Giving Back 

Gemma hosts a fundraiser, bringing back a familiar but not welcome face who has history with SAMCRO.

Director:

Tim Hunter

Writers:

Kurt Sutter (created by), Jack LoGiudice

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	...	Robert 'Bobby Elvis' Munson
Kim Coates	...	Alexander 'Tig' Trager
Tommy Flanagan	...	Filip 'Chibs' Telford (credit only)
Johnny Lewis	...	Kip 'Half Sack' Epps
Maggie Siff	...	Dr. Tara Knowles
Ron Perlman	...	Clarence 'Clay' Morrow
Brian Van Holt	...	Kyle Hobart
Ryan Hurst	...	Harry 'Opie' Winston
William Lucking	...	Piermont 'Piney' Winston
Sprague Grayden	...	Donna Winston
Dayton Callie	...	Chief Wayne Unser
Dendrie Taylor	...	Luann Delaney
Michael Ornstein	...	Chuck 'Chucky' Marstein (as Michael Marisi Ornstein)

Storyline

Gemma hosts a town fundraiser, which brings the ex club member who was responsible for Opie's arrest back to town and into direct conflict with Jax and Opie. Clay deals with protecting a perverse parolee who can lead to a big payoff. ATF agent Kohn continues to investigate SOA.

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Plot Keywords:

fundraiser | tattoo burned off | third degree burn | suspended by arms | acetylene torch | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Certificate:

TV-MA

Did You Know?

Trivia

First appearance of the character Chuck. Chuck is one of only two recurring characters to appear in every season, the other being Marcus Alvarez.

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Goofs

When we see Otto (Kurt Sutter) for the first time, he has a tattoo on his neck "SOA" but throughout the rest of the seasons his tattoo there says his wife's name.

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Quotes

Clarence 'Clay' Morrow: Hey you all better be at that fundraiser tomorrow, unless you want a size 9 high heel boot up your ass.
Bobby: You comin?
Clarence 'Clay' Morrow: I'd rather have my balls cut off... what, too soon for that joke?

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Soundtracks

Excelsior Lady
Performed by The Donkeys

User Reviews

The first great episode of SoA

The end of season 5 has prompted me to go back and watch all the seasons through again. Episode 5 of season 1, Giving Back, seems to really be where SoA hit its stride. The rest of the season, with the exception of a couple clunkers, was tight, well-written, and compelling from this episode forward.

One things SoA can be really good about is creating laughs. The characters are so great, and so full of dimension that a small touch can end up being really funny. I think this episode in a standout in that regard when it comes to the parolee with "CMD" (Compulsive Masturbation Disorder). The look on Clay's face the first time he sees Chuck stick his hand down the front of his khakis is priceless.

The second storyline in this episode is an Opie one. I really like Opie's character, so that's always going to be all right with me. This episode delves into exactly what happened to Opie and why he got sent away for five years. It's the first explanation we get in the series. As just a side, it shows you how television goes through a blender in your head. I remembered having learned about how Opie got put away in the pilot. Not so. We learn here that an ex SoA brother named Kyle got spooked on getaway driver duty and left Opie behind for the cops. You can imagine how much drama is stirred when Kyle returns to Charming for his son's band performance.

This episode is likely most remembered within the SoA annals for its gruesome scene at the end. What the viewer actually sees isn't too much, but the way the tension is built, it feels like more. That's how good television works. That's how SoA works.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 October 2008 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Linson Entertainment, SutterInk, Fox 21

Technical Specs

Runtime:

55 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

16:9 HD