"Anarchy" reigns at FX for second season

By Kimberly Nordyke

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - FX has picked up its modestly rated motorcycle-club drama "Sons of Anarchy" for a second season.

Charlie Hunnam, Katey Sagal and Ron Perlman star in the violent family saga, which kicked off its inaugural 13-episode run on September 3.

While first-run episodes are performing modestly, the cable channel cited the series' cumulative viewership numbers in announcing the pickup. The series is averaging 5.4 million total viewers on a weekly five-telecast basis, off only 3% from its premiere.

"We've never had a drama hold up so consistently in its first five weeks on the air," FX president/GM John Landgraf said. "It hasn't buckled in the face of broadcast competition, and it's fantastic from a quality standpoint."

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter