Get ready to raise Hell! Hell on Wheels charges ahead from the very start of its second season and all signs point to one awesome ride. At the end of last season, our vengeance-minded anti-hero Cullen Bohannon (Anson Mount) was on the run after killing a man whom he mistakenly thought was responsible for the murder of his wife and son during the Civil War. The question on my mind was: How’s this gonna work with the main character on the run and the rest of the cast back at Hell on Wheels?
Fear not, avid viewer. Hell on Wheels has plenty of tricks up its sleeve, and writers/creators Joe and Tony Gayton have got plenty of twists and turns in the works to make even those who think they know all the Western conventions sit up and take notice. This may be a Western, but it’s far from the archetypal John Wayne films of the past (which are great, as well). This is some hardcore, down and dirty Western storytelling. And it’s a lot of fun!
This season, unexpected alliances are forged as old bonds are severed or whither under the strain of new revelations. Characters’ loyalties will be tested, their faith and reason put to the test, and those who rise above it all and find a way to evolve amidst the darkness will find even greater challenges ahead of them.
Much like another great AMC series, Breaking Bad, Hell on Wheels delivers plenty of questions and thought-provoking statements about the human condition and the strength of one’s characters despite adversity and moral depravity. It’s what makes both series so interesting to watch: characters exist in a moral grey area. There are no definitive white hats and black hats in this saga. Everyone has a motive. Everyone has an agenda. And everyone wants what’s rightfully theirs and will do whatever it takes to get it.
Hell on Wheels continues to be a strong series for AMC and a definite must for Western fans. It’s an unrelenting, unflinching look at life in the wild west, populated with people that you root for in spite of their questionable actions. I can’t wait to see what else season two has in store. It’s definitely going to be one exciting ride!
Season Two of Hell on Wheels premieres Sunday, August 12 at 10/9c on AMC!
Check out our reviews about season one:
AMC’s Hell on Wheels – TV Pilot Review
‘Hell on Wheels’Keeps Getting Better – TV Review
Hell on Wheels, ‘God of Chaos’ – Season Finale Review
Hell on Wheels: The Complete First Season – Blu-ray Review
Who’s your favorite Hell on Wheels character? Leave a comment and let us know!