The hit motorcycle drama, Sons of Anarchy stormed onto the small screen last night for it’s the premier of its third season, much to the anticipation of millions of fans.

While the diehards may debate about the writers taking Jax (Charlie Hunnam) to a much more human place through the abduction of his son or the further filling out of Gemma’s (Katey Sagal) character, the critics have come with their own insight.

With the series going from one level of success to another, writers and producers (particularly the most public creative face, Kurt Sutter) were under pressure to keep up the forward momentum of the ever popular drama.

Since the series about a biker gang in the fictional town of Charming California, a motorcycle metaphor seems appropriate; similar to regular attendees of the legendary Sturgis rally, the minds behind the FX drama needed to make everything bigger and bolder in order for the event itself to deliver the buzz it was famous for. Bikers have done this by adding new bling on the bike to show off at the rally and a fresh trail to ride through the historic hills of the Dakotas, so to speak.

The new season follows this example with a trip to Ireland over a dispute with IRA, white supremacists and some daddy issues for Sagal’s character courtesy of Hal Holbrook.

So what did the critics think?

All acknowledge the new season is louder and comes with plenty to watch.

‘There's definitely not a lack of intensity and action in the Sons of Anarchy season 3 premiere notes  John Kubicek at BuddyTV.com, ‘And much like Breaking Bad, Sons of Anarchy is a show that started strong, got a lot better in season 2, and now seems poised to push the envelope even further in season 3. It may be about gun-running bikers, but Sons of Anarchy is TV at its best.”

‘Hey, if Sons of Anarchy wasn't my favorite drama on television before this week's season three premiere, it certainly staked that claim with "So”’, Quiet Pool starts his review at TV Fanatic.com, ‘A truly fantastic hour of TV concluded by yet another shocking event in the 27 episode history of the series.’

And while the show may have its share of violence, New York Daily News Entertainment reporter David Hinckley feels the message of the show shines through the blood, gore and explosions; it’s all about family.

‘That's what makes them more than motorcycle thugs and makes their show worth the discomfort it sometimes takes to ride with it,’ Hinckley observes.

But some say it the complex storylines might be riding away from what made Son of Anarchy the fan favorite.

‘How much drama can a fictional Northern California town ruled by a motorcycle gang believably endure? The producers of FX’s top-rated series, “Sons of Anarchy,” push the limits in the show’s overwrought third-season premiere episode. The season three premiere has the gun-running boys of Samcro revving their bikes for what turns out to be some pretty big leaps of viewer imagination -- or at least a good run at the shark tank,’ writes Daniel Frankel from The Wrap.com.

‘In short, there’s just too much going on here’, he notes

‘Loyalists have heralded "Sons" as a great crime drama, offering a window into a world much like the Mafia in its arcane rules, code of honor and ever-present threat (particularly last season) of grisly violence,’ writes Brian Lowry in Variety Magazine, ‘While I can see those parallels -- and despite respecting some of those critics -- after several tries, I simply can't enroll in that club.’

Sons of Anarchy continues its season on FX Tuesday nights at 10.