The Sons of Anarchy first aired in 2008 and soon reached cultural status. It is one of those series where, even if you do not feel like you'll enjoy it and think that it is not your vibe, in all likelihood, you will like it. Developed by Kurt Sutter and running for seven seasons, we would say it is one of the greatest series ever made.
About Sons of Anarchy
Sons of Anarchy became an enigma on FX (American pay television channel) as its fans imbibed and grew to love the lives of the SAMCRO (Sons of Anarchy Motorcycle Club, Redwood Original). Spanning seven seasons and 92 episodes, Jax Teller, played by Charlie Hunnam, focused the story around himself and the other members of the gang, including Katey Sagal, Ron Perlman, and Kim Coates, as he navigated the themes of family and loyalty in an outlaw biker gang lifestyle.
The early seasons had a relatively small audience, but by the sixth season, the viewership increased to over 7.9 million.
The expansion of viewers was partly due to streaming apps like Hulu and Netflix, giving more audiences the chance to watch.
Influence on Fashion and Clothing
Sons of Anarchy had a massive impact on fashion, seemingly making biker-style clothing fashionable.
Think leather jackets, denim, and boots - everyone went crazy for it. Biker-themed clothing like club jackets, chain wallets, and rough boots became fashionable even among people who didn't care about bikes or the show.
The SAMCRO skull logo has since found its way into everything from t-shirts to caps, popular with fans who still want to identify with some aspects of the show.
Tattoos were also popular. People went crazy for a tattoo with symbols and iconography of SAMCRO.
Influence on iGaming, Gaming, and Collectibles
Sons of Anarchy soon became popular in iGaming, gaming, and collectibles.
The Sons of Anarchy slot machine game is still one people love to play years after the series ended. Win with the Cluster Power Feature, where a cluster is a group of matching symbols connected horizontally or vertically.
For collectibles, an entire line of merchandise has been produced from the show, starting from action figures and model bikes to patches similar to the ones worn by SAMCRO.
And in gaming, even though there hasn't been an official appearance of the Sons of Anarchy game officially; we can say there are numerous Sons of Anarchy-style themes in games like Days Gone, which feature more brotherhood and survival themes similar to the show.
Cultural Impact on Motorcycle and Biker Communities
You can't deny it didn't create an appeal towards biker culture. Watch the series and tell us it didn't make you want to at least know someone in one. You can really see the action and impact on an outlaw, grittier club side without crossing the lines.
This clash of the two worlds became of great interest to the viewers and resulted in increased exposure and interest in motorcycle clubs and bikers in different places across the globe. Many fans became curious about motoring communities and even some began joining local motorcycle clubs.
But Sons of Anarchy also started a new wave of debates within the biker culture itself. While some applauded the show for its realism, others blasted it for promoting violence and crime.
Lasting Legacy and Influence on TV and Storytelling
Sons of Anarchy is a lasting legacy.
The layers of character development, emotional weight, and moral complexity pushed boundaries and resulted in audiences being engaged, fueling more networks and their appetite for stories based on anarchic, troubled characters.
Aside from influencing its viewers, Sons of Anarchy has become a part of television history. It was able to create action-packed drama relating to unconventional "heroes" with a steady following and fanbase, even now. The popularity of Sons of Anarchy has laid the path for series such as Mayans MC, which is a spinoff that delves into the life of an enemy motorcycle club.
Sons of Anarchy has made an impact in different spheres of culture in the world. The series captivated the imaginations of millions of people around the world and even today gets praised for the plot and the great characters it had. With fans watching the show over and over or watching Mayans MC, the life of SAMCRO never dies.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Olivia Poglianich
Content Strategist
Olivia Poglianich is a nomadic brand strategist and copywriter in the motorcycling and adventure space who has worked with brands such as Visa, Disney and Grey Goose. Her writing has taken her all over the world, from a Serbian music festival to a Malaysian art and culture event. Olivia is a graduate of Cornell University and is often writing or reading about travel, hospitality, the start-up ecosystem or career coaching. Her latest interests are at the intersection of web3 and communal living, both on and offline.
