Sons of Anarchy Review: "Lochan Mor"

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We are now eight episodes through this third season, we are finally to Belfast, and I am at least a little bit disappointed. In no way can I argue anything other than the fact that this third season has been far and away the worst Sons of Anarchy has given us.

Sure, you can argue that season one took a while to get going, but I was pumped by episode four. We're about to go into episode nine next week, and there hasn't been a "get me out of my seat" episode since the third season premiere.

"Lochan Mor" was disappointing on a couple of levels.

Sons of Anarchy Showdown

First, it was an extra half hour, so I was expecting big things, and ultimately was let down. Secondly, they finally got to Belfast, after all of my complaining, but little happened.

They really are dragging out every story line in every possible way. An hour and a half of episode and they still haven't come into contact with Jimmy O? Jax is light years away from seeing his baby boy and there seems to be a lot of sitting around talking.

Sure the chatting moments between Gemma and Maureen, or Jax and Trinity, were great, because of the history between them all, but most of the rest of it was worthless.

The Gemma and Maureen stuff was fantastic both because Katey Sagal and Paula Malcolmson are awesome actresses, and because the hatred between these two women is ridiculously grand because of the great John Teller.

And some of those Jax/Trinity moments? Was I the only one worried about some incestuous actions about to go down? I'm pretty sure the moms should tell them they're brother and sister before Jax takes his shirt off in front of her again.

Third, and finally, it was disappointing because the California stories were so less than interesting. This is the let down I was kind of expecting, but I had hope that the Tig/Kozik story would spice things up. It didn't. Between Tara helping Lyla get her abortion, Tig and Kozik's non-fight fight, and Hale using Darby and Salazar to mess with Lumpy, nothing peaked my interest.

Not only did we not learn what the beef was between Tig and Kozik, but they didn't even show us their boxing match! Maybe Kim Coates is just really an awful athlete and they didn't want Tig to look like an oaf in the ring. I know this story is going to come to afoot sooner or later, I just wish it would happen now while nothing else is going on.

Although it wasn't that entertaining, it was nice to see Tara and Lyla bonding. Now that Gemma's gone, Tara is missing that womanly presence in her life and it's nice to see her getting it from Opie's porn star girlfriend.

So what happens from here? Obviously the Jax versus Jimmy O showdown that Kellen Ashby so desperately wants is going to go down, but what's the point now? Abel is about to be adopted by that wonderful couple we saw at the end of the episode. I mean how long can they keep this kid away from Jax? I might start crying for him soon.
 

When does the Jax/Trinity thing blow up? When does the Tig/Kozik thing blow up? Does Tara go through with the abortion? Who's McGee aligned with?

There's so much to go down, which is why I'm disappointed none of it went down in this episode. Why not spread some of these out? I have this feeling that everything will happen in one episode. And it will be glorious, but at what cost?

Other thoughts:

  • Ireland is really the only foreign land I've been to, so I'm glad to see SAMCRO make their way over there. And yes, it is as gray and bleak as the Sons of Anarchy cinematographers make it out to be on screen.
  • I enjoyed the opening montage, showing what everyone was up to in Ireland as SAMCRO arrived.
  • I also liked the bagpiped version of the opening theme song. Nice touch for the ep.
  • Salazar of Calavaras's first name is Hector? What? So he is the same Salazar from 24! StingRay was right and therefore we can all assume that his girlfriend that keeps following him around is named Claudia!!!!!!
  • A nice moment for Chibs as he reunited with Fiona and his daughter.
  • My favorite screen printing of the night: Jax's "Reaper Crew" t-shirt.
  • Lyla used the name "Sarah Palin" to check into the clinic. Is that better or worse than Michael Vick's "Ron Mexico"?

Lochan Mor Review

Editor Rating: 3.5 / 5.0
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User Rating:

Rating: 3.7 / 5.0 (56 Votes)

Dan Forcella is a TV Fanatic Staff Writer. Follow him on Twitter.

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Sons of Anarchy Season 3 Episode 8 Quotes

Kozik: It's been eight years, douchebag.
Tig: Yeah, and not a day goes by that I don't think about her.

Jax: Holy shit! What was that?
Irish Dude: Welcome to Ireland.