Hell on Wheels

Season 1 – 90% – No fair negotiations around the campfire, no blood brotherhood and loyalty till death. In this place, you find opportunism, greed, racism, prostitutes, and a ton of mud. And tracks. The gloomy Elam works here, beautiful Lily Bell shines, and the charismatic Cullen is just waiting for his chance. Overseeing everything, the cunning Mr. Durant watches with his big railroad dream, and when all the characters and plots add up, Hell on Wheels becomes a work worth the attention of both Western lovers and those who cringe at the sound of spurs or the whistle of a steam locomotive. I fall right in the middle of the first group, so I enjoyed this contrivance, regretted the small number of episodes, and happily counted the subtly served genre features. The honest portrayal of Indian stalking, the proper brawl, or the dramatic departure into the wide wilderness work perfectly. The only thing that stands in the way of my total appreciation was the overly dramatic character of Reverend Cole. Season 2 – 80% – The plans continue, thankfully the trip to Mexico doesn't happen, and a black-and-white character is hard to find. Durant cannot be condemned outright, Cullen cannot simply be admired, and the Swede cannot be absolutely hated. Nevertheless, the second season is slightly weaker because some of the characters have lost their intrigue. Apart from my unfavorite Reverend, it seems that Ruth, Joseph, and sometimes even Sean McGinnes have lost their appeal. However, what the supporting characters have lost, the main characters have gained. Anson Mount can deliver any line flawlessly, and his charisma breaks all nearby rails every time. Whether they are in the center of an ambush, building a bridge, or experiencing painful realizations that even in the harshest conditions, emotions find a way, this Hell on Wheels travels at a devilish speed. Season 3 – 100% – If someone had told me, after two changes in the main creator, that we would have the best stretch of established track yet, I wouldn't have believed them. But despite the obvious transformation in Cullen's character from a silent avenger to a witty tough guy, this dusty rolling town is more treacherous than ever. The relationships between the main characters change in a very unpredictable way, and twists that seem to climax in the finale reach their zenith within minutes. The last two episodes, with their slowly dripping tension, gave me minor heart attacks. From a slightly slowing caboose, this season has become one of my biggest favorites. Season 4 – 80% – Hell keeps the temperature of its heat in devilishly high digits, but not every creative decision was right this year. Firstly, I don't understand why the events in Cheyenne started to resemble a stage play. Not that the Wild West doesn't need a healthy dose of occasional pathos, but the new character John Campbell seems to speak only in contemplative monologues or, on the contrary, laconic utterances. It suits the dramatic situations, but in ordinary ones, it's jarring. Unfortunately, this applies to the entire season. I can't remember when I last experienced a season with either completely average episodes or nearly flawless ones. Therefore, Naomi's troubles, the plotting around Mickey and Eva, or the concept of the episode Bear Man didn't seem like fortunate choices to me, but I am still somewhat satisfied with the fourth year. The untamed Sidney Snow, the perfect performances of Kasha Kropinski as Ruth, and the development of the most self-important character that made me feel genuine fear for him all gave me an unmistakable shiver with every step into this dusty town. Maybe my expectations after the previous adventures were just unrealistically high. Season 5: Part I – 70% – Those who enjoy looking into Cullen's hard eyes will be pleased. Most of the story focuses on the central hero, the socio-economic problems of his new environment, and... well, that's about it. Not that Anson Mount has any trouble delivering all the melancholic dialogues or reminiscences, but there is miserably little going on for seven episodes, and the feeling that everything could fit into a single hour is undeniable. The original goal of the whole solo detour, finding Naomi, dwindles to a few scenes, and the storylines of the familiar characters, with whom the writers have struggled for a long time (Mickey, Eva, Louise), do not change that fact. The feeling that I am almost breathing in time with Bohannan and reeling with the never-ending demonic aura of the omnipresent Swede keep me from rating it lower, but the feeling of wasted opportunity didn't leave me halfway through saying goodbye to the local ragtag group. Season 5: Part II – 85% – The most incredible, vulnerable, and at the same time indestructible cowboy, muttering the most fundamental life truths between his teeth: that's what Cullen Bohannan was, and Anson Mount has sweated and ground out a tour de force over the past six years. I say goodbye to the series very reluctantly because any moment with the main character is the best that has ever appeared on AMC. The fact that the writers struggled for so long with the storylines of some characters (Mickey, Eva, Louise) does not change that fact. Hell on Wheels, despite multiple changes in showrunners, went through several easily distinguishable stages, gave us several deaths whose heaviness I will probably never forget, and in the final season even settled accounts with those who have been at odds with each other almost from the beginning (the Swede) or at least recently (Chang). None of the surviving heroes leave unaffected; each will carry the sound of railroad construction until death. After a manly ending, unlike any finale I've seen before, I will carry it with me too. (21/02/2012) (less) (more)