Mayans M. C. Angel actor, Clayton Cardenas, believes that the writing and environment for season 3 became better after showrunner Kurt Sutter’s departure from the show. Serving as a spin-off to the 2008 smash-hit neo-western biker drama, Sons of Anarchy, Mayans M. C. debuted on FX in October 2018. The new show focuses on Sons’ rivals-turned-allies – the Mayans Motorcycle Club – and its patch member, Ezekiel “EZ” Reyes, a gifted Mexican guy whose American dream was destroyed by cartel violence. The show was arguably one of FX’s biggest hits during its first season, clocking a 100% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Following the success of its freshman run, FX quickly renewed the show for season 2, which premiered in September 2019.
Although Mayans M. C.‘s second season was also quite well-received, the show’s future was, nevertheless, left in jeopardy in October 2019 when showrunner Kurt Sutter was fired by FX due to allegations of workplace misconduct. Addressing his dismissal, Sutter even wrote a letter to the cast and crew of his biker drama, apologizing for how his “arrogance and chronic distraction” led to “feelings of hostility and abandonment” on the sets. After Sutter’s firing, fans feared that FX would pull the plug on Mayans M. C. But those fears were unwarranted, as only a month later, the network picked the show up for a third season. Sutter’s vacant position was also quickly filled up, with the show’s co-creator and executive producer, Elgin James, stepping into the role. Now, well over a year later, Mayans M. C. is finally gearing up for its return on March 16, and according to the cast of the show, they have really benefited from the recent creative shakeup.
On Tuesday, in a conversation with Gamespot, Cardenas discussed how the absence of Kurt Sutter impacted season 3. As per Cardenas, with Sutter gone and James taking his position, filming for Mayans M. C. had become a more soothing and welcoming experience. Cardenas was in all praises of James’ new leadership, stating that the creator ensures that everyone’s voices are heard. The actor is also quite fond of the writing in the new season, which he believes is quite authentic and fully harnesses the potential of his character, Angel. Read what Cardenas had to say below:
It’s night and day. It’s like the best thing that could have ever happened for the show. The environment that we get to work [in], it’s such a fun–it’s a welcoming, comforting environment. You know, everybody’s excited to come to work. I personally feel like I’m at an advantage, finally. I feel like I’m put in the position to succeed. I feel like the writing is meant for me. I feel like I’m not having to force dialogue, you know? I feel like the writing just rolls off my tongue now.
Elgin is such an amazing creator and writer and, you know, he creates this familial bond on set,” Cardenas continued. “So again, it makes it welcoming. And everybody’s proud of what’s being done, everybody feels their voice is heard. And what more could you want? You know, what more could you want from a creator and director?
As pointed out by Cardenas, season 3 incorporates Angel in a larger role and offers him a chance to shine. The grinding, bombastically violent new season has several emotional and psychological dilemmas in store for the character. First, to prevent his father’s deportation, Angel will be forced to give away incriminating information to U.S. Assistant District Attorney, Lincoln Potter. In doing so, he would compromise his lover and rebel leader Adeilta’s freedom, leaving her to give birth to his son in federal custody. Angel would also grow closer to his brother, EZ, after learning the truth about his mother’s death. But the family reunion would be short-lived, as soon Angel and the Mayans will get embroiled in a major disaster with the discovery of the body of a former SOA member in the Mexican desert.
With Cardenas’ statement, it’s clear that James’ promotion to showrunner has boded well for the show. When Sutter was fired from Mayans M. C., there were apprehensions about the future of creative storytelling. Fans and viewers feared that the story would be dumbed down at the hands of James and Disney, which purchased 21st Century Fox and, by extension, FX in early 2019. But that is certainly not the case as the actors are quite satisfied with how things have shaped up under the direction of the new showrunner. The world that Sutter built with Sons of Anarchy continues to be highly respected, and its importance as a foundation stone and fitting template for Mayans M. C. remains intact. But now, in this new era, James is helping the show find an identity of its own that is independent of the Jax Teller world.
