‘Sons of Anarchy’ recap: A fine Irish stew

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As I watched Jax and Opie race toward the bleeding face of a rival club member SAMCRO had buried up to his neck in dirt, I thought: This show is becoming increasingly Roman. Where does ‘Anarchy’ creator Kurt Sutter come up with this stuff? Is it based in reality, or are these shocking vignettes purely the product of his imagination?

Regardless, it makes for some pretty intense TV.

Episode 2 of Season 3 delves deeper into the ordinarily taboo subject of race relations, as the Sons M.C. allies itself with blacks, pursues various Latino clubs for leads into the previous episode’s drive-by and negotiates with the Irish about Abel’s whereabouts. The Irish theme is strengthening, and in a decidedly Irish way: with the inclusion of the Catholic church. ‘Church’ having various meanings in outlaw motorcycle culture, Sutter’s choice to play up this religious subplot is intriguing, as is his decision to turn Father Ashby into a two-faced man of the cloth who makes questionable moral choices in his service of God.

I’m keen to see how Gemma’s own religious awakening may interplay with this other emerging theme, especially since Ashby is involved in the kidnapping of Gemma’s grandson, Abel, who Gemma still doesn’t know is missing. I’m also curious to see how the increasingly bizarre scenario at Gemma’s dad’s house plays out, now that Tig’s sleeping with the caregiver, Gemma’s dad has shot Tig in the back, and the caregiver -- ‘Guatie hottie,’ as Gemma calls her -- has found out the Sons matriarch is on the lam and she could fetch $25,000 for turning Gemma in.

The town of Charming is becoming less so, and in a delightfully twisted way.

-- Susan Carpenter