Westerns have never been for me.
In theory, it sounds like a genre I would enjoy, but I never could get into them. I think it is, in part, because of the amount of cheesiness. This is funny coming from me because I thoroughly enjoy professional wrestling and all of its cheesiness.
I did, however, find a TV show that changed my mind and that was Hell on Wheels.
AMC’s Hell on Wheels (2011-16) tells the story of former Confederate soldier Cullen Bohannon (Anson Mount) as he heads west in search of the Union soldiers that killed his family, joining up with the construction of the Union Pacific railroad.
Bohannon, a lone wolf gunslinger, meets up with a host of compelling characters as part of a post-Civil War story, creating a neo-Western that is perfect for the modern audience.
There was a lot about Hell on Wheels that was fascinating. One aspect is that no one actually seemed to be a traditional good person. Everyone had their secrets and even those who seemed good would dabble in morally questionable areas. This made for some compelling characters.
Some of the best in the series include the main antagonist Thor Gunderson (Christopher Heyerdahl), also known as The Swede. This villain constantly proves to be a thorn in Bohannon’s side and embraces all the elements of a slimy dirtbag.
Other great characters include Thomas Durant (Colm Meaney), the vice president of the Union Pacific Railroad. What makes Durant so compelling is he embodies American history into a singular person.
Durant is unethical and will do whatever it takes succeed in finishing the first transcontinental railroad. He passionately defends his actions because he sees them as bringing about the greater good.
“Truth delivered by lies is no less truth and dreams made reality by falsehoods are no less real,” he claims before the U.S. Congress at one point. He talks of achieving an American dream that would unite a war-torn country though fully acknowledging that realizing that dream was not pretty or simple.
For me, it is the characters that really made this show and kept me enthralled in its tale. They all perpetually live in a gray area that makes you question who actually are the bad and good guys. Rather, you’re evaluating their shades of gray.
There are some difficult elements that do appear based on the time period it is set in including slavery, racism, sexism, and the treatment of Native Americans and immigrants. Still, I felt like the show handled them decently.
Hell on Wheels came at a time when AMC was thriving. This led to the show going often undetected in lieu of the channel’s heavy hitters such as Mad Men, Breaking Bad, and The Walking Dead.
Nonetheless, it is a show that made me think I might actually enjoy Westerns. Not many shows or movies can make me rethink an entire genre, but that was the power of Hell on Wheels.
It’s been eight years since it went off the air, but thanks to streaming, the show still lives. If you’re not sure you’d like Westerns or even if you love them, Hell on Wheels is the show for you.
Have you heard of Hell on Wheels? What did you think about it when you watched it? Are you interested in giving it a shot? Let us know in the comments below or head over to our Discord channel to join the conversation.
Featured Image: AMC (via Plex)
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