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Hell on Wheels - Season 5, Part 2 - The End of the Line - Saturdays on AMC

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R

RatskyWatsky

Hunky Nostradamus


The last seven episodes of Hell on Wheels is the end of the line for Cullen Bohannon and his work on America’s first transcontinental railroad. The final push to finish brings with it a reckoning for Bohannon and the men standing in his path: the bloodthirsty Swede; the mercenary Chang and the rapacious Thomas Durant. Bohannon contends with corruption, greed and murder as he leads the trek to complete the final stages of the building of the railroad from the Central Pacific through the Sierras and across the Utah desert to Promontory Point. While the railroad's completion is certain, who and what will survive when the golden spike is finally planted remains in question — with no one more at risk than Cullen Bohannon.
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Cast








Videos and Links

Trailer: Love or Hate
Trailer: Never Bet
A Look at the Final Episodes of Hell on Wheels

Transcontinental Railroad Map
Ultimate Fan Game


sRKcfCk.jpg



Ratings

Season 1:

Episode 1: 4.36 million 1.9 A18-49
Episode 2: 3.84 million 1.5 A18-49
Episode 3: 3.52 million 1.2 A18-49
Episode 4: 3.28 million 1.2 A18-49
Episode 5: 2.70 million 0.8 A18-49
Episode 6: 2.15 million 0.6 A18-49
Episode 7: 2.27 million 0.6 A18-49
Episode 8: 2.51 million 0.7 A18-49
Episode 9: 2.29 million 0.7 A18-49
Episode 10: 2.84 million 0.7 A18-49

Season 2:

Episode 1: 2.45 million 0.6 A18-49
Episode 2: 2.31 million 0.6 A18-49
Episode 3: 2.49 million 0.6 A18-49
Episode 4: 2.47 million 0.6 A18-49
Episode 5: 2.62 million 0.6 A18-49
Episode 6: 2.69 million 0.6 A18-49
Episode 7: 2.32 million 0.5 A18-49
Episode 8: 1.83 million 0.4 A18-49
Episodes 9 & 10: 2.18 million 0.5 A18-49

Season 3:

Episodes 1 & 2: 2.49 million 0.5 A18-49
Episode 3: 1.88 million 0.5 A18-49
Episode 4: 1.99 million 0.3 A18-49
Episode 5: 2.20 million 0.4 A18-49
Episode 6: 2.06 million 0.5 A18-49
Episode 7: 1.98 million 0.4 A18-49
Episode 8: 2.07 million 0.4 A18-49
Episode 9: 2.10 million 0.4 A18-49
Episode 10: 2.49 million 0.5 A18-49

Season 4:

Episode 1: 2.42 million 0.5 A18-49
Episode 2: 1.98 million 0.3 A18-49
Episode 3: 2.16 million 0.4 A18-49
Episode 4: 2.07 million 0.4 A18-49
Episode 5: 1.77 million 0.3 A18-49
Episode 6: 2.15 million 0.4 A18-49
Episode 7: 2.17 million 0.4 A18-49
Episode 8: 2.01 million 0.3 A18-49
Episode 9: 2.30 million 0.4 A18-49
Episode 10: 2.26 million 0.4 A18-49
Episode 11: 1.88 million 0.3 A18-49
Episode 12: 1.74 million 0.3 A18-49
Episode 13: 2.17 million 0.4 A18-49

Season 5:

Episode 1: 2.07 million 0.4 A18-49
Episode 2: 1.55 million 0.3 A18-49
Episode 3: 1.66 million 0.3 A18-49
Episode 4: 1.99 million 0.3 A18-49
Episode 5: 1.90 million 0.3 A18-49
Episode 6: 1.58 million 0.3 A18-49
Episode 7: 1.85 million 0.3 A18-49

Episode 8: 1.78 million 0.2 A18-49
Episode 9: 1.48 million 0.2 A18-49
Episode 10: 1.51 million 0.2 A18-49
Episode 11: 1.43 million 0.2 A18-49
Episode 12: 1.71 million 0.3 A18-49
Episode 13: 1.59 million 0.2 A18-49
Episode 14: 1.64 million 0.3 A18-49
 
Fonz72

Fonz72

Member
So excited for this to return even though I haven't been happy with the story arcs the last couple of seasons. It will be nice to see an ending.
 
W

Werd

Member
Always felt like the show runners for this had even less of a plan than they usually do, a lot of character arcs and the overall series feel meandering.

Still, I like the setting and it's reasonably well done. I'll finish it out, glad I saw this reminder.
 
S

Staccat0

Fail out bailed
HOOOOOOOOOLLLYYYY SHIIIIIITTTTTTTT


I never knew this show got renewed after the first season! I was literally talking about it yesterday at work! Is it any good!? I always liked the ideas.
 
N

Nokagi

Unconfirmed Member
Didn't even know this was coming back tonight. Just happen to turn it on AMC and seen it on the guide. Swede better fucking finally die!

Edit: About time! Even though Cullen tried his damnedest to get himself killed and allow the Swede to escape once again.
 
R

RatskyWatsky

Hunky Nostradamus
Solid episode to return to, and a perfect send off for The Swede. It was fitting that he was hanged seeing as how Bohannon tried to hang him at the end of season 2. I also liked that his final words were "I'm from Norway."
btw his death scene was pretty graphic. I'm surprised they showed him pee himself after he died. :s
 
M

Morrigan Stark

Arrogant Smirk
About time!!

I'm not too happy that they dedicated an entire episode over this, but better that than having this drag on the whole half-season I guess.
 
R

Redd

Member
I just don't understand Bohannon. Drown him in the river. You got a bullet in your leg. Makes no damn sense he rode for two days just to hang Thor at the Fort. -_-
 
M

Morrigan Stark

Arrogant Smirk
Redd said:
I just don't understand Bohannon. Drown him in the river. You got a bullet in your leg. Makes no damn sense he rode for two days just to hang Thor at the Fort. -_-
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Yeah it really didn't. I kept internally screaming at Bohannon to just kill him right there. :p It was kind of a lame excuse to drag this on far longer than necessary. But I'm glad it's over and done with and we can move on with the railroad stuff with the Chinese workers, Durant, etc.!
 
T

tearsintherain

Member
Redd said:
I just don't understand Bohannon. Drown him in the river. You got a bullet in your leg. Makes no damn sense he rode for two days just to hang Thor at the Fort. -_-
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They sorta tried to explain why in the episode, that Bohannon prefers the dangerous life to the easy life, that he doesn't want to be judge and executioner anymore, etc but yeah it was all pretty bullshit and goes against his whole character of being the practical guy who gets shit done irrespective of the law or what others think.

The death scene was brutal, from having two guys who have to hold the rope to the whole mirror-to-confirm-death thing. Its a bummer the Swede is gone but at the same time it was ridiculous how many times he kept coming back as a comic book bad guy.

I'm really glad they didn't go down the other cliche road of a band of Indians ambushing them and somehow elevating the Swede into their God or something ludicrous like that.

Hope of the rest of the season gets back on track (hah) to the railroad business, I love the show but man its like 40% of the episodes are just off the rails bad. I'm sorta tempted to wait until all 7 episodes air and then binge watch, since the bad episodes tend to get forgotten quickly that way.
 
R

RatskyWatsky

Hunky Nostradamus
Interesting development re: Bohannon's family. I'm glad it played out that way though - Naomi gets a man who loves her, the baby gets a father who'll be there for him, and Bohannon gets to go back to the railroad to Finish The Fight (tm) and as an added bonus, he has Fong waiting there for him. :)

Bohannon x Fong 4 eva
 
R

RatskyWatsky

Hunky Nostradamus
@ Bohannon and Fong having rough sex on the same table as the highly volatile nitroglycerin: ...are you fucking serious?
 
E

EmpressInYellow

Banned
Finally catching up. Just saw Two Soldiers.

I'm conflicted as to who's the more over-the-top historical villain: The Swede or Turn's Captain Simcoe.
 
M

Morrigan Stark

Arrogant Smirk
RatskyWatsky said:
@ Bohannon and Fong having rough sex on the same table as the highly volatile nitroglycerin: ...are you fucking serious?
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I thought it was funny, but I couldn't really see the point of the scene, unless it was intended to show the two characters being complete idiots. :p I mean they're adorable together, I won't lie, but that was just... dumb and out of character for both.

Fucking lol @ Mickey hiring that unstable lunatic for the job. Of course he was gonna fuck it up by being a psychotic nutcase, what did you expect.
 
R

RatskyWatsky

Hunky Nostradamus
Interesting that they opened with a flashforward showing Durant's death. I wonder if they'll do that for all the characters? I kind of hope they do since it fits in with the whole "No one leaves Hell on Wheels alive*" thing they've got going.

*except Joseph
 
T

tearsintherain

Member
Beautiful episode, at the beginning you feel sad/bad about Thomas Durant but by the end you think he got off too easy, even though he is more or less the same character we have gotten used to the entire show.

I can't remember what happened to Mickey's brother either, I know he screwed up all the time but don't remember his end.

Episode 11: The Life and Times of Thomas Durant
 
R

RatskyWatsky

Hunky Nostradamus
tearsintherain said:
I can't remember what happened to Mickey's brother either, I know he screwed up all the time but don't remember his end.
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Sean gets mixed up in a murder when he walks in on Durant immediately after he kills Senator Nathan Metcalf. Sean takes the murder weapon, a gun, from Durant. Terrified, Sean convinces Mickey to help him make the body disappear, which Mickey reluctantly does, though he tells Sean he never wants to see him again.

A lawman from Boston comes to investigate the disappearance of Senator Metcalf, causing Sean to panic. He approaches Mickey for help again but his brother turns him away, saying he is dead to him. Distraught, Sean thinks of leaving Hell on Wheels, but decides against it, especially when the lawman telegraphs Sean's name back to Boston. He confronts Mickey again, telling him he will go to Ruth to confess and then turn himself in, though Mickey reminds him that will also implicate his brother and that Sean will hang. Tired of running, Sean ignores his advice and goes to Ruth to confess. Sean, truly attempting to confess is rebuffed by Ruth, due to his previous unwanted advances. He begins to tell her a story about two girls that he and Mickey met in Boston. He implies that Mickey is not the person he seems. He is cut short by a bullet from Mickey, who hid in the curtains behind the altar. Sean dies in Ruth's arms and is buried by Bohannon and Mickey.
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.
 
R

RatskyWatsky

Hunky Nostradamus
New episode tonight!

Any Sum Within Reason

Chang discovers Mei's secret and forces her to flee Truckee. Meanwhile, Cullen's search for her brings new realizations while exorcising old demons.
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T

tearsintherain

Member
Kind of a lame episode after last weeks great acting and story. I think I've seen more of Bohannan's naked back than an actual train this season.

Terminator Bohannan is cool and all but I have to think there might have been a better solution. Why did the two of them keep focusing so much on going west, Mei coulda gone to NYC or even Chicago and Bohannan joined her a few months later. Oh well, glad that entire kinda boring storyline is over. I feel bad for the owner of the Union Pacific, his foreman keeps fucking off for days at a time in between months long sabbaticals.

I wonder if Mary will suffer any consequences for her betrayal. Probably never see her in the show again unfortunately.
 
E

EmpressInYellow

Banned
I do enjoy unstoppable murder machine Bohannan, but...I dunno, this entire half season (well, season, really) feels disjointed. Very little of it feels like it's actually building on anything that came before. There's no sense that this is building towards any kind of finale, that threads from the show are being tied up in a meaningful fashion. There was the Swede, I guess, and that part at least built on the Mormon plotline from previous seasons, but otherwise...

I mean, take the big scheme from last week. It basically comes out of nowhere - they lay a little groundwork for it in the previous couple of episodes, but it doesn't really have any connection to any longer, more established plotlines. A bunch of stuff happens, but does any of it really matter?

Then again, that's always kind of been a problem with this show. It sort of seemed like they really didn't know where they were going after the first season, so they've spent a bunch of time meandering from disconnected plot to disconnected plot with no overall arc or throughline.
 
R

RatskyWatsky

Hunky Nostradamus
EmpressInYellow said:
I do enjoy unstoppable murder machine Bohannan, but...I dunno, this entire half season (well, season, really) feels disjointed. Very little of it feels like it's actually building on anything that came before. There's no sense that this is building towards any kind of finale, that threads from the show are being tied up in a meaningful fashion. There was the Swede, I guess, and that part at least built on the Mormon plotline from previous seasons, but otherwise...

I mean, take the big scheme from last week. It basically comes out of nowhere - they lay a little groundwork for it in the previous couple of episodes, but it doesn't really have any connection to any longer, more established plotlines. A bunch of stuff happens, but does any of it really matter?

Then again, that's always kind of been a problem with this show. It sort of seemed like they really didn't know where they were going after the first season, so they've spent a bunch of time meandering from disconnected plot to disconnected plot with no overall arc or throughline.
Click to expand...

The first episode, with the focus on The Swede, was necessary to close off that portion of the story, but the rest has felt too meandering for what is the final stretch of the series.

I was hoping this half of the season would focus more on the race to finish the railroad, with a faster momentum to accompany that, but only the nitroglycerin episode really moved that part of the story forward. The rest of the episodes have felt almost stand alone in their individual quests to end __ storyline to make way for the finale.

There's still two episodes to go though, and I believe most of the subplots have been resolved, so hopefully we'll get a more compelling arc for these final two episodes.
 
R

RatskyWatsky

Hunky Nostradamus
The penultimate episode is tonight!

Railroad Men

The race to finish the railroad comes down to inches, forcing all parties to contemplate the end of the line and what the future holds for them.
Click to expand...
 
R

Redd

Member
I don't get it. What could Colliss be hiding and afraid the government will find in the inspection that would make him give Ogden to Thomas Durant. Anything they find would be a drop in the bucket to what Durant has done. I would've just let it play out and keep Ogden.
 
T

tearsintherain

Member
I think him burning the books at the end was a hint - while the railroad itself is probably pretty sound, since Cullen wouldn't go along with shady shit, Colliss probably massively overcharged, embezzled, etc. He has an impeccable reputation so Durant's bluff of "I've been to jail and am ok going back, are you?" basically worked especially once he heard that Durant didn't care about the money, and thats all Colliss cares about. Colliss is a business man and looks to the future, Durant is burdened by his actions and only wants the railroad to establish a legacy that history will remember him by, which is why he is so happy that he "won" with the history books recording his railroad getting to Ogden first.

Which dovetails nicely with the 20 year later scene we got 2 episodes earlier; Colliss basically diversified and did just fine but Durant, even with the mineral rights of Ogden, somehow lost everything and even his historical significance was forgotten (the gold spike ring, which hopefully is forged in the finale).

It wasn't a bad episode but I feel like the lack of much railroad talk or scenes this season sort of made it feel like "huh... so NOW all you assholes care about the railroad?" If we had more scenes of daily railroad work, Psalms dealing with shit, more financial shenanigans from both sides, etc then all the great scenes this episode would have been more impactful. Sadly all the Cullen love stuff and Swede the Terminator scenes heavily made much of this feel more like "welp... guess the track is done".

Durant's speech causing Psalms to finally say "fuck this shit" was the highlight.
 
R

RatskyWatsky

Hunky Nostradamus
I expected all of that to happen in the last episode, so it's going to be interesting to see what they do for the finale. I guess just like an epilogue or something? Maybe Bohannon will go to Chine to find Fong?

tearsintherain said:
It wasn't a bad episode but I feel like the lack of much railroad talk or scenes this season sort of made it feel like "huh... so NOW all you assholes care about the railroad?" If we had more scenes of daily railroad work, Psalms dealing with shit, more financial shenanigans from both sides, etc then all the great scenes this episode would have been more impactful. Sadly all the Cullen love stuff and Swede the Terminator scenes heavily made much of this feel more like "welp... guess the track is done".
Click to expand...

Agreed. It was a pretty solid episode, but it would have been much stronger if this half season had actually put in the time to build to that moment.
 
E

EmpressInYellow

Banned
RatskyWatsky said:
Agreed. It was a pretty solid episode, but it would have been much stronger if this half season had actually put in the time to build to that moment.
Click to expand...

Yep. The main problems with the episode weren't in the episode itself. They were in the rest of the season.

That said, compared to the rest of the season, this one was pretty good. It was nice to see Cullen's long-term relationships with characters (especially as contrasted with Durant's) be the deciding factor in how things played out.
 
R

RatskyWatsky

Hunky Nostradamus
Kind of underwhelming for a finale, but not a bad episode overall. I thought the final sequence was great, with Bohannon revisiting locations from previous seasons (it did a great job of punctuating just what a revelation the transcontinental railroad was back then. I mean, the dude traveled from DC to San Francisco in no time at all!) overlaid with Durant's speech about how much of a toll it took on everyone involved, the hypocrisy in Washington, etc.

And then Bohannon got on a boat to reunite with Fong in China. :) That was a good way to end the series.

Also, Eva's conclusion was a nice swerve from the real life history of the character she was based on, although riding off into the sunset on the back of a wild horse was a bit much.
 
T

tearsintherain

Member
interview with Anson Mount and the showrunner, lot of topics touched on
https://www.yahoo.com/tv/hell-on-wheels-series-finale-1478296128798774.html

Grand speech by Durant, believe it mirrors a speech he made in the pilot episode.

The entire mei/fong arc felt out of place to me, and not a huge fan of Cullen resetting his life to chase love in China. Sort of matches the show I guess, while it sometimes reached greatness most of the time it just wallowed in mediocrity.

Still happy to have had 5 seasons of a western TV show, guess I should watch Longmire next as I wait for the Deadwood movie.

Hope the stars move on to new shows in the fall, can't wait to see where Mickey and Colm Meaney end up next.
 
R

RatskyWatsky

Hunky Nostradamus
tearsintherain said:
interview with Anson Mount and the showrunner, lot of topics touched on
https://www.yahoo.com/tv/hell-on-wheels-series-finale-1478296128798774.html
Click to expand...

Good read.

Wirth: You know, the Swede is kind of a shapeshifter and he’s obsessed with Cullen Bohannon. My idea was at the end of the series, Cullen Bohannon would be hired on to build the Southern Pacific Railroad. I guess that job would start first with the rail line from Denver to Cheyenne and then south. The Swede and Cullen get into it. The Swede kills Cullen. Then, when Cullen shows up to take that job in Denver, it is the Swede as Cullen Bohannon. He’s dressed like Cullen. He is in every way Cullen. He finally merges his soul with Cullen’s and he becomes Cullen Bohannon. That was my notion. We actually talked about it. We considered it pretty seriously for sometime. Then as I say, the story moved in a different direction.
Click to expand...

That would have been fucking insane.
 
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