The "we're only letting you out of prison so you can spy for us and we can send you right back whenever we want" trope is tired. I agree too about the SOA connection. The show runner has claimed viewers don't need to have watched SOA or know its backstory to enjoy Mayans. After the pilot, I am skeptical of that claim, for the reasons you stated.

I assume Eze's handler is a Fed. It's become another trope that only a Fed could ever be that much of a dick. Plus it's hard to imagine a local cop ever cutting a deal with a cop killer whereas Hollywood would have you believe the Feds do it all the time, much to the dismay of local police forces.

Also it sort of strains credulity that two criminal organizations, a MC and a Mexican cartel, would accept someone who only served 8 years of a 20 to life bid for cop killing. You would think they would make him wait a pretty long time before ever trusting him even a little bit.

Eze's kid with the wife of the cartel boss would have to be at least seven, right? The baby she was carrying is way too young. I wonder if they will introduce their child later or if she even had it?

Bottom line, I'm going to give it a chance and hope for the best.