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Sons of Anarchy season 3

Season three follows Jax after his infant son's abduction.

Sons of Anarchy season 3

FX · via Wikipedia: Sons of Anarchy season 3 · Fair use

The third season of *Sons of Anarchy* aired on FX from September 7 to November 30, 2010, spanning 13 episodes. Created by Kurt Sutter, the show follows an outlaw motorcycle club in the fictional California town of Charming. This season focuses on Jackson "Jax" Teller (Charlie Hunnam), the club’s vice president, as he grapples with his own identity and the club’s direction after his infant son is kidnapped. The season averaged 4.9 million viewers weekly, making it FX’s highest-rated series at the time, surpassing *The Shield*, *Nip/Tuck*, and *Rescue Me*. In 2018, Universo announced a Spanish-language premiere of the season on October 29, 2018.

The plot begins with Gemma hiding in Rogue River, Oregon, with Tig at her father Nate’s home; Nate, played by Hal Holbrook, has dementia. Gemma struggles when she moves him to an assisted living facility, and he begs to return home. She returns to Charming to reunite with her grandson, unaware he has been kidnapped. A.T.F. agent Stahl returns, twisting facts about Donna’s murder and attempting a secret deal with Jax. Father Kellan Ashby’s sister, Maureen, contacts Gemma, telling her Abel is safe in Belfast. Upon learning of the abduction, Gemma collapses from a cardiac arrhythmia. After the club retrieves Abel from Northern Ireland, Stahl double-crosses Jax by revealing his side deal to the club, but Jax and the club had anticipated this. Jax, Clay, Bobby, Tig, Juice, and Happy are arrested, while Opie, Chibs, Piney, and the Prospects pursue Stahl. Chibs kills Jimmy O’Phelan for revenge, and Opie kills Stahl for his wife Donna’s death.

The main cast includes Charlie Hunnam as Jax, Katey Sagal as Gemma, Ron Perlman as Clay, Mark Boone Junior as Bobby, Dayton Callie as Wayne Unser, Kim Coates as Tig, Tommy Flanagan as Chibs, Ryan Hurst as Opie, William Lucking as Piney, Theo Rossi as Juice, and Maggie Siff as Tara. Special guest stars include Paula Malcomson as Maureen Ashby, Ally Walker as Agent Stahl, Kenny Johnson as Herman Kozik, Mitch Pileggi as Ernest Darby, Stephen King as Bachman, and Sonny Barger as Lenny.

Quick Facts

Season Number
3
Starring
Charlie Hunnam / Katey Sagal / Mark Boone Junior / Dayton Callie / Kim Coates / Tommy Flanagan / Ryan Hurst / William Lucking / Theo Rossi / Maggie Siff / Ron Perlman
Num Episodes
13
Network
FX
First Aired
2010-09-07
Last Aired
2010-11-30
Prev Season
Season 2
Next Season
Season 4
Episode List
List of Sons of Anarchy episodes

Facts from the source article.

Lore & Background

After the club returns from Northern Ireland and brings home Abel, agent Stahl double crosses Jax and tells the club about the side deal Jax made with her, unaware that Jax and the club had it planned all along knowing Stahl would back out. Jax, Clay, Bobby, Tig, Juice and Happy are hauled away to jail. While Opie, Chibs, Piney, and the Prospects are all en route following Stahl. Chibs finally gets revenge on Jimmy by killing him and Opie kills Stahl as revenge for the death of his wife, Donna.

Reader's Guide

Season three attracted an average of 4.9 million viewers per week, making it FX's highest rated series ever at the time, surpassing FX's other hits The Shield, Nip/Tuck, and Rescue Me. On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the season has an approval rating of 90% based on 20 reviews. The site's critical consensus reads: 'Sons of Anarchy returns with risk-taking writing, thrusting its characters into fascinating and unexpected turmoil.' Some critics felt the third season was dragged down by the previous season's cliffhanger. James Poniewozik of TIME called the season three premiere 'breathtaking' and praised Sagal's performance with Holbrook. Entertainment Weekly’s Ken Tucker agreed that Holbrook and Sagal’s scenes were 'beautiful'. Maureen Ryan commented that the third season divided critics and fans alike, suggesting the expanded Belfast cast made it harder for the audience to invest in the characters' journeys. Critic Alan Sepinwall said the season was 'interesting but uneven', noting that the plot gained traction in later episodes. Tim Goodman of The Hollywood Reporter said 'Sutter should be applauded for shaking things up', calling the slower pace a 'creative necessity'.

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