The end of season 5 has prompted me to go back and watch all the seasons through again. Episode 5 of season 1, Giving Back, seems to really be where SoA hit its stride. The rest of the season, with the exception of a couple clunkers, was tight, well-written, and compelling from this episode forward.
One things SoA can be really good about is creating laughs. The characters are so great, and so full of dimension that a small touch can end up being really funny. I think this episode in a standout in that regard when it comes to the parolee with "CMD" (Compulsive Masturbation Disorder). The look on Clay's face the first time he sees Chuck stick his hand down the front of his khakis is priceless.
The second storyline in this episode is an Opie one. I really like Opie's character, so that's always going to be all right with me. This episode delves into exactly what happened to Opie and why he got sent away for five years. It's the first explanation we get in the series. As just a side, it shows you how television goes through a blender in your head. I remembered having learned about how Opie got put away in the pilot. Not so. We learn here that an ex SoA brother named Kyle got spooked on getaway driver duty and left Opie behind for the cops. You can imagine how much drama is stirred when Kyle returns to Charming for his son's band performance.
This episode is likely most remembered within the SoA annals for its gruesome scene at the end. What the viewer actually sees isn't too much, but the way the tension is built, it feels like more. That's how good television works. That's how SoA works.
One things SoA can be really good about is creating laughs. The characters are so great, and so full of dimension that a small touch can end up being really funny. I think this episode in a standout in that regard when it comes to the parolee with "CMD" (Compulsive Masturbation Disorder). The look on Clay's face the first time he sees Chuck stick his hand down the front of his khakis is priceless.
The second storyline in this episode is an Opie one. I really like Opie's character, so that's always going to be all right with me. This episode delves into exactly what happened to Opie and why he got sent away for five years. It's the first explanation we get in the series. As just a side, it shows you how television goes through a blender in your head. I remembered having learned about how Opie got put away in the pilot. Not so. We learn here that an ex SoA brother named Kyle got spooked on getaway driver duty and left Opie behind for the cops. You can imagine how much drama is stirred when Kyle returns to Charming for his son's band performance.
This episode is likely most remembered within the SoA annals for its gruesome scene at the end. What the viewer actually sees isn't too much, but the way the tension is built, it feels like more. That's how good television works. That's how SoA works.
