I always enjoyed Sons of Anarchy, but this "spin off" series actually improves on the winning formula in a number of ways. The Mayans' story actually has a better mix of the jarring elements that made SOA great. There's plenty of gunfire, fist fights, chase scenes, and the sacred brother hood of proven warriors.
But this time around, the romantic intrigue is woven much better into the plot. The main character, EZ Reyes, has the tough, clean-cut looks of a typical motorcycle gang prospect. But it becomes clear in the riveting pilot episode that he's much more than a young warrior looking to prove himself to his brothers. EZ was once a standout Stanford student -- and he's also done time in prison. EZ was framed and lost everything -- including the love of golden girl Emily, a deeply thoughtful and caring young woman who is now married to a suave, handsome drug lord named Miguel Galindo.
Can EZ earn his patch, bring down Galindo, and win back his golden girl, or all of the above? And can he do it without losing his freedom, his life or his family honor?
All that would be enough, but there's so much more. It would be so easy for drug lord Galindo to be an abusive creep, and for his stunning Anglo wife Emily to be nothing but a weak-willed punching bag. But Danny Pino and Sarah Bolger have an almost magnetic chemistry from the moment they're first introduced. EZ is going to have his hands full breaking up this marriage -- assuming that's really what he wants.
But what does he want? Where do the mysterious meetings fit in? What about those tunnels under the boarder? Who are all those little kids in mouse masks?
MAYANS succeeds at blending so many different classics, everything from THE GODFATHER to BREAKING BAD. And the mood can shift from crime drama to mystery to soap opera to comedy at any time. The cast is brilliant, the scenery is beautiful, and the camerawork never stops catching your eye.
MAYANS is off to a roaring start!
