The epic story of post-Civil War America, focusing on Cullen Bohannon, a Confederate soldier who sets out to exact revenge on the Union soldiers who killed his wife. His journey takes him west to Hell on Wheels, a dangerous, raucous, lawless melting pot of a town that travels with and services the construction of the first transcontinental railroad, an engineering feat unprecedented for its time.
The epic story of post-Civil War America, focusing on Cullen Bohannon, a Confederate soldier who sets out to exact revenge on the Union soldiers who killed his wife. His journey takes him west to Hell on Wheels, a dangerous, raucous, lawless melting pot of a town that travels with and services the construction of the first transcontinental railroad, an engineering feat unprecedented for its time.
The series offers a historically realistic and morally ambiguous portrayal of the American West, balancing critiques of corporate exploitation and racial injustice with themes of individual responsibility and the complex drive for nation-building, thus avoiding a clear ideological stance.
The movie features a visibly diverse cast, including significant roles for Black and Native American characters, which are integral to its historical setting. The narrative explicitly critiques traditional power structures and explores the profound impact of westward expansion on minority groups, portraying the struggles and injustices faced by them as central themes.
Hell on Wheels features Eva Toole, a prominent bisexual character whose identity is portrayed with dignity and complexity. Her relationships with women are shown as a natural part of her life, integrated into her resilient character arc without being sensationalized or condemned. The series avoids harmful stereotypes, presenting her bisexuality as one facet of a strong, independent woman navigating the challenging frontier.
The show includes a scene where Eva, a female character, successfully defends herself in close-quarters combat against a male attacker by using a knife, resulting in his defeat.
The show consistently exposes the hypocrisy, fanaticism, and moral failings of many Christian characters and institutions on the frontier. While some individuals strive for good, the narrative frequently highlights the gap between Christian ideals and the brutal, often self-serving actions of its adherents.
Hell on Wheels is an original historical drama series. Its main characters were created for the show, and any historical figures depicted maintain their documented genders, therefore no gender swaps are present.
Hell on Wheels is an original series, not an adaptation of prior source material with established character races. Historical figures depicted, such as Thomas Durant, are portrayed by actors matching their documented race. There are no instances of characters being portrayed as a different race than previously established.
Combines user and critic ratings from four sources