The opening scene of the premiere of Sons of Anarchy spinoff series Mayans M.C. includes a view of the U.S. Mexico Border with a sign in Spanish and English that says “Divided we Fall.” That is one of multiple political statements weaved into the story against President Donald Trump on the new series.
Co-creator Kurt Sutter recently shared with press he chose to make a comical reference to the President and his rhetoric on the border, as well as other more political moments on the show “for authenticity.”
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Sutter admitted to The Hollywood Reporter that his choice to name the cartel’s heroin label “Manitas,” which is Spanish for “Tiny Hands,” is a direct reference to Trump’s antics.
“When I was doing research on the M.C.s and spending time with these cats, one of the things that struck me and made me realize that I could deliver this world to an audience was their really dark and acute sense of humor,” Sutter told the outlet. “And I realized that the only way these guys can navigate this world is if they look at it with a sense of irony ’cause otherwise their heads would explode. So, yeah, insert ‘Tiny Hands.’
While Mayans is in no way a show spewing political rhetoric, Sutter said to not acknowledge the current situation in the border with Mexico on the show would be a disservice.
“And obviously it’s not a political show, but to not acknowledge it, to not make a joke about it or bounce off of it would feel inauthentic,” he added. “It just wouldn’t feel real.
“In fact, the opening frame of the pilot is the wall that says, in both English and Spanish, ‘Divided we fall.’ And that was on the wall on the Mexican side when I was doing scouting on the first pilot.”
“I thought, ‘Oh, that’s a really cool image,’ so when we had the opportunity to do it again, I was like that’s how I want it to begin,” he said of the opening scene. “And then as time unraveled and I’m looking at the pilot, I had this sense of, ‘Oh my God, does that feel like right from the jump I’m making some sort of political statement?; And I almost took it out but then I’m like, ‘F— no, I can’t do that, I can’t edit myself.’”
During the Television Critics Association summer tour, Sutter commented that the show would not take political topics head-on, but that they would be weaved in to the story for authenticity.
“So they address the issues that they’re faced with on a daily basis in terms of legalities, and you know the extra pressure, the difficulty coming in and out — like all that stuff is real,” Sutter continued.
In Mayans M.C., “We never mention Trump,” Sutter told The Wrap. “We never talk about politics, but we deal with the reality that is happening at the border and the circumstances and external conflicts and s– like that.”
Mayans M.C. premieres Tuesday at 10 p.m. ET on FX.
