Sons Of Anarchy: Kurt Sutter Confirms 3-Year Extension

Sons Of Anarchy creator Kurt Sutter has confirmed the 3-year extension of the FX serial.

While FX had already picked up SOA up for a fifth season, Sutter broke the news of the 3-year deal on twitter, emphasising the lack of theatrics that went with the agreement:

closed my deal for 3 more years on SOA. no headlines, no pushed schedule, no stealing from paul. thank you FX and 20th for your generosity.

That’s a clear dig at Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner who Sutter believes held AMC by the short hairs over the fifth season of Mad Men. Sutter previously said:

I don’t know [Matt Weiner], got no beef with him. just hate that [Frank] Darabont is being demonized. No one has the balls to tell the truth. [Mad Men] gutted AMC.

Back to SOA, Sutter followed up his original tweet by clarifying the deal:

the 3 year deal is for season 5, and then if we get picked up, for 6 &7. if there is more story to tell beyond that, then we’ll decide then.

Assuming Season 5 performs well in the ratings game, Sutter has three years of overarching story to develop, while a potential eighth season (or more) will be looked at closer to the time.

Sutter’s ability to continue the SOA story after season 7 will hinge on ratings, but also his desire to keep the show entertaining:

I’m very aware that I’m writing a show for TV, so I do want to write storylines that are rich and complex, and characters that are three-dimensional, and we do have actors that give tremendous performances. But, there’s an element of the show that’s incredible pulpy and very entertaining. To me, that’s as important as the rich, deep character stuff. I’ve no desire to run a show that only a couple hundred thousand people watch. If I want that kind of audience, I’ll go do theater.

Interestingly, SOA may well be a show that can see further growth in audience over the next few seasons. I still think a lot of folks are yet to find it.

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