Mike Daniels

One of the more interesting discussions that’s been going on between TV critics this year – now that Breaking Bad has finished and Mad Men is slowly on its way out – has revolved around darkness of tone and how unrelenting it can be in a series to the point where it’s a problem. We’ve seen plenty of new, dark shows carve a niche for themselves without being too oppressive with their content. Sons of Anarchy, though, is one of those shows in which I often feel like I’m being pounded in the face with pessimism.

With TV series that are as relentlessly dark as Sons of Anarchy, an episode like “Salvage” should feel out of place and awkward. It’s not that it’s happy or anything (there’s still plenty of fighting and scheming going on); but this episode isn’t oppressive. And a lot of series really beat you over the head with that oppressiveness until it feels like there’s little point in sticking around if there’s no enjoyment in it. If “Salvage” is out of place, though, it’s anything else but awkward. Completely immersed in a mythology of brotherhood, “Salvage” brings Sons of Anarchy back to its foundational concerns: how does this family overcome its obstacles? Specifically, how does it overcome its obstacles as a family.