Why did HBO passed on the sons of anarchy

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If you were asking which brand reigns supreme in Prestige TV, most would say HBO. “The Sopranos” and the “The Wire” are highlights that television dramas have been persecuting for the past two decades. HBO award is not available, though. The network has rejected several shows that went on to be huge successes elsewhere. One of the shows rejected by HBO was “Breaking Bad,” which is generally listed alongside “sopranos” and “the wire” as the third goal in the Triptych “TV masterpiece”.

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Another was the series that became “the sons of anarchy.” Created by Kurt Sutter, the series is basically “Hamlet” re -reported with the Hells Angels. Jackson “Jax” Teller (Charlie Hunnam) is a member of the sons of Anarchy, a motorcycle club in northern California that makes his money run guns. The club was founded by Jax’s late father, John, but these days are led by his stepfather, Clay Morrow (Ron Perlman). Jax discovers his father’s journals, realizing that Teller Sr. Want the sons to be forbidden but not criminals, and barrels are heads with clay when trying to reform the club.

Running for seven seasons, “Sons of Anarchy” was a constant score hit for FX. After the wrapping series in 2014, FX Greenlit is a new series by Sutter (the short -lived historical drama of “The Bastard Executioner”) and the outcome of “Sons”, “Mayans MC” but all that success could have been HBO’s.

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Sutter and executive producer John Linson were originally attacked The show for HBO, then called “Forever Sam Crow.” (“Sam Crow” is a name in the universe on the motorcycle club, derived from the sons of Anarchy Motorcycle Club, Redwood Originals, or Samcro.) But unfortunately, HBO had one too much cyclist drama at the time.

When Sutter and Linson HBO installed, the network was already developing a cyclist series by screenwriter Michael Tolkin (writer “The Player” and “Changing Lanes.”) Tolkin’s pitch was “1%,” inspired by Autobiography of the founder of Hells Angels Sonny Barger. Developed with Barger, the series would follow a fictional motorcycle club, The Death Riders, in Arizona. The series was led by Donal Logue, playing a cyclist called Misfit.

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HBO obviously decided they couldn’t put out two Competitive cyclist plays at the same time. Compare how years later, HBO turned down “Yellowjackets” Because they think the teenage drama elements of the series are too close to “Euphoria.”

If you’ve never heard of “1%”, there’s a good reason: the show didn’t go to series. Before the pilot broadcast, the series had already got into trouble when Barger HBO, Tolkin, and production company The White Mountain Company sued. Barger claimed he was cut out of the production and was not properly credited, and aspects of the pilot were too close to the reality of Hells Angels. The pilot “1%” eventually released as a TV movie in 2008But good luck trying to track it down to watch now. It is clear that “the sons of anarchy” did not share that fate.

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Sutter broke into TV as writer on FX police drama “The Shield,” which is the series that proved FX providing entertainment at HBO level. So, after refusing HBO, Sutter exchanged in his chips in FX and got “Forever Sam Crow” off the ground there. The series was renamed “Sons of Anarchy” (which, let’s be real, in a much A better and more evocative title), and shown for the first time in September 2008, a few months before “The Shield” wrapped up that November.

“Sons of Anarchy” raced along the highway to success in FX, leaving HBO and its pilot “1%” who failed to eat (SAM) Crow.