Review
While many shows have tried to fill the gap left by Sons of Anarchy, the perfect replacement is the gritty family crime drama Animal Kingdom. Sons of Anarchy is essentially a modernized version of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, told through the shifting dynamics of a fictional motorcycle club. The characters in Sons of Anarchy are mostly antiheroes or villains, and over the course of the series’s seven seasons, it evolved from a drama into a Shakespearean tragedy. Though the spin-off show, Mayans M.C., featured some Sons of Anarchy characters, it still failed to live up to the original show.
The worldbuilding and storytelling are part of what made Sons of Anarchy into one of the best crime drama TV shows of all time. While the show had exciting action scenes in almost every episode, the most compelling part was the way the alliances and relationships between the characters unraveled over time. Many crime shows neglect their character development in favor of bombastic action, but Animal Kingdom is a perfect replacement for Sons of Anarchy as it pays equal attention to its central family. The show centers on the Cody criminal family, and it ran for six seasons.
Animal Kingdom Has The Family Drama And The Action From Sons Of Anarchy
Both Sons Of Anarchy And Animal Kingdom Are Based On Real Events
Animal Kingdom is about the journey of Joshua «J» Cody, who moves in with his criminal relatives after his mother dies, and finds himself involved in their activities. The series explores the tension that comes from allowing J into the family criminal business, and this results in some explosive moments. Sons of Anarchy explores similar themes, as characters like Tara struggle with the conflict between their personal ambitions and their association with SAMCRO. Like Sons of Anarchy, Animal Kingdom includes some tragic deaths and departures, which raise the stakes of the show.
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Comparing Animal Kingdom with Sons of Anarchy |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
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Title |
Years |
Seasons |
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Rating |
Rotten Tomatoes Critics’ Rating |
|
Sons of Anarchy |
2008 — 2014 |
7 |
91% |
87% |
|
Animal Kingdom |
2016 — 2022 |
6 |
87% |
N/A |
While Sons of Anarchy and Animal Kingdom are fictional shows, both are loosely based on real communities. Sons of Anarchy is based on the culture of biker clubs like the Hells Angels, and Jax Teller was inspired by a real-life biker whom Charlie Hunnam met. Animal Kingdom‘s Cody family is based on the real-life criminal Pettingill family, who were headed by the matriarch Kath Pettingill, re-imagined as Smurf in the show. Like the Sons of Anarchy motorcycle club, the Pettingills were involved in several different criminal enterprises, including drug trafficking and arms dealing.
If You Miss Sons Of Anarchy, Chances Are You Will Love Animal Kingdom
An Animal Kingdom Spin-Off Has Not Been Ruled Out
Animal Kingdom contains many of the same themes as Sons of Anarchy, making it the perfect show to watch if you miss the biker crime drama. The main characters in Animal Kingdom are often morally conflicted in a similar way to Jax Teller, and many Sons of Anarchy characters have parallels in Animal Kingdom. Smurf is a formidable matriarch like Gemma Teller, and Emily Deschanel’s Animal Kingdom character resembles both Tara and Wendy in Sons of Anarchy, though with a very different fate.
Sons of Anarchy spin-off series Mayans M.C. featured several Sons of Anarchy characters and was a great way to expand the world of the main show. Animal Kingdom has officially ended after season 6, and while there are currently no plans for season 7, a spin-off series has not been ruled out. Two of the main characters are still alive, which could provide an opportunity for an Animal Kingdom spin-off. TNT’s former general manager, Brett Weitz, told Deadline a spinoff could happen “when he [executive producer John Wells] feels like there’s a natural evolution to that show.»
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Animal Kingdom is a crime drama series that originally aired on TNT in June 2016. Joshua Cody (Finn Cole) is the main character of the series, who, after his mother dies, moves in with relatives that run a criminal empire. Animal Kingdom was well received throughout its time on the air and lasted for six seasons.
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Sons of Anarchy
TV-MA Crime Drama Action
8/10
Sons of Anarchy is centered around the Sons of Anarchy Motorcycle Club Redwood Original (SAMCRO), exploring the tensions between President Clay and Vice President Jax in the town of Charming. The narrative focuses on their differing visions for the club's operations, blending legal and illegal enterprises.
