TV Review: Sons of Anarchy 5.9, "Andare Pescare"
rating:4
Who is to blame for all of the death, suffering, and betrayal that has plagued the world of Sons of Anarchy this season? Who is the primary antagonist? Early on, it felt like Pope was the answer. As we entered the seasons middle chapters, the focus shifted toward Clay. But with Andare Pescare, its become crystal clear that season fives villain isnt an individual at all its the club itself. Ive got to give the writers some credit here they established this revelation way back in episode three. Opies death, when viewed through this lens, is one of three examples of SAMCROs steady transition from an institution designed to protect its members to one that destroys them. The other two examples manifested themselves in this weeks installment and in last weeks Ablation, in the form of Gemmas struggle with Jax and Taras dealings with Otto. All three of these characters Opie, Otto, and Gemma represent those that have suffered most at the very hands that were meant to protect them.
Opie lost his wife, his father, and eventually his own life because of his dedication to the club. Over the past two episodes, Gemmas slowly began to lose her only viable future because of the club. And while weve known the tragedy of Ottos story for awhile, were treated to a scene in Andare Pescare that adds a vivid, unshakable weight to it. He cries in the arms of Tara fully breaking down from the pressure of a loyalty that cost him everything and still somehow manages to continually cost him more. The old saying is cliché, but its still undeniably true you always hurt the ones closest to you. In the world of Sons of Anarchy, that hurt often manifests itself in death, and while all three of these characters have experienced physical losses over the course of the series, theres something much deeper going on here: spiritual death. These characters gave everything to the club, only to have the club fail them time and time again. SAMCRO promised protection, family, and belonging, yet its the very thing that has stripped all of those things away. Theres nothing more devastating than that sort of betrayal, and its the reason why Andare Pescare, much like Laying Pipe before it, packs such a dramatic punch. You can see how hollow Otto is every time hes on screen. Its the same emptiness you could see in Opies eyes moments before he took a steel pipe to the head. And its there with Gemma, as she sits across from Clay, carefully injecting Cortisone into his aging hands. SAMCRO is, without a doubt, dying. But with all of the damage it has caused to those most faithful to it, is it really worth saving?