What I'm Watching: Sons of Anarchy

Sons of Anarchy: Season 3, Episode 7 “Widening Gyre” (B+)

I'm continually impressed by how this show manages to incorporate characters like Tara's boss, Margaret, into its continuing storyline, giving them personalities of their own when they could easily exist without much character at all. In this episode, she comes to Gemma to ask for help with getting Tara to stay and then chooses to help Tara in covering up Gemma's escape, fitting in a revenge punch straight to Tara's face in the process. It's unlikely that Gemma's flight will be looked upon kindly, especially considering the trouble that Stahl went through to try to help get her off. Everyone's protecting everyone, since the only reason Gemma is breaking out, presumably, is so that Jax doesn't have to become a rat for Stahl to get her freed. That's something absolutely thrilling and fantastic about watching Tig lead the cops on a wild goose chase while Gemma is headed in the other direction, about to board a plane to Belfast. Things are going to get ugly in Belfast, considering Jimmy knows much more than the club thinks and that he's going to be waiting for them upon their arrival. Back on the home front, it was good to see Lyla standing up for Tara by admonishing Jax's one-night stand, and the conversation between Jax and Opie about how much Donna knew was quite intriguing. As has been the case recently, every time Unser comes face to face with SAMCRO, the solidity of their relationship visibly becomes ever more unstable, and Gemma's flight is sure not to sit well with him in the long run.