Sons of Anarchy

Wed Feb 6, 10-11.35pm, 5USA

By Phil Harrison Wed Jan 30 2013

Time Out Ratings

Series five, episode one
Clay was in extreme jeopardy at the end of season four of this Hell’s Angels drama. But did anyone seriously think that Ron Perlman’s elderly biker wouldn’t stick around? That said, all that’s keeping Jax from finishing the job is Clay’s usefulness in the context of some unfinished business with the Irish mob. A reckoning can’t be too far away but, in the meantime, Clay’s like a wounded old grizzly – nearly out on his feet, but still capable of lashing out dangerously.

Jax is in charge of Samcro now and his first job is a toughie – the Niners are outraged by Tig’s behaviour towards the end of season four and bloody retribution looks inevitable. There’s still a sense that Charlie Hunnam’s Jax is the only character who’s endowed with any light and shade, but ‘Sons of Anarchy’ remains muscular, often brutal fun – as relentlessly watchable as it is often absurd.