laughed at him

SBsoundguy · #15 12-12-2011, 06:34 AM

The final episode of the season wasn't the finale. They just added it a month ago. The episode previous to that was the finale.

fhm555 · #16 12-12-2011, 12:41 PM

Working at home has some advantages, mostly that I can set my own schedule so I generally work afternoons and evenings so I can back up and start earlier when work picks up. This keeps me from ever getting so involved in TV that I regularly follow any serial TV. I'll watch an episode of something from time to time, but I don't ever really know all the plot lines or back stories.

That said, the first time I watched an episode of SOA, I saw one of the main characters riding his "hog" wearing white tennis shoes, and the first thing that came to my mind was if they didn't do any more research into their subject than that how could it be worth watching? Without laboring over the rest of the ridiculous things I saw in that show, suffice it to say I came away from the experience wondering if the whole thing was someone's (very lame) idea of a really clever inside joke (or slur) on outlaw MC's.

I understand the concept of suspension of belief in order for us to actually enjoy movies or TV shows, but at least make it a plausible lie.

kasanovakarl · #17 12-12-2011, 01:04 PM

I'm not sure how to feel about the season finale. Like the majority of the seasons, the finale didn't really wrap anything up. The club should be furious that an old lady interrupted church - that wouldn't fly. I think that Clay staying alive just keeps the story progressing forward with the cartel and the IRA. With the cartel being informants for the CIA, he seems to be a necessary part of the deal, which was alluded to early in the season. No Clay = no deal. Clay seems to be the one true antagonist within the club. They are all flawed, but he seems to have very little redeeming value for the club, other than for the viewer’s enjoyment.

On a side note, I think the IRA will do him in down the road.

SBsoundguy · #18 12-12-2011, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fhm555

Working at home has some advantages, mostly that I can set my own schedule so I generally work afternoons and evenings so I can back up and start earlier when work picks up. This keeps me from ever getting so involved in TV that I regularly follow any serial TV. I'll watch an episode of something from time to time, but I don't ever really know all the plot lines or back stories.

That said, the first time I watched an episode of SOA, I saw one of the main characters riding his "hog" wearing white tennis shoes, and the first thing that came to my mind was if they didn't do any more research into their subject than that how could it be worth watching? Without laboring over the rest of the ridiculous things I saw in that show, suffice it to say I came away from the experience wondering if the whole thing was someone's (very lame) idea of a really clever inside joke (or slur) on outlaw MC's.

I understand the concept of suspension of belief in order for us to actually enjoy movies or TV shows, but at least make it a plausible lie.

Oh snap!

Lee H · #19 12-12-2011, 01:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SBsoundguy

Oh snap!

Ok, this makes me curious...
Why do you have pics of San Berdoo 81 patchholders on your computer?

just from my own perspective, I doubt many on here understand the significance of the rockers enough to know what they are looking at

SBsoundguy · #20 12-12-2011, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lee H

Ok, this makes me curious...
Why do you have pics of San Berdoo 81 patchholders on your computer?

just from my own perspective, I doubt many on here understand the significance of the rockers enough to know what they are looking at

Google.