Sons of Anarchy: Season Four

Ride full-throttle with the Sons of Anarchy into the most intense, adrenaline-charged season ever! Out of prison and back in business, SAMCRO faces a powerful new nemesis as they forge an unlikely alliance and head in a dangerous new direction. As a deadly internal power struggle rocks the club to its very core, Jax struggles with the legacy of his father and makes plans for the future of his family amid chaos, corruption, betrayal, and murder. Action-packed with electrifying extended episodes, Sons of Anarchy Season Four will take you for the ride of your life!

It may seem surprising that a TV series about an outlaw motorcycle gang--er, club--should have such staying power, but as this fourth season of Sons of Anarchy (with 13 episodes, including a two-parter, plus bonus material, on three discs) makes clearer than ever, this show is about more than biker dudes and their "old ladies." Indeed, there's an almost Shakespearean display of human values here, like loyalty and honor (and their dark opposites), and the importance of family. They are all put to the test this season, as Clay Morrow (Ron Perlman), his wife Gemma (Katey Sagal), Gemma's son Jax (Charlie Hunnam), and the rest of the members of SAMCRO face numerous challenges.

As the season starts, several members are released from prison, only to find that there's a new lawman in charge of Charming, the club's fictional California town, and he's a lot less accommodating than his predecessor; there's also a sneaky US attorney who plants a snitch among the Sons and is determined to take them and their various criminal associates down once and for all. Under Clay's less-than-honest leadership, the club also gets involved with a ruthless Mexican drug cartel and its leader (Danny Trejo, a former bad guy in real life whose face alone would be enough to scare most people straight), a move that goes against their core principles; like the Corleone family in The Godfather, they swore to never get involved in drug dealing (however, acting as cocaine mules for their new partners is apparently just fine). And there are numerous ongoing personal matters, including Jax's desire to quit and lead a normal life with his kids and spouse Tara (Maggie Siff), a doctor who's not a bit sure that the life of an old lady suits her, and a major storyline involving Clay's possible role in the death of John Teller, Jax's father and Gemma's first husband. Secrets are kept, lies are told, many are killed, wonderful music is heard (Dylan's "The Times They Are a-Changin'" in Spanish? Why not?)…. All in all, there's a lot going on, but series creator Kurt Sutter, who also plays the role of Otto, manages to keep a firm grip on the handlebars throughout. --Sam Graham