After what feels like a million years (these 13-episode seasons followed by a 9-10 month hiatus are brutal), SONS OF ANARCHY returns tonight on FX (10/9c) with their 6th season premiere: a continuation of the story that we’ve been following for years. Set just days after the events of last season’s finale that found not one but two series regulars behind bars, the viewers are immediately thrown back into this dangerous world of SAMCRO with a vengeance.

The show has never been one to stay away from violence as a story-telling device.  Kurt Sutter has gone on record saying, like a broken record, that he’s not going shy away from something controversial just because it’s controversial.  He’s writing a story set in a world where the horrific events these people are going through do happen, and the show is better served for them not “going soft” on the audience. Without diving into spoilers, the premiere is no different.  There is an ominous feeling watching the first episode, an unsettling feeling that doesn’t relent for the first three episodes of the season.

The club is in pieces: Clay is in jail, Jax is in charge, Bobby is gone, Juice is an emotional wreck.  Personal lives are in pieces: Tara is in jail, Gemma is maybe sort of responsible (though, spoiler alert, she maintains her innocence), Wendy is back to cause some issues for the family.  Jax is still trying to hold on to the idea that when this is all over, when he settles with Pope’s folks and gets himself out of the business he’s in, he can still have a happy life with Tara and the boys in Oregon, but events keep coming up that are throwing that idea in his face with a laugh.  Nero (Jimmy Smits, new series regular) and Gemma are “happy” but for how long?  Lee Toric (Donal Logue, playing a certifiably crazy man with gusto) is still around, trying to nail whomever he can for the death of his sister (real-life sister Karina Logue).  If he has his way, and it almost seems like he might, SAMCRO will go down for whatever he can find to bring them down.

As for other guest stars this season – there are returning favorites like Rockmund Dunbar back as Roosevelt, Dave Navarro, Robin Weigart, McNally Sagal (Dr Murphy), Drea de Matteo, and Billy Brown, as well as new folks including Peter Weller (who fits in to the world so perfectly that it’s a wonder he never guest starred before), CCH Pounder, Kim Dickens (two of the best working actresses, hands down), C Thomas Howell,  Samaire Armstrong, and that’s just within the first three episodes!

In this world of SAMCRO, it’s only been a few months (if that) since Opie was killed, and the club (the audience, really) is all still recovering.  It’s a question now of whether that’s ever going to actually be possible.   Much of what happened as Season 5 ramped up to a crazy finale (seriously, relive the 37 most insane moments as a refresher) that propels the action forward, and starts giving us a sense, as viewers, that we’re in the meat of the story and the end is clearly in sight.  While I don’t ever want it to end, I’m going to have a damn good time watching while it does!

Check out some gorgeous gallery shots from James Minchin, as well as your first look at Season 6 in the images below, and be sure to check out TheTVAholic for videos from our round tables at Comic Con 2013 with the cast of SONS OF ANARCHY!