The world of television has had plenty of incredible series, and you can’t go wrong with "Sons of Anarchy," but "The Abandons," the new show that was set for a release in April 2025, just might be the biggest miss of all. There was lots of excitement when fans of Kurt Sutter's, previous shows, found out that this writer, show runner, and executive producer, would be working with Netflix. This meant the iconic series "Sons of Anarchy," might have been coming to a new platform, but things quickly went south when a director who's known for such wild rides walked away.
The Abandons- Set For a Big Release
If you haven’t heard! “The Abandons” was set to feature a great cast. It’s an all-star list of talented actors like Lena Headey who was known for the iconic show, “Game of Thrones”. Headey will be joined with Gillian Anderson, who starred in a hit series called “The Crown!”. It also was set to reunite Sutter with cast members from his first big hit series - "Sons of Anarchy."
- Michael Ornstein who has appeared in "Sons of Anarchy"
- Ryan Hurst, another "Sons of Anarchy" alum.
Even more, “The Abandons” looked to bring fans a great western series and would have been the most incredible return for Sutter. Sutter had a little time away as he worked as the executive producer of Mayans M.C." but left that role in 2019.
An Exit During Production:
But what could happen in such a way! In just a few short weeks before this massive show was set to have a wrap party. It turned out the creator walked away. You won't believe why!
Sutter, was seemingly done with this incredible project!
- Netflix declined to give any statement!
- The reason?
- There's no real insight! However, sources came out in the press to talk about this!
- The problems stemmed from some huge differences in creativity.
While the story's not confirmed by those working on the show, the first episode of "The Abandons," had one big issue which might have created friction. It turns out the showrunners couldn't get the story down. Even with several edits it was still too long and even those with an hour-long television show may not be willing to accept a longer one. It was decided to turn one big episode into two shorter shows, a difficult change that may have impacted filming!
It seems that Netflix and the showrunners continued to show episodes in the making, but it turned out that "Netflix" did not like the latest drafts. There was a meeting to figure things out and it came to an end! No one got to clear the air! Sutter went on to make the hard decision. The producers on "The Abandons" didn’t waste time in naming someone else and instead, decided to push forward! Otto Bathurst (who has executive produced and directed on the project).
What Does The Exit Mean For The Abandons?
“Sons of Anarchy” was an icon in TV history but Sutter struggled after the series. A 2015 series called “The Bastard Executioner,” only made it to one season, before it got canceled. It turns out, the issues that started in “Mayans M.C” in 2019 were all a part of something much bigger. A story where Sutter left this show but denied those in the press that this wasn't because of the work itself! It was more of a clash about having limited creative control!
It was truly a disappointment! To many, a sign of things to come with a great opportunity lost, especially when considering how "The Abandons," was going to be one of Sutter's big moments with "Netflix." His prior projects showed some really great potential! There was even a hope that "The Abandons" would bring a lot to the table and even though "Netflix" did step up, the show itself may be short-lived or struggle to capture the same sense of intensity, or the charm that Sutter brings!
The Abandons Future Outlook:
If you love "Sons of Anarchy," it is going to be hard to see the lack of control! Many Netflix watchers were excited when the series came to the forefront. Even with that hype, Sutter, making an early exit leaves a big question as to whether this will last through the first season, as the story and characters in the western era will bring out even more! If this is a good or bad thing. It remains to be seen.
For now, we can still look out for this intriguing Western Series and see how the cast takes us back in time, to a more challenging era.
Hopefully, "The Abandons", can pull through and be a hit with viewers. Only time will tell whether the Production can turn into an amazing success!
