How Does Sutter Do That?

    I have always known the power of television. Yet, never have I known the power of television in the sense I had discovered most recently through - WAIT FOR IT - Sons of Anarchy. Last night, they killed one of the main characters. And though I hated this man with all my might, it was weirdly heartbreaking. HOW DO THEY DO THAT? My whole twitter blew up like it does every week. People are way too passionate about this show, myself included, with their Team Tara/Team Gemma nonsense, (TEAM GEMMA!) the amount of time they spend really truly hating a character, the amount of time they spend mourning over a character, (RIP Opie) and talking about the show in every day life like all these people and story lines are real. I do all of these things and I'm glad to say, I'm not alone.

    I went to Asbury Park last week for the Sons for Sandy event. Theo Rossi, Kim Coates, Katey Sagal, and the genius himself, Kurt Sutter were there. I could not at all believe the people that showed up. There were people of all ages from all over who came to see them. There was a lady in line behind me with her oxygen tank. They did a question and answer session, and this older couple got in line to ask Kurt a question. It was like my Nana and Grandpa or Noni and Grandpa getting in line to ask Kurt Sutter a question. I was mind blown - as Sutter often leaves you. 

    They showed up the next episode before it aired and I wish I could watch it with 2,000 other fans every week. People yelling and cheering and CRAZINESS. Yelling at the people they wanted dead, yelling for the people they love, laughing at the Nero/Unser dynamic. It was awesome. So then, watching that episode on Tuesday in my living room felt empty. The episode didn't have the magic it did when I watched it with all the other SOA fans. They're all nuts. So am I. How great is that.

                                                    Sorry, iPhone pictures suck

     I spend my week on my twitter timeline with my SOA friends trying to figure out what the heck is going to happen next. Where is Sutter going to take it? And when we think we've come up with this great idea - he goes a whole different direction. Every week, we are shocked. ESPECIALLY last night. That look through the blinds was like a bullet to my heart. 

      You become so invested in every character. It's hard to see them go. And then it's even harder to remind yourself - hey, this isn't actually real life. I'm one of those irrational people Kurt was talking about because Gemma is my favorite character - she's so cold and evil but I love her, she's a queen - and if she dies (which is Sutter sticks to the Hamlet arc, will happen) I will be a wreck. I'll probably have to take some time off from my life to re-cooperate. But, really, think about it. How cool is that? Someone is just writing this fictional story and people treat it like it's real life.  That is just amazing to me. HOW DOES SUTTER DO THAT? It's incredible. It's incredible storytelling - and directing and acting and editing. But the story comes first. Props, Kurt.