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Hell on Wheels - Season 4 - Saturdays on AMC

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You know, I wouldn't be surprised if AMC renewed the show for a 16 episode final season, the way they did with Breaking Bad (and Mad Men, though that was with 14 episodes), with the first 8 airing next summer and the last 8 airing the following summer. That way AMC could get what are essentially two more seasons without having to renew any of the actor's contracts ($$$) for a sixth. They already ordered 3 more episodes than usual this season (13 vs the previous three's 10) and they're going on a small hiatus (of 1 month) so the seeds have already been planted...

littlegrasshopper said:
I got a feeling that the Swede will escape to Cheyenne and the kid will spot him and that is what will cause his demise.
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Probably. They even had the little boy remind us that he's a mormon, which seems to play into that. And the sooner it happens the better. The Swede cannot carry his own storyline and the time spent on him this week felt like a waste. (though, I would be interested to see him meet Brigham Young...)

Anyway, I thought that was a pretty good episode. I'm really curious to know what happened to Common though. I'm starting to think that he really was killed off (I noticed that they've taken his name out of the opening credits) and will only appear later this season in a dream sequence or something. (maybe Eva dies and sees him as she passes)
 
You know, I really hated the first season of this show, so much so that I gave up on it, but during the recent marathon I tivo'd seasons two and three.

This show really got a lot better. I'm totally caught up now and looking forward to the rest of the season.
 
dead souls said:
You know, I really hated the first season of this show, so much so that I gave up on it, but during the recent marathon I tivo'd seasons two and three.

This show really got a lot better. I'm totally caught up now and looking forward to the rest of the season.
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alright!
 
That cold open was kind of awesome. I never expected to see a Mexican western setting on this show. It was kind of silly how that storyline wrapped itself up though - it seems like they should have spread the manhunt arc across at least two episodes.

Also, I'm curious to see what Brigham Young has planned for The Swede.
hopefully whatever it is it results in his death
 
New episode tonight:

Bear Man

Following an attack by a bear, Elam struggles to survive in a Comanche village and find his way back to Cheyenne.
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Finally, Elam. I'm interested to see what he's been up to.
 
out0v0rder said:
anyone notice how much better the show is without common and his baby drama?
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Yes. Common is by far the worst actor on the show but Eva is kind of bland just on her own and his character's perspective is unique, so I'd prefer if he stayed on for the time being.
 
Damn "Bear Man" Elam looks pretty badass. Definitely not a person I'd wanna fuck with.

... Yeah definitely not someone to fuck with. That man crazy.
 
So I'm halfway through this absolutely atrocious Common-only episode and can say with utmost confidence that he is the worst working actor on the planet.
 
metsallica said:
So I'm halfway through this absolutely atrocious Common-only episode and can say with utmost confidence that he is the worst working actor on the planet.
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To each his own I suppose. I actually really enjoyed this episode. I rather see this "Bear Killer" Elam than "Wheres my baby" Elam.
 
I'm with you there and certainly enjoy his new milky eye, but he sticks out like a sore thumb among the rest of the cast. Like he just time traveled to the past, I can't take a word he says seriously. I don't hate the character, I just think Common should be ground up to create a gruel we could feed to starving actors. At least then he'd serve a purpose! Actually, though, if this episode taught me anything it's that they might then gain his "powers" and he'd ruin them too. Darn that Common!
 
Common is awesome, but the storyline they give his character is atrocious.

Psalms is a much more compelling and interesting character. I wish they gave him more attention in the story.
 
That wasn't a particularly compelling episode.

Nokagi said:
Damn "Bear Man" Elam looks pretty badass.
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Agreed. His white eye looks really cool.

metsallica said:
I don't hate the character, I just think Common should be ground up to create a gruel we could feed to starving actors. At least then he'd serve a purpose! Actually, though, if this episode taught me anything it's that they might then gain his "powers" and he'd ruin them too. Darn that Common!
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wtf lol

The Artful Dodger said:
Common is awesome, but the storyline they give his character is atrocious.
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It was the "Common lays on his back and grunts for half an episode then walks around in a daze for the other half of the episode" episode.

Psalms is a much more compelling and interesting character. I wish they gave him more attention in the story.
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Agreed.
 
hellonwheels1wysrl.gif

Seems like a Skyrim fan works on the show.

Grizzelam: Shut up shut up
 
wow

EDIT: At first I was like "WTF that was it? That was the arc they gave Common this season? What a bizarre direction to take his character in." and I kinda figured that some outside forces must have been in play, and then once I read that Common wanted off the show to re-focus on his music career and that they could only get him for two episodes, everything clicked into place. I mean, if you only have a few episodes to write off one of the two main characters (whose storyline ended on a bear fighting cliffhanger last year), why not have him get mauled by the bear and sustain brain damage, get rescued by Arapaho, become one of them, and then return to the railroad as a slaver only to be shot by his best friend? It's over the top and it makes for a Shocking Moment!, so why the hell not?
 
‘Hell On Wheels’ Shocker! Common & Showrunner Reveal Details Of Surprise Exit

‘The way it came together was Rashid called me last year just before Christmas,” explains showrunner John Wirth (citing the performer’s real name, Lonnie Rashid Lynn Jr.). “This was after we had wrapped Season 3 and we were on hiatus. He told me that he thought maybe it was time for him to leave the show.”

“I got to say it wasn’t the easiest thing for me to do, but I have a lot aspects to my career that I wasn’t able to nurture being up in Calgary for so long every year filming Hell On Wheels,” Common says of the decision. “Acting is very, very important to me, but music is very important to me too.”

“This is a full-time job and it’s also a seasonal job, and the seasons of touring are basically the spring and the summertime when we shoot the show,” says Wirth from the set of Hell On Wheels’ current season with the Canadian West substituting for mostly lawless 1867 Wyoming.

“So, for three years, Rashid had to put his music commitments on hold.” Though Common has far from given up on his acting career, once the decision to exit the series was made, the multi-tasker jumped right back into his music. To that end, Common’s 10th studio album came out this summer and he’s been playing live across the country, including a show tomorrow in Las Vegas.

“Look, no one ever leaves Hell On Wheels alive, so we knew that if he was going to leave, he would have to meet some sort of appropriate and tragic end,” says Wirth of the Elam character. “I would say to our fans that sometimes life dictates what art can be, and I hope that they will accept that we made this decision not because we were trying to mess with their heads at all,” he explains. “We made the decision because there were life considerations that came to bear on the decision.”
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RatskyWatsky said:
‘Hell On Wheels’ Shocker! Common & Showrunner Reveal Details Of Surprise Exit
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Well that explains a lot...Thanks.

Disappointing but at least they gave us some closure. This whole episode, I kept saying there was no way he was just going to die after devoting two whole episodes to him just for it to end abruptly, but that's what they did leaving us with the predictable results. Some blamed Cullen, his wife is afraid of him even though she saw the whole thing, and Cullen broke down for the first time after having to kill the first friend he had there and having to live with the guilt.

I'm just glad there was a reason behind it all since it was such a waste.
 
RatskyWatsky said:
‘Hell On Wheels’ Shocker! Common & Showrunner Reveal Details Of Surprise Exit
Click to expand...

Until I read this I was literally shocked and applauded the show writers for killing off a main character like that. Loved the episode over all especially the finale and Durant getting even. But the article does explain a lot but man what a way to go. Just sucks Cullen will get blamed for it even though it was all justified. Man some people are just idiots especially after they have seen what went down. Seriously Ava, Psalms, and Cullen's wife, you three need to wake the fuck up lol.
 
RatskyWatsky said:
wow

EDIT: At first I was like "WTF that was it? That was the arc they gave Common this season? What a bizarre direction to take his character in." and I kinda figured that some outside forces must have been in play, and then once I read that Common wanted off the show to re-focus on his music career and that they could only get him for two episodes, everything clicked into place. I mean, if you only have a few episodes to write off one of the two main characters (whose storyline ended on a bear fighting cliffhanger last year), why not have him get mauled by the bear and sustain brain damage, get rescued by Arapaho, become one of them, and then return to the railroad as a slaver only to be shot by his best friend? It's over the top and it makes for a Shocking Moment!, so why the hell not?
Click to expand...

I mean holy shit.

What the fuck did they do to Elam?

Talk about a character that ended up being nothing more than tragic.
 
This has really turned into a great show after a sort of up and down start in Season 1. Anson Mount has really made Cullen Bohannan a great character and the surrounding characters have really been well developed.
 
Just watched episode 7. WOW. Great stuff. I really didn't like the 6th episode. There was too much going on back in the city and the whole episode was dedicated to Elam. Also Durant is turning into a cold cold man.
 
Oh nice, that crazy dude is now the sheriff! That should be fun, provided they don't immediately kill him off.

Also, I was just thinking about how totally bonkers The Swede's arc has been - I mean, he went from being Durant's harsh right hand man to a psycho who helped the crazy reverend and the Sioux launch an attack against the camp. Then he jumped off a bridge after Bohannon tried to hang him, only to be rescued by a Mormon family. He wandered around with them for an entire season, killed them, took the identity of the Bishop, lived amongst the Mormons at their fort, did a few vaguely sinister things before being unmasked by Bohannon, and then met Brigham Young and became his friend/new right hand man. Like, how fucking outrageous is that? lol

Also also, since the (historical spoilers)
Union Pacific joined with the Central Pacific in Utah (roughly one year from when the show currently takes place), and since Brigham Young has strong ties to that state, I can't help but wonder if the stuff with The Swede is going to factor into the show's endgame somehow?

Also also also, does the show still employ modern music? I honestly haven't noticed it in some time, whereas it used to be quite prominent in the first two seasons.
 
RatskyWatsky said:
Oh nice, that crazy dude is now the sheriff! That should be fun, provided they don't immediately kill him off.

Also, I was just thinking about how totally bonkers The Swede's arc has been - I mean, he went from being Durant's harsh right hand man to a psycho who helped the crazy reverend and the Sioux launch an attack against the camp. Then he jumped off a bridge after Bohannon tried to hang him, only to be rescued by a Mormon family. He wandered around with them for an entire season, killed them, took the identity of the Bishop, lived amongst the Mormons at their fort, did a few vaguely sinister things before being unmasked by Bohannon, and then met Brigham Young and became his friend/new right hand man. Like, how fucking outrageous is that? lol

Also also, since the (historical spoilers)
Union Pacific joined with the Central Pacific in Utah (roughly one year from when the show currently takes place), and since Brigham Young has strong ties to that state, I can't help but wonder if the stuff with The Swede is going to factor into the show's endgame somehow?

Also also also, does the show still employ modern music? I honestly haven't noticed it in some time, whereas it used to be quite prominent in the first two seasons.
Click to expand...

I was thinking about that too about the swede. He has had a crazy arc and good catch with Brigham Young. I am just glad that the wife and kid are back with the Mormons. Now Bohannon can get down to business in Cheyenne. Also, I am wondering what will be going down with Mickey arc. Loved the end moment he shared with the kid.
 
The Swede sure has been able to wiggle out of some interesting situations he has put himself in, but then again, so have many other characters such as Cullen, Durant as well as crazy Sydney Snow.
 
damn, i missed last season but that recap kinda makes me glad i did...the swede is back? why? i get that after offing that chick they were trying to build him but he's not the arch-nemesis they want.

whole thing still feels like a big sidequest to cullen's initial revenge story, did they ever return to that?
 
IrishNinja said:
the swede is back? why? i get that after offing that chick they were trying to build him but he's not the arch-nemesis they want.
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It's a mystery. He's barely had any interaction with the main cast these last few seasons, so whatever they have planned for him must play into their end game.

whole thing still feels like a big sidequest to cullen's initial revenge story, did they ever return to that?
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That was completely dropped, thankfully.
 
Good episode. I'm liking this Sydney Snow character as an antagonist for Bohannon. Kinda hoping he sticks around just awhile longer.
 
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