AMC Picks Up “Hell on Wheels” Series

AMC Picks Up “Hell on Wheels” Series

Television News

By our guest blogger, Joe Oliveto

Having had recent success in the original programming arena thanks to “Mad Men” and “The Walking Dead,” AMC has picked up another pilot that it plans to turn into a full series, Deadline reports. This time the show is called “Hell on Wheels,” and like “Mad Men,” it’s another period piece, although it happens to take place in the 1860s rather than the 1960s.

Plot details are vague so far, but we do know that the drama is set directly after the Civil War and follows a former Confederate soldier who heads West to work on the Transcontinental Railroad, all the while seeking some sort of vengeance. Vengeance for what, we’re not exactly sure, but it’s the Western genre we’re talking about here, so it probably has something to do with a slain family member.

The initial run of the series is to consist of ten episodes. All in all, even without much detail, this sounds like a very promising project. With films like the recent remake of “True Grit” gaining massive critical praise, it seems like the Western genre is making a comeback and this series has the potential to get it on the trend. On top of that, it may be of interest to history buffs, given that it seems centered around actual historical events, even if the main characters are fictional.

We’ll have to see how it all turns out. AMC has provided some excellent programming in recent years and while it’s bound by certain restrictions that networks like HBO may not be, they’ve still managed to churn out brilliant television. Let’s hope “Hell on Wheels” continues in that tradition.