Mayans M.C. Season 1 Episode 1 Review: Perro/Oc
Brandon Vieira
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Sons of Anarchy fans rejoice! A new motorcycle club is in town and ready to fill the void Jax Teller left behind.
On Mayans M.C. Season 1 Episode 1 we are introduced to EZ Reyes, a prospect for the M.C. Just like Jax Teller in the pilot of Sons of Anarchy, we start off with EZ riding his Harley essentially into trouble, and I mean a lot of trouble.
Seriously, we learn throughout the episode that this guy has a ton on his plate.
At first glance, it seems as though EZ may very well be just a Jax Teller ripoff but we soon discover that's not the case. In fact, he couldn't be any more different. Unlike Jax, EZ wasn't ever planning to be a part of the Mayans.
Instead, he had a pretty great future laid out for him. EZ was a smart kid with what seems like a photographic memory. He went to Stanford and had a beautiful girlfriend named Emily.
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Flashforward a little while later, we see EZ in prison for apparently killing a police officer.
We don't get a lot of details about what exactly happened but I assume we will eventually. Emily visits him and delivers a huge bombshell, a sonogram picture, and leaves without any explanation.
It is during this moment we get a second Sons of Anarchy nod with the cameo appearance of Gemma. It certainly paid off for Kurt Sutter to hire his wife for the role. That was the last of the flashbacks for the premiere but hopefully, they will continue as they were really the best way to help us better understand EZ.
Besides EZ though, there wasn't a lot of character development.
Sons of Anarchy struggled with this in the pilot as well. "Perro/Oc" focused so much on the action sequences and all the different plot lines that it didn't give the episode enough time to establish any of the others.
However, there is one character who has a lot of potential, and his name is Angel. Angel Reyes is EZ's brother and the person who enlisted EZ as a prospect for the Mayans. He is first introduced when he picks up EZ at their dad's bakery.
Outside the bakery, Angel and EZ have a conversation about their dad and how he's been since their mom died. We didn't get the chance to learn a lot, but the brief conversation hinted at how their family history has led to where they are now.
Angel: Yo he ever talk to you about mom or any of that?
EZ: No, not really. Does he with you?
Angel: Baseball. That's the only thing we ever talk about. For eight years not a word about that hit.
Angel also seems to be a good balance for the show as he alongside supporting characters Gilly and Coco provide comic relief which was a staple for Sons of Anarchy as well.
Creeper: Make sure he knows what's he's doing!
Angel: He also wants a sex change, doctor.
Gilly: Yes he wants it...very tight.
Coco: And the lips, very pretty... soft like my mother's.
Angel: You always got to make it weird don't you!
Speaking of SOA, the pilot also brought back a familiar face in Alvarez. Alvarez played a pivotal role in the parent show during certain storylines, but it was left unclear what his role will be in this show exactly.
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He isn't a part of the San Padre charter, but he is helping Bishop (the President of the charter) navigate his dealings with cartel leader Miguel Galindo.
Hopefully, Alvarez's role will become clearer in future episodes because right now there are lingering questions.
Another thing that is up for debate is the storyline involving EZ's cousin and DEA agent Kevin. By the time he was introduced to the show, it had already felt like there were too many storylines being juggled.
Between the rebels, EZ's past, and the cartel business, it seemed like there were already enough stories to digest for an entire season.
Besides, the whole DEA storyline isn't exactly original. Does anyone else remember Agent Stahl? On the plus side, it does add another layer to EZ who has no choice but to snitch on the M.C. and the cartel because of a deal his cousin made to get him out of prison.
Yet when Angel confessed to EZ that he is the so-called traitor who is working with the rebel group who hijacked the cartel's shipment, EZ told him he was all in with him.
So where, exactly, does his loyalty lie? That will be the question of the season.
The biggest plot twist of the premiere happened at about the halfway point. It turns out Emily is now married to and has a kid with Miguel.
Yes, the cartel leader Miguel, who had a man's arm torn off of his body. What she sees in him is unclear, but I would definitely like to learn more about her.
Overall this was a solid hour of television, albeit a bit confusing at times.
Too many storylines might have been introduced at once which didn't leave much room for character development, but there is definitely potential moving forward.
There might also have been a few too many references to Sons of Anarchy, but as long as they don't continue to rely on that connection and establish their own path, Mayans M.C. could very well be one of the best new shows this fall.
What did you think of Mayans M.C.?
Which storylines are you most excited to see moving forward?
Which character do you find the most intriguing?
Let us know in the comments below.
Brandon Viera was a staff writer for TV Fanatic. He retired in May 2019..
