What I’m Watching: Sons of Anarchy

Sons of Anarchy: Season 2, Episode 11 “Service” (A-)

It seemed like all the tension that had been building had finally exploded a few weeks ago when Clay and Jax fought physically, but this is where things finally boil over. It’s fascinating how the revelation of Gemma’s secret results in another member going over the edge and confessing his sins to the one man he really shouldn’t be talking to about it. This episode provided an incredible look at so many characters that don’t usually get such special treatment, like Tig, Chibs, and Piney. Tig’s meltdown in front of Opie was powerful, and seeing Piney come in guns blazing to take down Tig was pretty awe-inspiring too. The strongest and most shocking moment of this episode was Opie’s confrontation with Agent Stahl, where he managed to make the hard-as-nails fed break down in tears. That woman certainly gets what she deserves, as only moments before she tried to pull the same kind of life-endangering stunt she did with Opie on Chibs, and this isn’t the first time that she’s been punished for her extortionist behavior, like when Otto slammed her head down on the table in prison, but this is the first time that she actually starts to crack. Bravo to Ally Walker for playing well with the boys and delivering a stunning performance. Opie truly is a three-dimensional character, and seeing him not only decide to stay at the club knowing that Clay and Tig killed his wife but also tell them that he saw Chibs coming out of a meeting with Stahl to ensure that the club goes about investigating through the proper channels was stellar. It’s good that Clay and Jax have buried the hatchet and that the heir to the throne isn’t going anywhere, since, as the two SAMCRO leaders put it, they have to take down Zobelle and Weston the same way the white supremacists have been undermining them: slowly, steadily, and, above all, smartly.