TV Watch: Sons of Anarchy

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Charlie Hunnam, Katie Sagal, Ron Perlman star in "Sons of Anarchy" on FX

The best gang show on television this side of 'The Sopranos' has just concluded it's 2nd full season, and fans of this emerging masterpiece will be happy to learn that 'Sons of Anarchy' has just been renewed for a full third season that will begin airing in September 2010.

For the uninitiated, the show centers on the activities of a biker gang, also known as an outlaw motorcycle club (MC) called the 'Sons of Anarchy' which alternately is known by the nickname 'Samcro' or 'Sam Crow', a moniker loosely based on an anacronym for the official full name of the 'Sons of Anarchy Motorcycle Club, Redwood Original' charter.

The show airs on the 'FX' network with in-season first run episodes coming on Tuesday nights at 10pm. Prior episodes are available through the Comcast OnDemand service in the TV Entertainment section.

'Sons' centers largely around both the MC and family activities of three main characters. Charlie Hannum is a revelation as Jackson 'Jax' Teller, a young Vice-President of the MC and the son of deceased club founder John Teller.

Katey Sagal plays Jax' mother, Gemma Teller Morrow, the matriarch of the family and the MC. Widow of the founder, she is now married to the new President of the MC. That character is Clarence 'Clay' Morrow, played by veteran actor Ron Perlman.

TV Watch: Brotherhood

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Jason Patrick (L) plays 'Tommy Caffee' in Showtime's drama "Brotherhood"

The bad boys of Boston are back for a 2nd season on the Showtime cable network. 'Brotherhood' is all about Irish-American family life, politics, and organized crime, and is set in the modern day in Boston, Mass.

It is the story of two brothers, Tommy and Michael Caffee, one supposedly a 'good guy' and one the proverbial 'bad boy', but sometimes it becomes hard to tell which is which.

The actors who portray these characters are asked to carry the load for the show, and they do it incredibly well. Tommy is played by Jason Clarke. He is a billed as an old-school ward politician who lives by the credo 'loyalty = votes, votes = power'. Tommy will do anything for his family and his constituents, as well as to further his own career, and is extremely loyal on the home front.

Michael is played by Jason Isaacs. The show began last year with his return after seven years from an Irish mob-imposed exile. He quickly exhibits what are billed as 'bull in the china shop' ways of operating in trying to re-establish his mob affiliations and power.

Needless to say, having a criminal like Michael as a brother is never a good thing for an ambitious politician like Tommy, and it causes frequent friction between the brothers.

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things

This website/blog. Fantasy baseball. Fleetwood Mac (pictured). 

Pizza. Citizen's Bank Park. The Godfather I & II. 

My 1994 Toyota Camry. The O'Reilly Factor. 

Cable TV series from HBO and Showtime, such as The Sopranos. 

Dinner and a movie with my wife, the Debber. 

The Eagles (both the Philadelphia pro football team and the singing group). 

Books on important topics by conservative authors. The Washington Times and Town Hall websites. 

Veal parmigiana with a side of pasta. A cherry gelati with vanilla ice cream from Rita's.

The sound of Harry Kalas broadcasting a Phillies game on a warm summer evening. The Big Five.

My pillow.

The columns and/or talk radio programs of Ann Coulter, Sean Hannity, Michelle Malkin, Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck. 

Seinfeld. My cellphone. St. Lucia. 70's rock and pop music. 

And of course, spending time with my wife Debbie, daughters Christine, Kelly and Melissa, and granddaughter Elysia. 

A slice of pizza from Sam's on the Wildwood NJ boardwalk. My golden retriever Petey. God and country. Jellybeans and salt water taffey. Coca-Cola. 

These are just a few of my favorite things. Pretty eclectic, huh?