HELL ON WHEELS Season Four On Blu-ray

Article originally published as Blu-ray Review: 'Hell On Wheels: The Complete Fourth Season' on Blogcritics.

AMC’s Western series about the construction of the railroad, Hell On Wheels, is finally releasing its fourth season on Blu-ray and DVD (season five premiered a couple of weeks ago). Picking up four months after the events of season three, not every character shows up in the first episode, and for those that do, many have gone through some changes in circumstance. But as much as some things change, some stay the same, and the paths of several should land them, more or less, right back where we’re used to seeing them, at least for a time.

The biggest question on many fans’ minds is if Elam (Common) survived the bear attack that left him lying, bloody, on the ground. Hell On Wheels has an interesting way of storytelling in that it lets arc progress naturally, which often means characters sit out for episodes at a time, and Elam does not return right away when the season kicks off, though fans will eventually learn his fate.

While some series may contract their principal players for only a certain number of episodes to save budget, it seems like Hell On Wheels limits screen time when the story warrants. For instance, the season premiere has several threads to tug on and explore, but leaves out characters such as Ruth (Kasha Kropinski) and Louise (Jennifer Ferrin), who are still with the show. I kind of dig that the writers don’t squeeze in people when they don’t fit, even if I’d like to know what they’re up to, and eventually it will get back around to them.

The main character whom the entire show revolves around, and thus he has to appear every week, remains Cullen Bohannon (Anson Mount). Awaiting the birth of his child by Naomi (unfortunately recast as a noticeably older-looking Mackenzie Porter), Bohannon tests the boundaries of his dynamic with The Swede (Christopher Heyerdahl), still posing as a Mormon bishop as The Complete Fourth Season begins. While Bohannon’s usual foe, Durant (Colm Meaney), is selfish and despicable, there is something even more magnetic about The Swede, making for some truly excellent scenes between Mount and Heyerdahl as the nemesis they play dance around one another. The struggle that Bohannon goes through is the central thrust of Hell On Wheels.

There are other characters that matter, too, though. Eva (Robin McLeavy) brings the pathos this year, mourning Elam and once more having to pick herself up and start over. This frontier is not kind to a single woman, but Eva is nothing is if not resilient, and finds yet another way to go on and try to build a life for herself and her baby. I mentioned Durant above, and he remains around as an antagonist. But he also has other layers. It is he, of all people, who tries to light a spark in Eva, the writers once again striving for the unexpected, though not so much so that it feels unnatural, as Durant has taken an interest in her before, if only occasionally. I don’t think Durant will be winning over many friends in the near future, but it’s nice to see there’s more than one side to a person, especially when Hell On Wheels has The Swede to be the cold, calculating, evil player.

Entering the fray this year is the new Governor of Wyoming, John Campbell (Jake Weber, Medium). Like General Grant, Campbell is a real person in history, though surely fictionalized enough to ratchet up the drama. Coming into town, he is likely to spur with Durant, Bohannon, and the now-mayor of Cheyenne, Mickey McGinnes (Phil Burke). This provides even more drama in an already dangerous place.

I like that the characters on Hell on Wheels often aren’t friends. The Wild West, mainly seen as Cheyenne currently, is a dangerous, unstable place. Alliances are struck, only to be broken and re-formed when convenient. This makes for unpredictable storytelling, keeping the plot engrossing. Conflict is rampant, and that can be even better than the heart-warming uniting of those coming together for a common purpose, which the program only occasionally shows.

The Complete Fourth Season maintains what Hell On Wheels has built, but also gives us some new places to go. With the railroad nearing completion and season five already announced as the last, there are only a limited number of stories left to tell. I’m glad it gets the chance, though, to tell its full tale, especially because this one is so good.

There are a number of bonus features included in this release. Featurettes look at the season as a whole, as well as the new characters and the Cheyenne set. There are also specific focuses on single episodes, and bits on the set with Meaney and Weber, our less-scary villains. It seems like a relatively average amount of bonus material is present, nothing super exciting, but neither is it less than what most of its peers put out. The Blu-ray quality is about what one expects, and one can truly appreciate the setting, details, and soundtrack when experienced in crisp high definition.

I recommend this release. I’m a fan of the show, and I think it often unfairly gets overlooked. These people are doing a wonderful job telling a story that feels different than just about any other program. Season four is no different, reinforcing the unstable nature of the environment in the way it presents the characters. If you haven’t seen any episodes at all, you have to start with season one. But please do so, because you’ll want to watch these discs.

Hell On Wheels: The Complete Fourth Season will be available Tuesday, August 11th.

HELL ON WHEELS No Longer "Elusive"

Article first published as HELL ON WHEELS Review Season 4 on Seat42F.

AMC’s Western series about the construction of the railroad, HELL ON WHEELS, is back for a fourth season this weekend. Picking up four months after the events of season three, not every character shows up in the first episode, and for those that do, many have gone through some changes in circumstance. But as much as some things change, some stay the same, and the paths of several should land them, more or less, right back where we’re used to seeing them.

The biggest question on many fans minds is if Elam (Common) survived the bear attack that left him lying, bloody, on the ground. (YOU MAY WANT TO SKIP THE REST OF THIS PARAGRAPH IF YOU DON’T WANT TO KNOW.) I can confirm that Elam does not appear in the premiere episode, “The Elusive Eden,” nor is he in the big cast photo released or the opening credits. However, Entertainment Weekly has reported that Common will return and he has been spotted with the rest of the cast, so he’s likely to pop up sooner or later.

HELL ON WHEELS has an interesting way of storytelling in that it lets arc progress naturally, which often means characters sit out for episodes at a time. While some series may contract their principal players for only a certain number of episodes to save budget, it seems like HELL ON WHEELS limits screen time when the story warrants. For instance, “The Elusive Eden” has several threads to tug on and explore, but leaves out characters such as Ruth (Kasha Kropinski) and Louise (Jennifer Ferrin), who are said to still be with the show. I kind of dig that the writers don’t squeeze in people when they don’t fit, even if I’d like to know what they’re up to. As long as they are touched upon at a later point, we’re good, as neither woman’s tale feels complete.

The main character whom the entire show revolves around, and thus he has to appear every week, remains Cullen Bohannon (Anson Mount). Awaiting the birth of his child by Naomi (unfortunately recast as a noticeably older-looking Mackenzie Porter), Bohannon tests the boundaries of his dynamic with The Swede (Christopher Heyerdahl), still posing as a Mormon bishop. While Bohannon’s usual foe, Durant (Colm Meaney), is selfish and despicable, there is something even more magnetic about The Swede, making for some truly excellent scenes between Mount and Heyerdahl as the nemesis they play dance around one another.

I don’t know if Bohannon will ever rid himself of The Swede entirely, and I kind of hope he doesn’t, but surely he’ll soon make his way back into the orbit of Durant. With Bohannon off the job, the railroad is struggling to keep going, missing deadlines and at the mercy of incompetent leadership. While Durant has his power, he is making enemies, including of former ally Maggie Palmer (Chelah Horsdal, now full-time), and as much as he might dislike Bohannon, he may need his help.

Eva (Robin McLeavy) also brings the pathos in “The Elusive Eden.” Still mourning Elam’s apparent death, she is having trouble moving on with her life. Perhaps if she hadn’t given up her child, the baby would provide her with motivation, but for now she seems content to scrub laundry. It’s Durant, of all people, who tries to light a spark in her, the writers once again striving for the unexpected, though not so much so that it feels unnatural, as Durant has taken an interest in her before, if only occasionally.

I like that the characters on HELL ON WHEELS often aren’t friends. The Wild West, mainly seen as Cheyenne currently, is a dangerous, unstable place. Alliances are struck, only to be broken and re-formed when convenient. This makes for unpredictable storytelling, keeping the plot engrossing. Conflict is rampant, and that can be even better than the heart-warming uniting of those coming together for a common purpose, which the program only occasionally shows.

Entering the fray this year is the new Governor of Wyoming, John Campbell (Jake Weber, Medium). Like General Grant, Campbell is a real person in history, though surely fictionalized enough to ratchet up the drama. Coming into town, he is likely to spur with Durant, Bohannon, and the now-mayor of Cheyenne, Mickey McGinnes (Phil Burke). I’m curious to see how fresh blood will shake up the chemistry this time, which has already been frequently changed over the course of the show’s run.

“The Elusive Eden” is a strong continuation of a solid show, and certainly up to the standards previously set. HELL ON WHEELS returns to AMC Saturday at 9 p.m. ET.

Medium ends series strangely

***This article contains spoilers. If you have not watched "Me Without You" yet, I strongly recommend you do not read it, as there were some pretty neat twists.***

     Last night was the series finale of CBS's Medium. I used to watch the show religiously when it ran on NBC, but after the move to CBS last year, I thought quality went down. NBC wasn't afraid to shake up the series and make major changes. CBS, on the other hand, toned it down to a common procedural, something very successful on their network, because their viewers don't like to pay much attention apparently, but the reason I don't bother with much of their programming. Boring! However, having viewed a handful of episodes this year, and they were better, with more focus Dubois family, the true heart of the show.

     Last night's series ender pretty much dispatched with the children all together. It was the love story of Allison (Patricia Arquette) and Joe (Jake Weber). In the first moments, Joe is killed in a plane crash. Flash forward seven years later, and Allison is working with the district attorney (Roger Bart, Desperate Housewives, The Producers) to bring down a major Mexican drug cartel. The DA is killed and Mayor Devalos (Miguel Sandoval) tasks Allison with finishing the case. But then Allison begins dreaming about Joe, convinced the accused has her husband stashed away down in Mexico. Joe has suffered from amnesia, and doesn't remember her.

     I thought that the plot up to that point was unrealistic, and it was stretching my enjoyment. I like the series, and sometimes there are some fantastical things that happen, but even so, it was going a little too far. Amnesia? Come on. Been done before. Don't do such a hokey plot for your final episode! I kept trying to talk myself out of the disappointment and just enjoy the love story, but I was having a difficult time. When Allison blew the case on purpose to find Joe, it was really bothering me. Yes, she loves him, but she also cares about her job, and about putting away bad guys. Plus, I wasn't crazy about the new, older Marie. And, let's be honest, Arquette isn't the most talented actress in the world.

     And then came the big twist: Joe had died in the wreck, and sent her the dream of seven years later to show Allison that she would be fine without him. Allison's only brain forced the Joe survived subplot into the story, and she took over the dream. Now we're back to the night Joe died, and he's telling her that he's really gone.

     I was on board, now. Cool idea, executed wonderfully. Unlike Arquette, Weber is a hell of an actor, and he sold the whole thing brilliantly. I didn't see it coming, but it validated my doubts about the episode up until this point. Of course it seemed off, because it was! The whole Mexican case and amnesic Joe never happened! But with about ten minutes left in the show, I wondered what could possibly be done to top what the writers had just pulled off.

     Sadly, instead of using that ten minutes, the series chose to only use a few of them, and then do another few minutes of goodbye montage to the main actors in the show. The music was a little hokey, but I can appreciate that after seven years, the series wanted to give credit to the people who brought the characters to life. The words revealing that the real Allison and Joe are still living happily together was nice, and surely appreciated by some viewers who had remained heavily invested straight through to the end.

     Now, the last scene after Joe's reveal and before the tribute may have been the most interesting. It was set forty-one years after Joe's death, with Allison slipping quietly into, surrounded by pictures and memories of her family. Their three daughters were adults with children, and at least one great grandchild for Allison. Although she was alone at the time, it was clear that she was still loved by her family. And the aloneness worked out better, as just after Allison died, Joe appeared to take her into the after life.

    My question is, did this scene happen? Or was it another dream sent by Joe to comfort her, and Allison didn't take it over this time because she had her happy ending? Or Joe knew she'd take it over, but also knew that it would work anyway? Or did Allison make it up herself? It was a beautiful demonstration of their commitment together. Their marriage has always been a major cornerstone to the series, and I loved that the final moments of footage were an affirmation of their bond.

     Thank you, Medium, for an uneven, but mostly interesting story of a fascinating and relatable family. Besides those mentioned above, Medium also starred David Cubitt as Lee, Sofia Vassilieva as Ariel, Maria Lark as Bridgette, and Madison and Miranda Carabello as Marie.

Article first published as TV Review: Medium Ends Series Strangely on Blogcritics.

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