Sons of Anarchy was no stranger to brutal deaths. The crime drama, which detailed the exploits of an outlaw motorcycle club, gave Game of Thrones a run for its money when it came to dispatching main characters in shocking manners. One never knew who was going to bite the dust next, which added to the show’s tension. That being said, few deaths hit as hard as that of Tara. The character, played by Maggie Siff, was a doctor who made her debut in the very first episode. 3o3m2l

Tara played a substantial role in season 1. She was the wife of Sons of Anarchy protagonist Jax Teller (Charlie Hunnam), which made it seem as though she’d be safe from the horrors that Jax’s motorcycle club unleashed on their enemies. For a while, this proved to be the case. Tara was a steady recurring presence throughout the majority of the show, but she couldn’t escape her husband’s dangerous lifestyle.

Here’s a breakdown of when, how, and why Tara Knowles was killed in Sons of Anarchy.

Tara dies in the season 6 finale “A Mother’s Work” 515r4m

Tara Knowles made a point of staying out of Jax’s business as much as possible, but it proved not to be enough. The character ran afoul of Jax’s mother, Gemma (Katey Sagal), in the season 6 finale, and their interaction proved to be fatal. Gemma became convinced that Tara was going to rat her and Jax out to the rest of SAMCRO (Sons of Anarchy Motorcycle Club Redwood Originals), and she decided to nullify the risk through the simplest means imaginable: murder.

Gemma’s dispatch of Tara is absolutely brutal. She bashes her daughter-in-law’s head in, and then shoves her bloodied face into an overflowing sink. If that weren’t bad enough, Gemma then takes a barbecue fork and stabs Tara in the head multiple times before calling it a day. It’s a devastating scene, made all the more upsetting by the fact that Jax was considering going clean in the days leading up to Tara’s death. He realized things had gone too far with SAMCRO, and decided he wanted to turn over a new leaf with his family.

Does Jax get revenge against Tara’s killer? 4p2l6n

Gemma manages to keep the truth of Tara’s death a secret for most of season 7, but Jax learns the truth in the episode “Suits of Woe.” He’s absolutely gutted to discover the familial betrayal that his own mother perpetrated against him, and kills her in the following episode, “Red Rose.” The death of both his wife and mother effectively dooms Jax to a life of sin and crime, with the brief window in which he considered going straight being little more than a pipe dream.

Maggie Siff talked about her character’s death during a 2013 interview with TV Guide. She told the outlet that she had a feeling Tara was going to meet an untimely end, but itted that it was hard to shoot the scenes given how high the emotions on set were. “My character is supposedly dead but I’m very much there,” she explained. “Witnessing and experiencing the gamut of emotions that they’re having about it, both as actors and as characters…. That was really painful.”

Charlie Hunnam also felt overwhelmed by Tara’s death. During the featurette for the season 6 DVD release of Sons of Anarchy, the actor reflected on the Jax and Tara relationship. “The relationship with Jax and Tara is the thing that I find plays the most real and deep and rich and has been the thing I’ve been most proud of,” he asserted. It’s one of the most consequential moments in the show’s history, and it remains as impactful today as when “A Mother’s Work” aired.

Ron Perlman is likely the most versatile actor of our time – known for such roles as Vincent on TV’s Beauty and the Beast, Hellboy, and One in City of Lost Children. Perhaps his most iconic and memorable role was Clay Morrow on the popular FX series Sons of Anarchy.

Sons of Anarchy ran from September 3, 2008 to December 9, 2014 and featured a motorcycle club in fictional Charming, California. A slice-of-life drama, SOA took on the subject matter much like a low-rent Sopranos, like Ozark, with a lower body count, like Mad Men, minus the mid-century architecture and decor (ok, I’ll stop). The point is, we tuned in week after week to keep up with SAMCRO, the guys, their wives, and their crimes.

A particular intense turning point in the series’ timeline was the hiatus between the fourth and fifth seasons. That’s not to say that every season didn’t end with a cliff-hanger, but the way season 4 ended was such a banger that series creator and executive producer Kurt Sutter suggested that the finale “may feel like a series-ender.” So it’s safe to say that it is worth recalling at this time, when we have Transformers: Rise of the Beasts premiering today, starring the eloquent, statuesque, infinitely quotable Ron Perlman as Optimus Primal, leader of the Maximals. Let’s revisit this interview with TVGuide from 2011 when Perlman had a 20-minute gap in an otherwise illustrious career.

When asked about the state of SAMCRO and Clay’s relationship with Piney, Perlman did not mince words.

“Clay is the president. What he says ultimately goes…. If some guy tells me I’m taking you out, how does he expect me to let him live? He’s got to know that there’s going to be some pushback.

Is Clay happy that Piney has put him in this situation? No. These are two guys who have a real history together, but they parted ways philosophically long ago. And it just gets to the point of: Clay can’t afford to have him around. He’s backed into a corner, and he’s at his most dangerous. You back a big cat into a corner and somebody is going to get bloody.”

One of the big plot points of season 4 was to expose just how far Clay was willing to go to avoid having Jax (Charlie Hunnam) find out that Clay had killed his father, John. Understandably, as this would wedge an even bigger gap in an already tenuous relationship. They also have Potter and Roosevelt closing in on them, which doesn’t bode well with Clay and the guys in the club.

Jax’s experience in prison has him ready to settle down and leave this lifestyle of uncertainty and danger, while Tara (Maggie Siff) grapples over what to do with the explosive information she’s sitting on and Gemma (Katey Sagal) learns that John knew of her and Clay’s plans to kill him.

Going into season 5, powerful Oakland kingpin Damon Pope (Harold Perrineau) has a score to settle with the club after the death of his daughter, Veronica Pope (Natascha Hopkins) – a very real threat the extent of which only becomes clear when the Sons find themselves imprisoned once again.

During the third season of SOA, some 4.9 million viewers were tuning in weekly to the series. The season 4 and 5 premieres were the two highest-rated episodes of any show in FX’s history.

The murder of Clay in season 6 didn’t ultimately solve any problems, and Jax followed in his footsteps in spite of himself.

One of the grittier dramas to ever grace television, the series finale wrapped everything up nicely, and we can only hope the rehabilitated Wendy gets far enough away and that Abel and Thomas can have a fresh start and a hope for a life lived outside of organized crime.

Perlman’s Clay was caring and loving with his “brothers” and loved ones by fits and starts, and his contribution to the series set the tone for a disconcerting and foreboding story, played out with the brutality of a biblical parable. Perlman brought honesty to the character and believability, a level of finesse only possible when an actor completely commits. Clay saw himself as a leader, but also a victim of circumstance. He ended at the right time, moving forward with his character after all the destruction he’d caused would have been misery porn, a confection for masochists.

You can watch Sons of Anarchy in its entirety right now on Hulu, and Transformers: Rise of the Beasts is in theaters as of today.

As is the case at the beginning of each month, many film and television titles are leaving streaming platforms on January 1, with new additions being added. Some of the fan favorites being removed from Netflix are making fans quite emotional, like the Twilight movies, The Shannara Chronicles, and the ever-wonderful Great British Baking Show.

In addition, 20th Century shows like Family Guy and Suits are leaving Netflix in many international markets. While some regions have already lost the listed shows, some have held on to them over the last couple of years. What’s On Netflix shared lists of what episodic efforts will be removed from Netflix next month.

The Tweet shared above gives fans a preview of what’s leaving Netflix, and in some regions the shows have already been pulled from Netflix and gone on to new homes. Here are the titles leaving in several global areas as reported by What’s On Netflix.

• American Horror Story: Cult is leaving Netflix in several Asian regions, with previous seasons having already been pulled.
• Family Guy is leaving Netflix in the remaining regions where it still airs.
• Grey’s Anatomy is leaving Netflix in many Asian and Latin American regions tomorrow.
• Homeland is leaving Netflix in many regions.
• How I Met Your Mother is leaving Netflix globally.
• Modern Family is leaving Netflix globally.
• New Girl is leaving Netflix everywhere but the US — for now.
• Prison Break is also leaving Netflix on a global scale.
• Sons of Anarchy will also be leaving Netflix in all regions.

So where can you watch those beloved shows now? As What’s On Netflix reports, Disney Plus expanded its catalog to include the beloved favorites leaving Netflix, and you can view them on the platform via Star. You’ll also find shows there that weren’t on Netflix to begin with.

In addition to the shows listed above, several films are leaving the platform on January 1, so if you’re planning on a quiet New Year’s Eve at home — you may want to do some last-minute binge watches.

If you’re wondering why FX has been particularly quiet about its Sons of Anarchy spinoff, Mayans MC, Variety has revealed the somewhat troubling news that the network now plans to completely reshoot and partially recast its Latino-centric pilot. Little is known about which actors FX plans to replace, but considering that Mayans MC is set to undergo major reshoots, we imagine this shake-up will be fairly extensive. Prior to Variety’s scoop, the spinoff pilot had cast JD Pardo as Ezekiel “EZ” Reyes, Edward James Olmos as EZ’s father Felipe, and Richard Cabral as Johnny “El Coco” Cruz – three key players of the Sons of Anarchy follow-up, so we assume their places aboard Mayans MC are relatively safe. MC will only be partially recast, , so it’s more likely that FX will choose to overhaul the roster of ing players, one which previously featured Jacqueline Obradors, John Ortiz, Antonio Jaramillo, Clayton Cardenas, Sarah Bolger, Emilio Rivera, and Raymond Cruz. Behind the scenes, series creator Kurt Sutter has now stepped down as pilot director to focus on the script, and will instead hand over the torch to Norberto Barba, who comes on board as executive producer and director. Here’s a reminder of what Mayans MC is all about:

Set in the aftermath of Jax Teller’s death at the end of SOA’s seven-season run in 2014, Mayans MC will focus on the struggles of Ezekiel “EZ” Reyes, a prospect in the Mayan MC charter on the California/Mexico border. EZ is the gifted son of a proud Latino family, whose American dream was snuffed out by cartel violence. Now, his need for vengeance drives him toward a life he never intended and can never escape.

Exactly how this will affect Mayans MC moving forward remains to be seen; at the very least, it would appear that FX’s spinoff was in desperate need of a tune-up. The Sons of Anarchy franchise will still continue, of course, but expect its Latino-centric offshoot to spend a little more time in the oven.

Casting on FX’s Mayans MC pilot is really beginning to heat up, what with Edward James Olmos, John Ortiz, Antonio Jaramillo, Clayton Cardenas and American Crime standout Richard Cabral all on board to star. A spinoff to the Sons of Anarchy saga – it takes place soon after that heart-wrenching season 7 finale, nixing rumors that FX was actually rustling up a prequel – and we now have word that Mayans MC has located its female lead: Irish actress Sarah Bolger. Deadline has the scoop, confirming that the Into the Badlands star has landed the role of Emily, the “beautiful ‘guera’ [Mexican slang for ‘white girl’, or ‘light-haired girl’] next door and childhood sweetheart of EZ. But when Romeo departed, this Juliet didn’t unsheathe the dagger; she traded it in for diamond studs and a mansion on the hill.” Bolger has signed on just in time, too, given production is expected to commence in the coming weeks. Should FX order Mayans MC to series, the Kurt Sutter and Elgin James will likely screech onto the small screen sometime this fall, but we’re still awaiting confirmation on that front. Here’s the show’s official logline:

Set in the aftermath of Jax Teller’s death at the end of SOA’s seven-season run in 2014, Mayans MC will focus on the struggles of Ezekiel “EZ” Reyes, a prospect in the Mayan MC charter on the California/Mexico border. EZ is the gifted son of a proud Latino family, whose American dream was snuffed out by cartel violence. Now, his need for vengeance drives him toward a life he never intended and can never escape.

Also known for her performances across Once Upon A Time and The Tudors, Sarah Bolger is an exciting addition to the Mayans MC cast, and will no doubt bring a sense of nuance to Sutter’s ensemble.

From the courtrooms to the vast open roads, American Crime standout Richard Cabral has saddled up for Mayans MC, the Sons of Anarchy spinoff pilot incubating over at FX. Per Deadline, Cabral is now set to star opposite Edward James Olmos, who climbed on board early last month to play a burnt out Mexican patriarch named Felipe Reyes. Other cast on board for the Latino-centric offshoot include John Ortiz, Antonio Jaramillo and Clayton Cardenas. In of Cabral, the actor has signed on to play Johnny “El Coco” Cruz, a “full patch member of Mayans MC, Santo Padre. Former Army sharpshooter and weapons specialist, Johnny earned a section 8 for shooting a cigar out of his CO’s mouth from a half-mile away…while he was stoned.” It’s a fairly meaty role for Richard Cabral to sink his teeth into, and after impressing across the first two seasons of ABC’s American Crime anthology series, we’re excited to see how the actor takes to such a dramatic change of scenery and tone. Also of note is the updated synopsis that was released alongside Cabral’s casting, which outlines Mayans MC as so:

Set in the aftermath of Jax Teller’s death at the end of SOA’s seven-season run in 2014, Mayans MC will focus on the struggles of Ezekiel “EZ” Reyes, a prospect in the Mayan MC charter on the California/Mexico border. EZ is the gifted son of a proud Latino family, whose American dream was snuffed out by cartel violence. Now, his need for vengeance drives him toward a life he never intended and can never escape.

FX’s Mayans MC pilot will lens sometime this month in Los Angeles when SOA creator Kurt Sutter will be calling the shots from behind the lens. Should the spinoff be ordered to series, it’ll likely race onto FX sometime this fall. American Crime, meanwhile, returns for another season of brooding drama on March 12th.

FX and Kurt Sutter’s drama pilot Mayans MC, a Latino-centric spinoff set within the Sons of Anarchy universe, has located its first star: Edward James Olmos. Per Deadline, James Olmos has come on board to play the part of Felipe Reyes, a former Mexican patriarch who is now a shadow of his former self. Aiming to keep his life – and more importantly, his son – on the straight and narrow, Mayans MC will chronicle Reyes’ day-to-day struggles as he tries to stay on the right side of the law. And if the core SOA saga is any indication, such an endeavor will be much more difficult than it seems. Co-created by Sutter and writing partner Elgin James (Little Birds), Mayans MC will largely revolve around EZ Reyes, a young prospect of the Mayan Motorcycle Club, based on the border between California and Mexico. Plotting vengeance against the cartel, FX is still searching for their EZ Reyes. However, if the casting of Edward James Olmos is anything to go by, the network has surely drafted up a potential shortlist of candidates. Mayans MC is expected to lens next month, though there’s currently no mention of when Sutter and Elgin James’ offshoot will race onto the small screen. Nevertheless, we fully expect Edward James Olmos to be the first of many casting additions to FX’s planned spinoff. The big question now is, of course, whether the network will commit to a full series order. Sons of Anarchy was a trailblazer for FX and a bona fide ratings juggernaut, but at the very least, Mayans MC is off to a strong start what with Kurt Sutter, Elgin James and now James Olmos all on board.

More than a year after the offshoot was first teased, FX has today handed out a pilot order to Mayans MC, the Latino-centric spinoff rooted in the Sons of Anarchy universe. Billed as an exciting new chapter in the SOA saga, Variety reports that plans are in place for the pilot to begin filming in March, when series stalwart Kurt Sutter will direct. An early advocate of the continuation, it’s understood Sutter will work from a script he himself penned with Elgin James, a scribe hand-picked for Mayans MC not only because of his success with Little Birds, but also because Sutter wanted to locate a strong, Latino voice to properly capture the spirit and legacy of the Mayans Motorcycle Club. It’ll also take place in a post-Jax Teller world, thereby ruling out any form of cameo from Charlie Hunnam, focusing instead on EZ Reyes, a “prospect in the Mayan MC charter on the Cali/Mexi border, struggles with his desire for vengeance against the cartel, and his need for respect from the women he loves.” At the time of going to press, FX is yet to commit to a full-season order for Mayans MC, but early signs are promising. Don’t forget that Sons of Anarchy was the network’s highest-rated drama more often than not, which is impressive in and of itself given its crowded 10pm slot. Of course, it leaves big boots to fill, so can the MMC rule the roost now that the SOA have effectively retired? Time will tell. They were recurring characters all throughout Sony of Anarchy‘s 7-season run and now, the Mayans MC are almost ready to take center stage. We’ll be keeping tabs on FX’s budding spinoff as March draws near, so stay tuned more.

Nothing comes before familia, or so says the latest Instagram post from Sons of Anarchy creator Kurt Sutter. Sutter, who continues to drop hints for the spinoff series Mayans MC, took to the social platform to unveil a photo of the new motorcycle club, though the writer-director stopped short of divulging any specifics – there’s still no mention of a premiere window, for instance. The wheels have spun into motion, though, after Sutter hand-picked up-and-coming writer Elgin James (Little Birds) to help flesh out this “dark, visceral” family drama, one that’s poised to distance itself from SOA by telling life “through a Latino lens.” It’s been a long time coming, too, and Kurt Sutter has been fostering Mayans MC for the better part of three years. But by recruiting James, the franchise creator “wanted to find a strong, unique Latino voice. Because I didn’t think a white guy from Jersey should be writing about Latin culture and traditions. Elgin is that voice.” Here’s the latest status report, via Instagram:

Nothing comes before familia. #MayansMC Repost @mayansmc_onfx

A photo posted by Kurt Sutter (@sutterink) on Nov 3, 2016 at 9:58am PDT

Kurt Sutter continues to fan the flames of his Sons of Anarchy spinoff, though there’s no mention of when the offshoot will grace FX Networks. Fans have waited for the Mayans MC with bated breath, and that anticipation has only grown steadily since the main show bowed out in 2014. We’ll be keeping tabs on this one as it develops, and it’s likely that FX will announce something official – be that casting news or an official premiere date – early next year.

After seven gripping seasons on the small-screen, viewers bid farewell to the Sons of Anarchy Motorcycle Club two years ago, as FX closed the book on its rip-roaring family drama with aplomb. In those intervening years, mooted reports of a sequel or some form of spinoff began to gain serious traction, with fans chomping at the bit to learn any potential details regarding setting, characters and perhaps most important of all, which biker gang would anchor said continuation. Answering most of those questions today, FX has officially nailed down plans for Mayans MC, a SOA offshoot billed as a “dark, visceral family drama that takes a new look at the most American of icons, the 1% outlaw, this time, reflected through a Latino lens.” Series creator Kurt Sutter, who nurtured Mayans MC during its formative years in development, has also handpicked up-and-coming writer Elgin James, best known for 2012’s indie drama Little Birds. When quizzed about his decision to have James script the new, Latino-centric show, Sutter revealed that he “wanted to find a strong, unique Latino voice. Because I didn’t think a white guy from Jersey should be writing about Latin culture and traditions. Elgin is that voice.” So far, so promising. FX didn’t disclose when exactly the Mayans MC would be racing on to the small-screen, though we imagine it won’t be until early 2017 as the network begins pulling together a creative team and, eventually, a core cast. Alas, as it turns out, Sons of Anarchy stalwart Charlie Hunnam may not be part of that ensemble after all.

News that FX and series showrunner Kurt Sutter were cooking up a Mayan-centric Sons of Anarchy spinoff first surfaced late last year, at a time when Charlie Hunnam’s Jax Teller was all but locked to appear. But as the offshoot has progressed in development, it would appear that Hunnam’s role is no longer a sure thing. Word comes by way of the International Business Times, revealing that Sutter’s planned spinoff is angled as a prequel series that will purportedly take place long before Jax Teller prowled the streets in his own biker gang. Instead, the showrunner’s new series – a “dark and beautiful” project that “just got one step closer” – places the Mayans MC front and center, exploring their longstanding feud with SAMCRO. Led by Marcus Alvarez (Emilio Rivera), those unfamiliar with the original series should know that the Mayans became a fixture of Sons of Anarchy, as the two gangs sparked a power struggle over the San Joaquin Valley. But Sutter will be changing gears for the spinoff, gunning for a unique “tone, pace and storytelling” that is primed to focus on the biker gang culture through a Latino lens. Such a setup would make it nigh on impossible to integrate a Jax Teller cameo organically, though until either Kurt Sutter or FX officially rule out the possibility, ardent fans of the series will retain a flicker of hope that Charlie Hunnam will don that iconic leather jacket once again. Tell us, what do you make of Hunnam’s chances of appearing in the planned Sons of Anarchy spinoff?

Late last month, we brought you the news that FX was taking a similar route to AMC’s strategy with Breaking Bad and creating a spinoff to its adorned Sons of Anarchy series, focusing on longstanding SAMCRO rivals, the Mayans. It’s fair to say that a portion of the show’s loyal fanbase were apprehensive about the offshoot, though with series creator Kurt Sutter firmly on board, the showrunner is looking to dispel any lingering doubts about the nascent spinoff. In fact, while promoting his new series The Bastard Executioner with Deadline, Sutter hinted that the Mayan companion show could welcome iconic Sons of Anarchy characters back to the fray. According to Sutter, the tone of FX’s project would be overly familiar to fans of the biker series, as it would focus on the same subculture. Indeed, by remaining in familiar territory, the SoA offshoot could incorporate various crossovers – like Jonathan Banks’ Mike Ehrmantraut in Better Call Saul, for instance.

“It’s the same [biker] subculture, but it’d be interesting to see the influences of [Hispanic] culture and how it impacts the subculture we already understand,” Sutter said. “I would do a contemporary piece, not a prequel, and place it far enough away from Northern California that it wouldn’t step on the mythology that’s already been told. It doesn’t mean that there couldn’t be some cool, ironic crossovers with familiar characters as the series progressed. I wouldn’t want to set it too close to the world we already know, and step on that … My intent is, over the hiatus I’ll initiate a script for the pilot and take it from there.”

While this Sons of Anarchy spinoff is naturally taking precedent for Sutter, the showrunner didn’t rule out the possibility of one day spearheading a prequel series, exploring the origins of SAMCRO in the fallout of the Vietnam War.