Hell on Wheels
All roads lead to hell.
Created by Joe Gayton, Tony Gayton
On AMC
A revisionist western following a vengeful Civil War veteran through a brutal, lawless railroad town, balancing historical epic scope with intimate character study and moral reckoning.
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.
Where to watch
Questions people ask
Is Hell on Wheels violent? Yes, very. More violent than 94% of series.
Is Hell on Wheels sad? Yes, very. More sad than 91% of series.
Does Hell on Wheels leave you hopeful? Barely. Less hopeful than 81% of series.
Is Hell on Wheels scary? Yes. More frightening than 79% of series.
Is Hell on Wheels easy watching? Barely. Less comforting than 75% of series.
These describe how the series comes across across its whole run, compared with other well-known series. They are not a content list — nothing here was counted or checked episode by episode, so for age-suitability or specific content use a classification board or a dedicated content-warning service.
Written about
- The Opposite of HBOFinding
Cinnamon Score
How much this series gives you that nothing else will, and whether it delivers.
You have seen this shape before.
How unlike any other series this one feels
How much more it delivers than it promises
How much audiences actually like it
Ensemble
Everything like Hell on Wheels, and what each one shares →
Like Hell on Wheels
Nearest across the full emotional profile.
Same Mood as Hell on Wheels
Nearest on what's most distinctive about this one.
Like Hell on Wheels, But Darker
Similar, pushed toward heavier and more intense.
Like Hell on Wheels, But Lighter
Similar, pushed toward warmer and easier.
Like Hell on Wheels, But Less Popular
Same territory, far fewer people have seen it.
