Ranu's Reviews

Hell on Wheels
AMC
10PM Sundays

Once you come to terms with the fact that Hell on Wheels is not Deadwood nor will it ever be—you will appreciate and even enjoy this latest offering from AMC.

The 411

The Civil War just ended, slavery is newly abolished and now it is time to connect the two coasts of the US by railroad. (We got Starbucks to build!) Hell on Wheels focuses on the greed and dishonesty of the railroad industry while showcasing the immigrant and African-American experience in America, and the ravaging of the Native American land and people—all for the sake of progress. If that’s not enough for you—Hell on Wheels also tells the story of Confederate soldier Cullen Bohannon (Anson Mount) and his Terminator-like mission for revenge over the death of his wife that occurred while Cullen was busy fighting for the South—and the future home of many, many Waffle Houses.

The Good

The storyline of Hell on Wheels is an interesting one and something that most Americans just take for granted since our railroad system has always “just been there” during our lifetime. I found it fascinating to see how much work got done with such little technology and was intrigued by the level of corruption back in the day.

As Mad Men sheds light on how women were treated during the 60s, Hell on Wheels does the same for African-Americans. It is one thing to read about how poorly people were treated back then, but to see it for yourself (regardless of the validity), really makes you take a step back and think.

There is a decent amount of bloodshed and violence—just like one would expect. Hell on Wheels definitely does not disappoint in that department. I also enjoyed the virtual unknown cast for the most part and eventually warmed up to quite a few of them. My favorite character so far is “The Swede” (not to be confused with Peter Koch’s role in Heartbreak Ridge) played by Christopher Heyerdah.

The Not-So-Good

The show is good, but not great. I felt that the writing could be more consistent. Some scenes I absolutely love and others not so much. Can’t put my finger on it, but I’m just not feeling the main character of the show. Anson Mount does a pedestrian job with Cullen Bohannon and the supporting cast does an equally average job with their roles as well (with the exception of “The Swede”;). Maybe the writing is to blame more than the actors, but something is a little off track.

The End Result

As much as we all want Hell on Wheels to be the next Deadwood, it is not—which is not a bad thing—just different. It took me some time to stop comparing the two and once I did, I saw the show in a new light. Hell on Wheels is a good show that takes a little time to develop and is worth a weekly investment of 60 minutes of your time (42 if you DVR it and fast forward through the commercials). It is nice addition to the AMC lineup and I look forward the rest of the season.

For more information on Hell on Wheels, visit AMC’s website:
http://www.amctv.com/shows/hell-on-wheels.