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Hell on Wheels, Ep. 5.01, “Chinatown”

Hell on Wheels started as one man’s single-minded journey to avenge the death of his family. As the series enters its final season, though, it has been transformed into a deeply meditative look at a changing world, an intricate retelling of a brutal time in American history and powerful examination of the characters that helped create it.

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Hell on Wheels, Ep. 4.12, “Thirteen Steps”: Emotionally wrenching decisions make for powerful episode

In many ways the railroad has turned him into a completely different person but really that’s what we’ve come to expect in the camp. It brings out the worst in people who were already pretty bad to begin with.

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Hell on Wheels, Ep. 4.11, “Bleeding Kansas” Tense emotional episode focuses on Ruth

AMC recently announced that next year’s season five of Hell on Wheels will be its last. And after this uneven fourth season, maybe it’s time. Everything that needs to be said has, and Cullen Bohannon (Anson Mount) our fascinating lead who has grown from a revenge-hungry former soldier into a dangerously driven man with a new wife and child.

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Hell on Wheels, Ep. 4.08, “Under Color of Law”: Scattered moments show characters’ uncertainty

“Elam Ferguson”, the seventh episode of Hell on Wheels season four changed the course of the series. Losing one of the original main characters, Elam (Common), at the hands of Cullen (Anson Mount) was shocking, devastating, and redefining for Cullen.

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Hell on Wheels, Ep. 4.01,“The Elusive Eden”: Strong premiere promises powerful season

There’s a very strong argument to be made that along with Hannibal, AMC’s Hell on Wheels is one of the most underrated dramas on television right now. Over the course of three seasons, the show has moved from a historical drama to a deeply moving and fascinating character study that just happens to be set during the building of one of America’s greatest accomplishments, the building of the Union Pacific Railroad. Its muddy and vicious camp is inhabited by rich and thrilling characters, the storylines continue to capture the viewer’s attention, and our lead, a man often struggling with a dark world and the darkness within himself, is an endlessly fascinating and evolving character.

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Hell on Wheels, Ep. 3.10, “Get behind the Mule”: Rebirth and change

The third season of AMC’s Hell on Wheels has been its best yet- powerful, quick witted, thrilling, and consistently entertaining. Director Neil LaBute, who directed one of the season’s most effective episodes, “Searchers”, returns to the season finale.

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Hell on Wheels, Ep. 3.09, “Fathers and Sins”: One rail at a time

Hell on Wheels, Season 3, Episode 9, “Fathers and Sins” Written by John Wirth and Reed Steiner Directed by Billy Gierhart Airs Saturdays at 9pm (ET) on AMC From the moment Cullen (Anson Mount) made the decision to hang the young Mormon teenager in the season premiere, it’s been obvious that there was going to …

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Hell on Wheels, Ep. 3.08, “It Happened in Boston”: Dead Air

Hell on Wheels, Season 3, Episode 8, “It Happened in Boston” Written by Mark Richard Directed by Rosemary Rodriguez Airs Saturdays at 9pm (ET) on AMC “It Happened in Boston” picks up directly where last week’s Hell on Wheels ended, with Elam (Common) returning from burning the cholera victims to find that Eva (Robin McLeavy) …

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Hell on Wheels, Ep. 3.07, “Cholera”: Empire Builders

Hell on Wheels, Season 3, Episode 7, “Cholera” Written by Tom Brady Directed by Deran Sarafin Airs Saturdays at 9pm (ET) on AMC With only three episodes left before the season finale, Hell on Wheels has taken Cullen (Anson Mount) to the point of near death and face to face with the young Mormon boy …

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Hell on Wheels, Ep. 3.06, “One less Mule”: Reversal of Fortune

Season three of Hell on Wheels has been moving along steadily. It has been deliciously tense, powerfully acted, and full of exceptionally well put together stories. The season has been slow, yes, but with only four episodes left it’s also been very rewarding. With “One Less Mule”, it’s clear that the season is headed towards a breathless finish.

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Hell on Wheels, Ep. 3.05, “Searchers”: She’s Gone

With the exception of last week’s episode, Hell on Wheels has been the best it’s ever been and “Searchers” might just be the season’s greatest episode. Directed by Neil LaBute, the highly emotional episode notches up the usual tension, fear, urgency, and sadness to an almost unbearable level.

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Hell on Wheels, Ep. 3.04, “The Game”: Building a second chance

“The Game”, Hell on Wheels’ fourth episode, slows the show’s pace to a near crawl until its last few moments, when Eva and Elam face a tragedy. The episode may start off with humor as Cullen and Elam attempt to find timber by visiting the Arapaho tribe, but this being Hell on Wheels, things quickly devolve.

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Hell on Wheels, Ep. 3.03, “Range War”: No Mercy

Hell on Wheels, Season 3, Episode 3: “Range War” Written by Reed Steiner Directed by Dennie Gordon Airs Saturdays at 9 pm (ET) on AMC When a show changes show runners there is usually a difficult transition that causes it to suffer. The arrival of John Wirth caused some concern amongst fans when it was …

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Hell on Wheels, Eps. 3.1-2, “Big Bad Wolf” and “Eminent Domain”: Old enemies and new leaders

It’s no secret- last season’s Hell on Wheels had a lot of issues, mainly the forced relationship between Cullen and Lily Bell (after all, this is not a show conducive to a dewy romance). Fortunately that arc wrapped up in the season two finale and judging by the premiere season three promises to be one heck of a year.

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Hell on Wheels, Ep. 2.09 and 2.10, “Blood Moon”, “Blood Moon Rising”: True selves and bloody goodbyes

Hell on Wheels, Season 2, Episode 9: “Blood Moon” Written by Mark Richard and Jami O’Brien Directed by Terry McDonough Hell on Wheels, Season 2, Episode 10: “Blood Moon Rising” Written by John Shiban Directed by John Shiban Airs Sundays at 9 pm (ET) on AMC After a season full of massive character development, dirt, …

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Hell on Wheels, Ep. 2.07, “The White Spirit”: Kindred spirits beyond redemption

Hell on Wheels, Season 2, Episode 7: “The White Spirit” Written by David Von Ancken Directed by Bruce Marshall Romans Airs Sundays at 9 pm (ET) on AMC The haunting images start early in this week’s episode of Hell on Wheels as The Swede (Christopher Heyerdahl) prepares himself for a Native American ritual. Where last …

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Hell on Wheels, Ep. 206, “Purged Away with Blood”: A whole lotta heartache

Hell on Wheels, Season 2 Episode 6: “Purged Away with Blood” Written by Tony Gayton and Tom Brady Directed by Joe Gayton Airs Sundays at 9 pm (ET) on AMC “What I got Doc, is a whole lotta heartache”, Eva (Robin McLeavy) tells Doc early in this week’s episode of Hell on Wheels, “Purged Away …

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Hell on Wheels, Ep. 2.05, “The Railroad Job”: Ghosts of Cullen’s past

Hell on Wheels, Season 2, Episode 5, “The Railroad Job” Written by Mark Richard Directed by Michael Nankin Airs Sunday at 9 pm (ET) on AMC I think it’s safe to assume that by this point Cullen (Anson Mount) has his fair share of ghosts. This week’s “The Railroad Job” opens with the ex-Confederate soldiers …

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Hell on Wheels, Ep. 2.04, “Scabs”: Hardwicke directs compelling episode

Hell on Wheels, Season 2, Episode 4: “Scabs” Written by Chris Mundy Directed by Catherine Hardwicke Airs Sundays at 9 pm (ET) on AMC After the shocking murder committed at the end of last week’s episode, Hell on Wheels has found this season’s tone- dark, dank, and twisted. Hell on Wheels has always had one …

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Hell on Wheels, Ep. 2.03, “Slaughterhouse”: Strong ep moves show in new direction

Hell on Wheels, Season 2, Episode 3: “Slaughterhouse” Written by Jami O’Brien and Bruce Romans Directed by Sergio Mimica-Gezzan Airs Sundays at 9 pm (ET) on AMC Well, that certainly lived up to the name “Slaughterhouse”. Returning to the Hell on Wheels camp after being saved from hanging by Durant (Colm Meaney), Cullen (Anson Mount) …

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