Running for a total of seven seasons, Sons of Anarchy captivated audiences far and wide with its intriguing motorcycle gang concept, brutal action sequences and easily-relatable characters. Charlie Hunnam and Katey Segal received high acclaim for their roles as Jax Teller and Gemma Teller Morrow respectively, while the series is still syndicated on numerous media outlets including Netflix.
Due to its widespread commercial success, the spinoff series Mayans M.C. was created, with its pilot episode airing in September 2018. While facing a steep hill to climb in order to top the success of its predecessor, there are a few aspects in which this thrilling spinoff has arguably surpassed the original series.
8. Faster Paced Story From The Get-Go
Due to Sons of Anarchy taking some time at first to introduce viewers to Jaxx Teller and the issues facing his family, such as his prematurely-born son and his troublesome ex-wife, the series missed out on the opportunity to fully immerse audience members into the world of underground Motorcycle Clubs from the start. For this reason, the series took a couple of episodes to really take off and develop a following.
Mayans M.C. did well to avoid repeating this mistake, by immediately zoning in on the activities of the motorcycle club and dynamics between crew members, rather than focusing on too many family issues that detract from the action of the main story. Not to mention that protagonist EZ does not seem to have the same "familial baggage" weighing him down as Jaxx Teller did in the predecessor.
7. The Plot Is Easier To Grasp
Sons of Anarchy started off with a somewhat complicated series of intertwining plots. Initially beginning with Mayans M.C, the rivals of SAMCRO, stealing from and destroying Teller and Co's firearms warehouse, this plot line is stopped in it's tracks as focus is switched to the relationship between Jaxx and Gemma, Jaxx's ex-wife Wendy and her Methamphetamine addiction, and an emergency C-Section that had to be performed on her to attempt to save the life of their unborn son. This left viewers with a lot to take in within a short time period.
Mayans does well to save much of the family drama for later, and ensures that viewers are afforded sufficient time to understand the role that EZ plays within the Mayans, the characters of his brother and father, and some thrilling action sequences involving the rival Samoan gang that Sons somewhat initially lacked.
6. Effective Flashback Scenes
Throughout the first season, audience members were treated to immersive flashbacks from EZ's past which were triggered by current events that were reflective of them. This includes the time he punched the police officer at the casino and when he drove past his old high school in the first episode and reminisced on his relationship with Emily Thomas.
Not only do such flashbacks heighten viewers' enthusiasm for uncovering more secrets about EZ's past, but they also revive elements of the original series that are still cherished by veteran Sons of Anarchy fans, such as the time when Gemma Teller Morrow had a cameo sitting in the same prison where Emily came to visit EZ.
5. EZ's Talent
While there were plenty of strong character traits possessed by Jax Teller, none are quite as unique as EZ's remarkable photographic memory. He first showcased this talent by remembering the tattoo on the wrist of a hijacker of an important shipment, thus identifying him as a member of the rival Samoan gang. From this moment on, he has utilised this gift throughout the series as a means of solving numerous problems for the Mayans.
His brother Angel explained to the crew that EZ has made use of this ability his whole life, and while there are numerous skills that can easily be replicated by others, this is a unique trait that proves EZ to be an irreplaceable member of the squad.
4. Focus On Each Subplot Is Better Proportioned
While Jax's story on Sons of Anarchy was certainly concise from beginning to end, it proved inconsistent in terms of the amount of action that viewers were used to seeing in each episode. While some episodes were action-packed, with tons of bloody violence, heated negotiations and family feuds, others seemed to be a lot slower paced, resulting in a breakdown in momentum at times.
In each episode of Mayans M.C., however, it feels as if each episode spends the required amount of time on each aspect of storytelling, with the motorcycle club's activities taking centre stage while EZ's past and personal life and the stories of supporting characters receive attention when its due, making for a well fleshed-out but fast paced journey.
3. Supporting Characters Share The Limelight
In Sons of Anarchy, SAMCRO members such as Tig, Chibs, Juice Ortiz and Bobby Munson seem to spend most of their days in the background, with little time being spent on their character development. This is not to say that these characters did not receive their chance in the spotlight, but rather that this time was rather limited.
In Mayans M.C., more effort is dedicated to showcasing the stories of supporting characters, for example, the difficulties faced by EZ's father Felipe during his life as a widower, Emily's heartbreak over the abduction of her son, and Angel's romantic interest in Adelita.
2. An Easier World To Understand
The Mayans universe is introduced in a way that is easy for all viewers to understand, regardless of whether or not they watched its predecessor. When characters such as Marcus Alvarez, who previously appeared on Sons of Anarchy, make their return in Mayans, audience members are reintroduced to them so that even those who never saw Sons of Anarchy can understand the role they play in what is otherwise a complicated world.
The Mayans shipment protection mission that went array in the pilot episode did well to exhibit the dangerous nature of their work, while the intensity of their business dealings with Miguel Galindo was established early on in the series.
1. EZ's Story Feels More Complete Than Jax's
When we first met Jaxx, he was divorced with a kid on the way and already the Vice President of SAMCRO, in addition to most of his relationships with fellow cub members having already been fully formed. This meant that a lot of character growth had been missed out on, as viewers never really got to experience what life was like for Pax before he made a name for himself.
EZ, on the other hand, is a new prospect in the Mayans ranks, who was recently released from prison. While there are still aspects of his history that audience members have yet to learn, he is still at the beginning of his career in the Mayans M.C., meaning that viewers will have the opportunity to witness his journey of personal growth.