The final season of FX’s Sons of Anarchy is almost officially half over, and series creator Kurt Sutter enlisted executive producer (and principal director) Paris Barclay to helm tonight’s episode, “Greensleeves.”

Barclay, who last directed the season seven premiere, “Black Widower,” should brings some depth after last week’s so-so episode. Of course, “Smoke ’em if You Got ’em” served as a primer for the #FinalRide with Juice (Theo Rossi) being handed back over to SAMCRO after approaching the Mayans with an escape plan to Mexico. Since Juice has no problem robbing stores and knocking clerks unconscious, why didn’t he just split and find a way to get some cash?! The ultimate judgement now belongs to Jax Teller (Charlie Hunnam), which is the way it had to be, but I didn’t quite get why Juice would run to someone like Alvarez (Emilio Rivera) — one who lives and dies by the sword. Omertà, Juice, omertà! #TheFinalJuice

How cool was it to see Malcolm-Jamal Warner AND Michael Beach in the same episode of SOA? It’s nice to see Jax defending his friends, but the fist-fight with the white supremacists was a bit West Side Story. The scene lost its edge and took away from the overall message. We, as viewers, don’t necessarily need to hear Jax spouting “Maybe I’m just a white guy not living in 1956” to understand the point. A simple punch to the face would have been more powerful and props to Jax for contemplating the idea of adding African-Americans to SAMCRO.

Gertie! Gertie? Seriously, though, what’s the deal with Lea Michele’s Gertie? I don’t understand the point of her character unless she decides to suit up with SAMCRO and blast away for the #FinalRide. Or maybe Gemma will entrust her with something before leaving in a blaze of glory? Gertie MUST have some connection to the series finale — I’m just not sure what it is.

Although I enjoy the occasional set-up episode, “Smoke ’em if You Got ’em” felt disconnected. It was a frail bridge to the promised land. For example, what happened with Gemma and Juice from the previous episode? Did they make some kind of deal that will be addressed later? And why would Gemma freak out when Nero (Jimmy Smits) mentioned that SAMCRO has Juice? It was an excellent moment, but Gemma showed her cards instantly. Nero knows all. Something like that won’t go unnoticed nor will he sweep it under the rug. With that being said, I think Gemma may be the first of the main characters to get taken before the series finale.

Tonight should be explosive, but I hope Kurt Sutter can finalize the Juice storyline and focus on the dynamic between Jax, Juice and Nero.

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