Sons of Anarchy (TV Series) Pilot (2008) User Reviews

Pilot (#1.1)

[ComedyFan2010 · 9/10 · 27 August 2015]

This is a pretty impressive beginning. After the first 10 minutes I started getting interested and towards the end of the episode I knew that I have to watch more.

They managed to put quiet a few things into the pilot that brings us action and also introduce a big variety of characters to us. It seems like an interesting gangster show with interesting story lines and characters.

I must say I need to get used a bit to Charlie Hunnam. His acting is a bit weird to me, but it could be just the uniqueness of the character and I might be getting it within a few episodes.

Other than that there was some superb acting. I was very impressed by Katey Sagal and Drea de Matteo. Their scene at the end was pretty powerful. Gemma actually seems to be a very important character who has a lot to do with the criminal activities. I also liked her conversation with Clay about her son. Them trying to make sure Jax stays with the family business will most likely be an important story of at least the first season

the best pilot in a long time!

[barcalonarules2 · 9/10 · 29 March 2011]

This single episode sums up the entire show, gang wars, bike journeys and brawls. Truly one of the greatest shows of all time. The acting in this program is phenomenal. I wasn't expecting much from Katey Segal if i'm honest, because after her comedy roll in 8 SIMPLE RULES, i didn't think she could have pulled of the whole drama thing, but i was pleasantly surprised with a hard-hitting, Golden Globe winning performance. Charlie Hunnam plays the vice president of a biker gang, a part which was brilliantly written. My Favourite character, CHIBS, played by Tommy Flanagan, is a hilarious part well casted. Not forgetting Ron Pearlman's worryingly convincing roll as the gangs president. So a good opening for a good show ;)

A pilot that will intrigue you to the edge!

[gabriel-j-w · 9/10 · 6 May 2013]

I really liked the pilot of SOA. The show was suggested to me by a friend so i thought that i would take a look at the first episode. I was very impressed! Within the first 10 minutes of the show you see the introduction of the main characters, a bit of comedy and an epic explosion. I was hooked immediately! Then, of course, throughout the rest of the show you get to meet the rest of the characters and learn their place in the show and their back stories which made me get a hunger for more of them. My favourite scene is the ending scene. It shows you the the darker side to the sons that you have come to expect and would love to see more of. I would recommend this show to anyone who enjoys action, comedy, drama , a touch of dark comedy and to anyone who enjoys Harley bikes!

Grim, Hard-Hitting Drama about Gun Running Motorcycle Gangs

[zardoz-13 · 10/10 · 16 September 2012]

The pilot episode to the FX series "Sons of Anarchy" was superb. This television series concerns a Northern California motorcycle gang named 'Sons of Anarchy' based out of Charming that deal in contraband weapons. Since this is not a prime time drama on the major networks, the heroes emerge as a rough and tough bunch of lads who have no qualms about killing and maiming anybody they don't like. Executive producers Art and John Linson certainly don't pull any punches in this crime series. The opening episode finds an opposing motorcycle gang called 'The Mayans' stealing a cache of automatic weapons from the Sons of Anarchy. The Sons are nowhere around when the Mayan heist their guns and then blast the place. Not long afterward the Sons go into action. SOA vice president Jackson "Jax" Teller is the protagonist and he is backed up by Clarence "Clay" Morrow (Ron Pearlman of "The Magnificent Seven") in a gang that doesn't back down from anything. The dudes do their home work and deduce where the Mexican gang has stashed their guns. Jax and Clay cut their way into a warehouse were the Mexicans have hidden the guns. They recover their firearms and set the premises up to blow. Although he takes a couple of slugs during the theft, Jax is wearing a bulletproof vest so he survives the ordeal. Jax's companions finish off the Mexicans and leave. One of the deceased Hispanics has a stick of dynamite shoved in his anus before the storage facility blows sky high. Co-directors Allen Coulter and Michael Dinner do a splendid job of depicting the raw edge of life that these desperadoes live on as motorcycle clubbers. A subplot involving Jax's crank addicted ex-wife Wendy Teller (Drea de Matteo) is pregnant with Jax's son when Gemma Teller Morrow (Katey Sagal) finds her passed out unconscious on the floor of Jax's house with blood everywhere. The doctors perform a C-section on Wendy and save the baby. The only problem is that the infant arrives with half of a stomach and a hole in his tiny heart. Miraculously, the surgeons save the child's life, but Wendy doesn't fare as well off as her son. Gemma visits her with a Bible containing a syringe with narcotics and convinces her to commit suicide. Indeed, this pilot episode establishes what needs to be told without the usual that blather occurs in a prime time series.

You Are In For A Ride

[lillylillygote · 8/10 · 19 June 2018]

I wasn't sure about this because I tend to find overly graphic violence to be uninteresting and depressing. I was surprised at how much actually enjoyed this and couldn't wait to watch the next episode. The characters are unpredictable, funny human and dangerous all at the same time. Katie Sagal was the biggest surprise. Her portrayal of Gemma Teller-Morrow is phenomenal. Television shows that keep you wanting more are few and far between anymore.

Pilot

[dillivo-06094 · 9/10 · 30 March 2020]

This is my second time watching this. I give the pilot a good 7,5/10 because I know what this show has to offer in future episodes. This still is an amazing pilot, you get to know this amazing cast. Katey Sagal absolutely owned this episode, her acting is outstanding. We get to meet Jax the vp of the mc, played by Charlie hunnam. And Ron Perlman who plays the president whose name is Clay. We already met ofcourse Samcro, but we also meet the other mc the Mayans, the nazi gang led by a man called Darby and the niners led by a man called Laroy. The episode begins with the Mayans burning down a warehouse of the sons stocked with guns for the niners o and it ends with the sons doing the same but killing some mayans as well. Jax's baby Abel is also born after a succesfull operation because he was born 10 weeks too soon because of jax's ex wife Wendy who is a junky. I think these are the most important things in the pilot. Best performance: Katey Sagal End rating: 7,5/10

Not a bad pilot episode!

[mm-39 · 12 September 2011]

Not a bad pilot episode! Pilot episodes usually have awkward character development and choppy story development. Many television series take a few episodes to develop a rhythm and then the show hits its stride. Son's of Anarchy pilot runs smoothly. One develops a rapport with the characters and finds the storyline stimulating. Sons of Anarchy is biker version of of tho Sopranos. There is the personal lives of the characters and the illegal business side of the characters. Sons of Anarchy is different form the Sopranos because the show is in a Western rural setting and the criminal interests are different. If you like the Sopranos you will probably like Sons of Anarchy. The two shows are different enough that one is not watching the same old same old. I give the pilot episode an eight out of ten.

Probably the best pilot and/or show I've ever seen!

[spiritualgangstagirl · 10/10 · 21 May 2021]

This pilot is set up like a movie. Each scene is perfectly set to specific music to really help make you feel what the characters are going through. It's a dark comedy but you end up falling for these people pretty quick and therefore can't wait to keep watching. Honest Kurt Sutter is a genius and doesn't get the credit he deserves. They never should've fired him from Mayans.

Very good start

[rafa_maia · 8/10 · 28 July 2023]

I know I'm a bit late to this, but I guess it's never too late to start a new series and... what a series this seems to be!

I've always heard good things about this show and I finally got the chance to see it and I gotta say the pilot is pretty damn good. The acting is impressive and the storyline is even better.

Yes, there is a lot of violence, but what do you expect? It's a series about a gang of bikers and the rivalry with another gangs so this is to be expected and it's suitable for my likings.

I'm very curious to know where this story will go and that's the best compliment I can give to this episode. It made me want to watch more!

Only reason I don't give 9 or 10 is because I'm sure there will be much better episodes, with a lot more action and dramatic plot twists. This was just the start and for a pilot episode I couldn't ask for better.

Stay away, its awful

[wisdomnow2000 · 5/10 · 27 August 2015]

Watched this for the first time today, the pilot episode on Netflix. I am not feeling this at all. The acting is atrocious. The story telling childish and transparent. I have no idea how this has a rating of 8.7. An 8.7 rating is usually indicative of better programming. But I suppose the voters who liked it were the ones giving it that rating. The acting is bland, monosyllabic and just plain bad. And there's 7 seasons of this. Ron Perlman is Ron Perlman; Meh. Charlie Hannum is not. Katy Sagal was a stiff Peg. There just isn't really all of that that I can give a good review on. It really is astounding that this got the high rating that it did, I suppose bikers loved it.