Cullen Bohannan, played by Anson Mount, was a Mississippi slave owner before the American Civil War and served as an officer for the Confederacy during the campaign. Once the war was over, federal soldiers murdered his family and burned his farm. He had lost everything and is out for revenge. He is also the only white man on the transcontinental railroad that treats the Freedmen Crew, composed entirely of ex-slaves, with any form of respect. Such character depth and irony, paired with the show’s breathtaking photography, is why AMC’s Hell on Wheels is the dramatic series everyone should be watching. Still, the show has yet to be included in conversations around most water coolers.
The show was recently picked up for an expanded fourth season and occupies one of the least popular time slots in television; Saturday Night, so tuning in will not interfere when fans are watching Game of Thrones on Sunday. Season four of Hell on Wheels is slated to roll out sometime this summer and the show’s diehard fans can hardly wait. Aside from that, the show has been gaining in popularity on Netflix, where several dramatic series off the weekly radar seem to find their best audience, with its first two seasons. The third season is currently available on Blue-Ray and DVD.
Everyone should see the first three seasons before watching the fourth season of Hell on Wheels during its weekly television time-slot on AMC because of the show’s intricate plot lines and character development in order to be up to date.
The show takes its name from the nickname given to the tent cities that sprang up around the expanding railroad in the American Frontier of late 1800’s. Vice ran unchecked and greed was the only virtue present in these camps despite the efforts of missionaries and evangelists and the imminent threat of Native Americans, all of whom are as closely and as accurately portrayed in the series as any effort from Hollywood in the past. The show’s historical accuracy may be one of its best attributes.
Hell on Wheels has seen its share of critical acclaim, having won several awards, and having been nominated for a host of others, including an Emmy for Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music in 2012, a Visual Effects Society Award for Outstanding Visual Effects in a Broadcast Program and Outstanding Compositing for the same. Other notable nominations include Hollywood Makeup Artist and Hair Stylist Guild awards for Best Period and Character in Hair Styling and Makeup.
African-American actor Common won the BET award for Best Actor in 2013 after having been nominated for the award in 2012 for his role as freedman Elam Ferguson.
The series, itself, has won an AMPIA Award in 2013 for Best Art Direction and the Director’s Guild of Canada Award for Production Design in the same year. The series also won a Leo Award for Best Casting in a Dramatic Series in 2013.
Popular actors such as Colm Meaney, who plays railroad CEO Thomas Durant, and Wes Studi, who plays Cheyenne Chief Many Horses, are some of the best in the business at portraying characters from the era, and turn in hallmark performances throughout the series. Meaney has said in interviews that playing such a rich and well-written character is a real pleasure.
Everyone who watches AMC knows Saturday knows is the day the network dedicates to western programming and movies. AMC presents Hell on Wheels as their grand finale in the genre, and everyone who has been watching the past three seasons knows why this is the series given such distinction. With the previous seasons already on Netflix and disc there is no reason not to start watching.
By Joseph Porter
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13 Responses
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We are enjoying this series very much with only one complaint and that being the seemingly constant violent deaths, murders and even literal butchery that occur in every episode. Certainly it was a very rough time in history but as typical, American filmmakers go way overboard with graphic violence, overshadowing in my opinion a fascinating story. The acting is exceptional as also the filmography, plot, sub-plots, setting, historic quality overall, etc.
Outstanding program!
Very will done. Great acting, compelling story line, based loosely on historical events (the main character Cullen Bohannon is fictional (Grenville Dodge was the railroads most effective engineer at the time, and was an ex-union soldier). Just remember, this is historical fiction, not a documentary, and as that, it is highly entertaining.
Love Love Love this Series…one of the best! How am I ever going to wait for another year to see the next episode?
I love this show so well done very well written the complete package, great cast and lead actors, historical epic show.
Yes one of my favorites, along with game of thrones and the vikings and the riddick movies….
I Love watching Hell on Wheels!!! I hope it’s coming back on !!! Great show!!!
The best series on tv in ages; historically created and great acting from the entire cast. Love character that Anson plays.
I need me some Hell on Wheels!!!
best show ever so in love with anson
today????????
when’s it coming back on?? Ilove it