Sons of Anarchy season 1
First season of the FX drama about an outlaw motorcycle club.
FX · via Wikipedia: Sons of Anarchy season 1 · Fair use
The debut season of *Sons of Anarchy* ran for 13 episodes on FX, starting on September 3, 2008, and ending on November 26, 2008. This was the only season broadcast on Wednesdays; later seasons moved to Tuesdays. Kurt Sutter created the series, which focuses on a tight-knit outlaw motorcycle club based in the fictional Central Valley town of Charming, California. The story follows vice president Jackson "Jax" Teller (Charlie Hunnam) as he starts to doubt both the club and his own path.
The show revolves around the Teller-Morrow family and other members of the Sons of Anarchy Motorcycle Club, Redwood Original (SAMCRO), along with their families, townspeople, allied and rival gangs, associates, and law enforcement agencies that either hinder or support SAMCRO’s legal and illegal operations.
The season opens with a rival motorcycle club destroying a warehouse SAMCRO uses to store and assemble guns—their main source of income. Around the same time, Jax’s meth-addicted, pregnant ex-wife Wendy overdoses. An emergency C-section delivers their son Abel ten weeks early. While retrieving old baby clothes from a storage unit, Jax discovers his late father John’s memoirs. John Teller co-founded SAMCRO, and the book details his struggles and hopes for the club. Jax’s mother, Gemma Teller-Morrow, is now married to SAMCRO’s president, Clay Morrow. Jax’s best friend Opie has just been released from prison after serving time for a club-related crime. Throughout the season, Jax tries to reconcile the club’s current actions with his father’s writings, Opie attempts to step back from club life, and both local and federal law enforcement work to shut down SAMCRO.
The main cast includes Charlie Hunnam as Jax, Katey Sagal as Gemma, Mark Boone Junior as Bobby Elvis, Kim Coates as Tig Trager, Tommy Flanagan as Chibs Telford, Johnny Lewis as Half Sack, Maggie Siff as Dr. Tara Knowles, and Ron Perlman as Clay Morrow. Special guest stars are Drea de Matteo as Wendy Case, Ally Walker as Agent June Stahl, Tom Everett Scott as Rosen, and Brian Van Holt as Kyle Hobart.
Quick Facts
- Season Number
- 1
- Starring
- Charlie Hunnam / Katey Sagal / Mark Boone Junior / Kim Coates / Tommy Flanagan / Johnny Lewis / Maggie Siff / Ron Perlman
- Num Episodes
- 13
- Network
- FX
- First Aired
- 2008-09-03
- Last Aired
- 2008-11-26
- Next Season
- Season 2
- Episode List
- List of Sons of Anarchy episodes
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The series begins with the destruction of a warehouse the club uses to store and assemble guns, their main source of income, by a rival MC, right before the overdose of Jax's methamphetamine-addicted, pregnant ex-wife Wendy. An emergency C-section is performed, and their son Abel is delivered ten weeks prematurely. Jax finds his father's memoirs when he visits a storage unit to collect old baby clothes. John Teller, Jax's father, was one of the founders of SAMCRO, and the book describes his trials with and hopes for the club. Jax's mother, Gemma Teller-Morrow, is now married to the President of SAMCRO, Clay Morrow. Jax's best friend Opie has just been released from prison for serving time for a club-related crime. The first season deals with Jax trying to reconcile things happening to the club with what he reads in his father's memoirs, Opie trying to take a lesser role in the club, and local and federal law enforcement trying to shut down SAMCRO.
Reader's Guide
The first season of Sons of Anarchy established the tone and central conflicts of the series, introducing the Teller-Morrow family and the SAMCRO motorcycle club. It received generally positive reviews from industry critics, with an 88% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 24 reviews, whose critical consensus noted the show's 'rough and harsh' quality and praised its ensemble cast. The season was filmed primarily at Occidental Studios Stage 5A in North Hollywood, with external scenes often shot in Sun Valley and Tujunga. Originally, Scott Glenn was cast as Clay Morrow and an entire pilot was filmed with him, but series creator Kurt Sutter re-cast Ron Perlman in the role and re-shot Clay's scenes. The season was released on DVD and Blu-ray on August 18, 2009.
Did You Know?
- The first season is the only season to air on Wednesdays; the show moved to Tuesdays for the remainder of its run.
- Originally, Scott Glenn was cast as Clay Morrow and an entire pilot episode was filmed with him before Ron Perlman was re-cast.
- Emilio Rivera was originally cast as a club member named 'Hawk,' who eventually evolved into the character of Tig Trager.
- The One-Niners street gang who buy weapons from SAMCRO first appeared in The Shield, which Sutter produced.
More in Characters & Cast
Elsewhere in Sons of Anarchy
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