Better Half (5 Nov. 2008)

As ATF agent Stahl pressures the women of SAMCRO, Jax looks to Chief Unser as the key to the club's freedom. Tara can't escape nightmares about Kohn. And Cherry reveals secrets about her past to Gemma.

Director:

Mario Van Peebles

Writers:

Kurt Sutter (creator), Pat Charles

Stars:

Charlie Hunnam, Katey Sagal, Mark Boone Junior

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
Charlie Hunnam	...	Jackson 'Jax' Teller
Katey Sagal	...	Gemma Teller Morrow
Mark Boone Junior	...	Bobby Munson
Kim Coates	...	Alex 'Tig' Trager
Tommy Flanagan	...	Filip 'Chibs' Telford
Johnny Lewis	...	Kip 'Half Sack' Epps
Maggie Siff	...	Tara Knowles
Ron Perlman	...	Clarence 'Clay' Morrow
Ally Walker	...	Agent June Stahl
Ryan Hurst	...	Harry 'Opie' Winston
William Lucking	...	Piermont 'Piney' Winston
Taylor Sheridan	...	Deputy Chief David Hale (as Tayler Sheridan)
Sprague Grayden	...	Donna Lerner
Dayton Callie	...	Chief Wayne Unser
Dendrie Taylor	...	Luanne Delaney

Storyline

As ATF agent Stahl pressures the women of SAMCRO, Jax looks to Chief Unser as the key to the club's freedom. Tara can't escape nightmares about Kohn. And Cherry reveals secrets about her past to Gemma.

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Plot Keywords:

punched in the face | hospital | husband wife relationship | cigarette smoking | false name | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 November 2008 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

SutterInk, Linson Entertainment, Fox 21

Technical Specs

Runtime:

50 min 50 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

16:9 HD

Did You Know?

Goofs

While Cherry is talking ti Gemma in the store, her hairstyle changes with the camera angle. When the camera is zoomed in on her face, she has bangs. However, when the camera is zoomed out and she is talking to Gemma, her hair is swept to the side.

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Quotes

Tig: This is why I beat hookers.

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Connections

References Blue Velvet (1986)

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Soundtracks

"Dolphin Center"
Performed by The Donkeys

User Reviews

The fast-paced sprint toward the end of the season

This episode is nothing if not moving at a thousand miles an hour. The episode moves from one thing to the next in a matter of moments. So many things are suddenly up in the air for SAMCRO as the ATF, in the form of Agent Stahl, circles. She's more dangerous than Kohn was for the simple reason that Kohn was focused on Tara. It becomes clear by the end of Better Half that Stahl's crosshairs are set squarely on SAMCRO.

I'd like to talk about two developments I really liked. I'll start with Gemma and Stahl finally meeting and addressing each for the first time. This pairing just felt right. Like two lionesses had come across one another and immediately recognized the other wasn't just another cub. The two shared especially pointed barbs. I think this is a larger point about what sets SoA apart. Characters of interest come from all directions. I used to sigh and grumble my way through Carmela's scenes on The Sopranos. Gemma is an entirely different animal. She's adult, she's self-aware and she knows what compromises must be made to protect her family. Gemma really is a lioness in that sense.

The next thing I appreciated was Unser's role. The Chief, someone who can get on my nerves, has had two good roles in the last two episodes. There's just something neat about seeing him at the table with SAMCRO. This episode hit home how interconnected they are. SAMCRO's roots are deep. If Stahl gets her way, she won't just be taking down SAMCRO, she'll be leveling Charming, for better or worse.