‘Sons of Anarchy’: Every Season, Ranked

Sons of Anarchy is one the greatest FX shows of all time, and fans can still enjoy it upon multiple viewings. It was so successful, it The show has even a spinoff series — Mayans M.C. — as well as tie-in books, comics and even a short-lived video game. Each and every season of the show — seven in all — told a new part of Jax Teller’s story and found ways to differentiate from the season before. Watching the show unfold was truly a spell-binding affair.

Looking back, while every season was great, some stood out more than others. Some focused more on the group’s inner turmoil, while others saw the Sons clash with other outside factions. Some seasons even took the group out of their native hometown of Charming and had them trekking to less-than-familiar locales. When watching the series, the question comes up: Which season was the best? Well, we’re here to try and answer that question. Scroll through to see how we ranked every season of Sons of Anarchy.

7. Season 1

Season 1 did an amazing job of setting up the world of SOA, but every season after it found a way to top it. The actors and creators were still feeling out the story throughout the show’s first 13 episodes, and it was evident they were still figuring out where they could go and what they could do. The death of Opie’s wife at the end of the season was the biggest moment here, and it really signified the start of the series that we know and love.

6. Season 4

Season 4 was interesting at times, but was more of a service season to transition Jax from one position to the other. The final three seasons of Sons needed to center around Jax trying to lead his family while also leading the club, and many of this season’s events were just a way of getting him there. The cartel wasn’t one of the show’s best arcs, and it wasn’t nearly as memorable as some of the other seasons. Also, Jax with short hair wasn’t the favorite look of the fans.

5. Season 2

Season 2 was a total evolution from the first, and it really succeeded in molding the show into a serious powerhouse. The dynamic between Hale and Unser became an awesome story arc to follow, and the white supremacy group finally gave the show its first true villain. The season ended with a bang — and one of the show’s best cliffhangers — as Abel was taken by Connor just before the credits.

4. Season 7

Sons of Anarchy ended with two of the show’s greatest episodes, but the season leading up to them left a lot to be desired. Season 7 began with Jax learning about Tara’s murder, and the show spent a lot of time watching him chase the rabbit that was right in front of him all along. We get that Gemma is hiding in plain sight, but it went on just a little too long.

3. Season 6

Jax had a long way to go before becoming the man he was in Season 7, and the events of Season 6 helped push him there. Tara’s death aside, Jax made a lot of decisions that transitioned him into a place of no return —and it was a truly heartbreaking thing to witness. His choice to finally kill Clay sent him on a path that he would never recover from.

2. Season 5

Season 5 gets one of the top spots for having some of the most shocking scenes — including the deaths of Opie and Tig’s daughter — but it also created the single greatest villain on the show. Damon Pope was a true nightmare, and Harold Perrineau played him to perfection. At every turn, he maddened fans with his choices to kill of characters and sway Jax in the wrong direction. The season also provided one of the show’s most epic twists, when Jax turned the gun on Pope to save Tig’s life. From start to finish, Season 5 was crafted perfectly.

1. Season 3

The best season of Sons of Anarchy has to belong to Season 3. Charlie Hunnam took his talents to another level when he had to struggle with the prospects of chasing down Abel’s kidnappers, or letting his son live a life free of crime. The Belfast trip as unchartered territory for a show set in California, and it provided fresh scenery — and new stories — for the fans. This trip also gave viewers another look into the lives of the First 9, which everyone had been wanting more of.

Season 3 capped its epic run with the single greatest episode of the series — “NS.” The twist that the club had been in on Jax’s deal with Stahl the whole time threw each and every fan for a loop, and watching the villain die was one of the most satisfying moments of the whole show. Which season of Sons of Anarchy was your favorite?