‘Sons of Anarchy’ Boss on ‘Controversial’ Premiere: We’re Not Trying to Be ‘Sensational’

Sons of Anarchy opens up the sixth season with an event that's ripped straight from the headlines.

Creator/executive producer Kurt Sutter was aware of the risks with including such a monumental event in his violent FX motorcycle club series — something that he had wanted to include for years. 

"I've wanted to do that story for about three years," Sutter told reporters Friday at the show's Television Critics Association press tour session. "I knew that it would be somewhat controversial but I feel like, as much as I wouldn't do something because it was controversial, I'm also not going to not do something because it's controversial."

He was adamant that the event, connected to SAMCRO, was "organic to this world. Thematically, it's the right fit." Sutter said that the aftermath of SAMCRO's connection to the event "will continue to play out and that is the truth."

"I will also say that there's a lot of blood and guts in my show," said Sutter. "It's a signature of the show but I feel like I'm not lying to myself when I say this: Nothing is done gratuitously. The events that happen in the premiere are really the catalyst for the third act of this morality play we're doing."

Sutter revealed that he had discussions about the game-changer with the network because of the nature of it. "I had conversations with [FX chief John] Landgraf about it," he said.

Later, Sutter assured that "there's not really a statement that I'm trying to make within the story," adding that "if you look at the story as a whole and organically, the causes of what happened in that scenario are many."

Sutter emphasized that the premiere event was not done to be shocking. "This is a story that's being done not to be sensational," he said. "It truly is the catalyst for our final act of our morality play. [It] sets everything in motion for our morality in play and sets up final season for what I see as comeuppance for what I see as the final run of the series."

When asked if he had ideas on what the final shot of the series would be when it ends, Sutter was coy.

"I  have an idea of what the final shot is, and for some reason it's Otto getting out of jail," Sutter joked. "I hold on to that [final shot] loosely. If that's what it ends up being, that's what it'll end up being."

Sons of Anarchy premieres Sept. 10 at 10 p.m. on FX.