Sons of Anarchy fans have been waiting for years to see the debut of Mayans MC, the next biker-oriented installment of the Kurt Sutter universe. The man himself co-created this spinoff (with Elgin James) and executive produces (with Norberto Barbra) the series as well. FX ordered an initial 10-episode season that shall duly arrive at a yet-unannounced date in Fall 2018. Reportedly, there have been some production stumbles to overcome, but hopefully, the goods will satisfy enough to make everyone forget about Jax Teller and the green screen of death. Here’s what we know so far about the series.
Jax Teller Is Definitely Dead, And The Crow No Longer Flies (Straight Or At All)
The network has been careful not to hint at all that Charlie Hunnam’s Jax Teller could appear on the show. In fact, the show’s synopsis actually states that Mayans MC, so named for the rival to the SAMCRO organization led by Jax (and previously, his dad, John, and stepdad, Clay), takes place in a “post-Jax Teller world.” Sutter is apparently so dead set on hammering Jax’s demise home that newly revealed footage at last weekend’s ATX Television Festival began with a motorcycle further flattening a crow that was already road kill.
Was the crow one of the little critters who gobbled up the body (bread crust) and blood of Jax Teller in the Sons closing moments? Since Mayans MC picks up three years after the end of SOA, the answer must be no, but this still seems like a hell of a way to not only close the SOA era but also possibly churn up some goodwill following poor fan and critical reception to the SOA finale.
Whatever the case, Sutter doesn’t want to completely close previous doors. He has been tweeting the below photo (in GIF form) to emphasize that he wants the Sons mythology to continue, but the torch is definitely being passed.
The Cast Will (Mostly) Be Fresh To The Sutter Universe
As laid out by the Mayans MC IMDb page, Emilio Rivera (who played Marcus Alvarez, president of the Mayans Oakland charter in SOA) is still the only confirmed familiar face who’s serving as a link to the past. The main character of Mayans shall be played by JD Pardo, who rides as Ezekiel “EZ” Reyes, fresh out of prison in the pilot episode and seeking to step out of prospect boots in the Cali/Mexi border charter of the Mayans.
Symbolically, the ATX festival footage revealed that EZ will be the one who drives over the crow in the opening moments of the series, and he’s the former prodigal son who previously spent years attempting to grasp the American Dream. However, EZ emerges from prison to find that the Mayans are still in the drug-running business and working for the Galindo cartel, and he must choose between staying loyal to the M.C. or adopting the non-outlaw lifestyle that his girlfriend (who’s clearly not an old lady to the club) would prefer.
As is typical in the Sutter universe, EZ reluctantly ends up agreeing to do a drug run that goes bad, which leads one to believe that his role in the M.C. is a Jax-esque one that forecasts seasons of struggle. This dynamic is also reinforced by a Clay-like father figure played by Edward James Olmos.
Will Any Other Familiar Faces Appear?
Sutter has stated that he hopes familiar faces won’t be needed in order to keep the SOA spirit alive, but it’s also hard to imagine that he wouldn’t have some fun bringing back a few of the Sons in some unexpected capacities. Viewers would love to see Tig Trager (Kim Coates) fall in lust with some sweetbutt twins, sparking club friction in the process. Or perhaps Chibs Telford (Tommy Flanagan) could surface to test key loyalties. Hopefully, Sutter will use lingering fan juice for them to advantage instead of, say, bringing back the ghost of Otto.
According to IndieWire, Sutter has declared his delight at hiring some actual convicts. He said, “The thing I love about this cast is they have more jail time than screen time,” mostly as supporting characters but in a pointed effort to authentically fill out his cast. Still, Sutter left the door open to a “transition” period, in which some Sons actors might briefly appear, but he’s wary of making this “feel like the Latino version of Sons of Anarchy.”
The Show Will Aim For An Authentic Latino Perspective
Sutter has publicly stressed that his commitment to Latino authenticity is so strong that he diversified the Mayans writing room because, as he has stated, “I knew a white guy from Jersey should not be writing solely about Latino culture.” However, Sutter emphasized that while this show will touch upon the real issues faced by Latinos in America, he wants to avoid getting political, according to the Hollywood Reporter:
“I do not write political shows, I should not write political shows … But, the same way ‘Sons’ was a fictitious club and family in a real world, the real world always impacted that show.”
In other words, Sutter won’t shy away from taking his characters into realistic situations, especially since the show’s setting is pretty damn close to the U.S.-Mexico border. Further, he realizes that these are going to be “politically-charged, and emotionally-charged” situations, and of course, the quest for authenticity demands that this will “bleed into the storytelling” at times.
The Show’s Promos Are Effectively Silly So Far
When it comes to network teasing tactics, it doesn’t take much to work up die-hard fans on social media. So, FX has been dropping some progressively weird (and aggressively ridiculous) teasers. First up, the Mayans’ bikes definitely have wheels.
https://twitter.com/sutterink/status/1000850805203853313
And these guys have boots.
https://twitter.com/MayansFX/status/1001508654678528000
Not to mention, there are carvings.
https://twitter.com/MayansFX/status/1004045184991092736
And handlebars.
https://twitter.com/sutterink/status/1006278219883048961
Finally, here are some almost pornographic zippers.
https://twitter.com/sutterink/status/1006357167010705408
Mayans MC doesn’t have a debut date yet, but expect the show to surface in Fall 2018. For the sake of John Teller, let’s hope the series will be as much of a guilty pleasure as its predecessor.
