MAYANS M.C. — Pictured: JD Pardo as EZ Reyes. CR: James Minchin/FX

“I say we trust until we don’t.”

Richard Cabral’s character utters that phrase about 2/3 of the way into tonight’s sprawling premiere (the first episode runs 1 hr, 8 minutes without commercials) of Elgin James and Kurt Sutter’s latest chapter in the SoCal motorcycle club epic, MAYANS M.C.  

As Sutter has mentioned in interviews, the show is set in a post-Jax-Teller-post-SAMCRO world, and the line above about trusting who you need to in the moment, until you might not trust that same person down the line, sums up the tension and weight felt immediately and throughout the premiere. 

JD Pardo is the hero (or is he an anti-hero), as Ezekiel “EZ” Reyes, a prospect in the MAYANS club of Southern California (a familiar club and ally to our favorite SAMCROers of the past). Out of jail for a crime that’s only vaguely referenced, he’s 9-months shy of an official patch, torn between loyalties to many different people, and fighting to find his place.

Without giving too much away, EZ is immediately thrown into the dangerous world of cartels and MCs that we’ve come to know through 7 years with SONS. His father Felipe, played by Edward James Olmos, is a local butcher who says a million things with one look; his brother Angel, the new love of my life Clayton Cardenas, brought him into the club. Not of ton of backstory is provided as the premiere jumps right into the politics of the club, and the interpersonal relationships therein.  Danny Pino is perfectly frightening as Miguel Galindo, head of the cartel – definitely the kind of man that would charm your pants off so he could cut you off at the knees – while Michael Irby’s club president definitely has some secrets that I’m excited to see play out.

The premiere is both slow and calculated, offering the start of to something exciting while getting the chessboard ready for what’s sure to be epic showdown after showdown as EZ works his way into the club, and up the ranks. Does it need to be as long as it is, probably not? Was there violence that took it a little far, sure, but would it be this world if it didn’t? Could little introductions here and there have been cut for time, or shortened, yes, but Norberto Barba directed the hell out of a dark, seedy, dangerous, and beautiful introduction.

Also worth noting because I’m me and I need this in my life: not sure how it will be censored on TV, but I lost count around the 15th f-word, and that can only mean one thing: I’m all fucking in.

MAYANS MC airs Tuesday nights at 10/9c on FX.

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