Sunday, July 19, 2015

Hell On Wheels Season Five Episode One

 
 
After four years of having the Pacific Ocean as his goal, Cullen Bohannon has crossed the mountains and started working East from the other side. Black workmen have been replaced by Chinese immigrant labor who have many willing to exploit their backs. They need a hero to stand up against those who would enrich themselves on the work of the downtrodden. It's a time of redemption for our hero. I like the change. I like that we still are in touch with the drama going on at Hell on Wheels. I hope this race will end with the Golden Spike to unite the two ends of the track. I also hope for iron spike to the head of the Swede who is back calling Cullen 'the Devil'.


What started with such a great dream sequence that I never wanted to end, wakes in a reality that set the tone for a great final season of the BEST show currently on TV. I am so happy to have made this one my Saturday night ritual for the past five years.

Now with Bohannon finding the road to the Utah territory from the mountain side, he is closer than ever to seeing the completion of a transcontinental railroad.  This is something he has obsessed with being a part of since he first arrived in Hell on Wheels.

I love all the period costuming and locations which are all freshly built and look like you would expect them to work for the time. I hope many more movies are shot in those working sets for many years in the future.

Chang is a new villain who exploits his own people. Chang charges Bohannon for workers and it all feels like buying slaves again for him. This is something that sticks in his craw and will not be allowed to continue. You can see how much it is pushing his buttons. It was strange to see Bohannon back down, especially when being sent a message. He will not stand for people he cares about being hurt.


Chang himself has suffered pain in his life as evident in his back scars and is as ruthless a 'businessman' as we have seen so far. He makes Durant look like the proprietor of a lemonade stand. Durant is just a crook. Chang is a the Tong. He is evil because he makes money off of human misery. This is an animal that places no value on human life. Cullen I a man with almost TOO MUCH humanity that it's killing his spirit. He needs to be the Rebel and I can't wait for that to occur. He is hiding behind too many doors these days.

2 comments:

DrGoat said...

Saw it. Yep, looks like a good season. I call the Swede Lurch.
It fits.

Cal's Canadian Cave of Coolness said...

Lurch works for me. I thought that god complex was another scam but we gots us a TRUE BELIEVER here which as you know are the worst kind of believers.