When we were given the opportunity to write about any TV show we wanted for this essay, I immediately thought of Sons of Anarchy as an automatic reference. I started watching this show in 2008 and I'm still tuning into the current season and the final one this year. I was immediately a fan of this show after hearing about it from my dad. Not really being a fan of many TV shows at the time, this show stood out to me due to the edgy violence, drug abuse, and shootouts. I think a lot of the story is based around an outlaw motorcycle gang located in California, which is enough to appeal to any teenager of the era. As I got older and continued to watch the show, I could see that it was more than just a show about action and violence. Especially by taking this course, I started to delve deeper into the deeper meaning of the episodes and started watching Youtube videos interviewing the director and the cast to understand it better. I want to introduce what I think this program aims to achieve and identify, and I also want to discuss some of the themes of the show that connect it to the audience on a personal level. Of course, not everyone gets up for work and hops on the motorcycle with a gun to take on whatever the day may throw at them. However, we can all relate to experiences of family struggles, a sense of belonging, and opposing something we may not agree with. These are just a few examples of the themes presented by this exhibition. There are many more and I could probably write this article about the entire first season but I'll stick to the pilot episode. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay First of all, to start with the technical details of this show, I did some research to learn that this show is filmed a bit in real locations, but most of the common recurring scenes such as the club- house are in fact Hollywood studio sets. This leads me to believe that this show uses both single-camera and multi-camera TV studio production techniques. I love how, at the start of the pilot episode, you're on the road with main character Jackson Teller as he rides his bike on the roads of California early in the morning. The camera work is everywhere in this series and I think it adds a bit to the action aspect, as I've since noticed when watching action series and films. This show is a product of the convergence era considering it started in 2008, you can stream this show, buy seasons online and watch it on your phone if you want. Not only that, you can see previews of upcoming episodes, specials with the cast, and sometimes a message from creator Kurt Sutter himself. I think these aspects of the modern era in media really inspire the viewer to maintain the spirit of the series after the series is over. As you watch the series for a while, you will learn that each episode is linked to the next and that there is indeed a recurring cast of the series. I believe this is an episodic series format for these reasons, I would also like to mention how this series is shot in such a way that you feel like you need to know what happens in the next episode immediately after the end of the current one. They leave you with perfectly photographed hangers.This also leads me to consider how this series was shot in its entirety as a series of short films. If you collect all the episodes from each season, you could have movies with all the content covered. Another reason why I love this series. I think you can really enjoy this show at any age, 16, 17 and up. Although I'm advised to be 18+ to really understand the heavy content of some shows. When you watch this show about a gang that deals guns, that are outlaws, that all work in a motorcycle shop, you almost see two completely different sides. of this family. I call them family because they are exactly that and some are really related. Clay is the leader of the series, it doesn't take long to connect him to being the dominant antagonist figure, with him Gemma is by his side as his lover, she is also the mother of protagonist Jackson Teller. The crew itself is not clearly defined as good or evil until later episodes reveal alliances with "Jax" for short and Clay. The pilot begins with a conflict that causes other gangs in the area to become involved with the Sons on a level of trade and vengeful rivalry. They must resolve the problem to maintain their arms sales business, but it comes at great cost in risking their lives to do so. Sons leader Clay is considered old school and not afraid to play dirty. On top of all that, Jax has a baby boy on the way. Jax introduced as a handsome, well-mannered bad boy from the beginning of the pilot, he makes a discovery that changes his view of how the club works, long story short, and it leads him to question the direction of the club. The club is structured as a democracy and there is a president, vice-president, treasurer, etc. They vote and show respect to the club hierarchy. I find it interesting that although they are outlaws, they have order and, like the Italian mafia for example, they respect each other until things get dirty! So there are actually two stories happening at the same time during the pilot. Both focused on Jax primarily and defiantly and set an example of hailing him as the good guy. One of Jax's lifestyles linked to gangs and the other more human side of his life with the birth of his son. I think the reason behind this was to really show the viewer who the main character was as a person. In the episode, there are a few examples of him standing up and doing the right thing. Jax doesn't believe in killing people if he doesn't have to. Clay, on the other hand, has no qualms about killing someone who pissed him off. This is just an example. Everyone looks out for each other and family is for the most part very important to everyone in the gang. The themes it faces are the ones I'd like to address next because I find them very important to what makes the show relatable to the audience. The show reflects the lives of badass bikers who drink, smoke, shoot people and sell guns. However, these people still face challenges such as family difficulties, paying bills, drug addiction, harsh justice, and living daily knowing they could be violently killed. The series clearly presents these people as outlaws, but you learn that most of them are good people at heart and have a great love for their family and community. Few other shows present the criminal class of society in this way, nor do they show concern for family and friends.