New TV Series - Hell on Wheels

[ChuckD]

Anybody else checking this out? Ep 1 was a bit slow, but it definitely picked up this week.

[JMarkJohns]

I'm not sure episode one was really that slow, just all over the place too often. Hardly enough dialogue to figure out context, let alone enough to build tension, and far too many short scenes strung together taking the viewer from the camp, to the bar, to the church, to the big shots car, to the plains with the Indian attacks, and back and forth again.

This week did great because there was fewer all over the place context setting, and much more dialogue-based scenes which built characters and tension. I'm looking forward to seeing the Swede again. Glad he wasn't killed off. Definitely getting stronger. They needed to figure out what the woman with the maps is doing and where she fits in. Her character has added nothing thus far and is more of a distraction from everything built to that point than anything.

[Bender]

I'm DVRing the series. got the first two Eps so far, but haven't watched the pilot yet. I did read that the first couple episodes are slow and talky, and need work.

[Nathan89]

Anybody else checking this out? Ep 1 was a bit slow, but it definitely picked up this week.

Agree with this but I didn't know if it was because I was only somewhat paying attention to it.

[4>0rings]

I agree, episode 1 was all over the place and didn't explain much. Episode 2 was much better.

[2Blonde]

What is the premise of the show. I've seen it mentioned when we watch The Walking Dead, but since we DVR that & watch it on Mondays then I haven't seen Hell On Wheels.

[SnakeBoy]

What is the premise of the show.

It's about a confederate soldier who wants revenge on the union soldiers. So he builds a souped up wagon and goes around killing them.

[JMarkJohns]

It's about a confederate soldier who wants revenge on the union soldiers. So he builds a souped up wagon and goes around killing them.

In a gist, pretty much... Few more details include the main anti-hero/former confederate soldier seeking revenge on a particular group of union soldiers who did something clearly atrocious to his wife before killing her. Not much is known beyond that, but this anti-hero has tracked down every member of the group, save for one. Meanwhile his revenge is starting to catch up to him. Furthermore, the show revolves around the train race to join the east to the west with the first railroads, and centers around the politics, volatile work conditions and potential corruption of the task and its builders and enemies.

First episode was really scattered and offered little as far as entertainment. Felt more like 25/30 scenes with a very thin unifying theme. The second episode was much stronger and developed characters, advanced the story, and creates tension the way an AMC drama should. Better dialogue, better use of silence, action that built towards something, etc...

Definitely worth a view, but I'm not yet ready to say I'm all in.