# "Hell on Wheels" suddenly got good! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 5, 2011, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hell-on-wheels-suddenly-got-good/605098 "2011-12-05T04:30:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![What\_the](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f4b2a3/32.png) [@What\_the](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_the)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2011, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hell-on-wheels-suddenly-got-good/605098/21 "2011-12-06T18:29:52Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > The longer the route, the more he is paid, so he would rather that he go further than the Central Pacific. That’s also the reason that his route involves so many curves. Gotcha…but he’s not going all the way to the Pacific and he keeps referring to it. Plus they haven’t even mentioned the Central Pacific. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2011, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hell-on-wheels-suddenly-got-good/605098/22 "2011-12-06T18:49:26Z")
Well, the idea was that the Central Pacific headed East and the Union Pacific headed west, and they would meet someplace. He would prefer that this be within sight of the Pacific Ocean. And spoiler for those unaware of the history: In reality, they met at Promontory Point, Utah. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2011, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hell-on-wheels-suddenly-got-good/605098/23 "2011-12-06T19:24:33Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Well, the idea was that the Central Pacific headed East and the Union Pacific headed west, and they would meet someplace. He would prefer that this be within sight of the Pacific Ocean. And spoiler for those unaware of the history: > > In reality, they met at Promontory Point, Utah. In reality, they continued building until well past each other until Congress _forced_ them to meet at Promontory Point. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2011, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hell-on-wheels-suddenly-got-good/605098/24 "2011-12-06T21:32:33Z")
I did not know that, but I should have, as I wrote a junior high school paper on the transcontinental railroad. Or perhaps I just forgot that bit. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2011, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hell-on-wheels-suddenly-got-good/605098/25 "2011-12-06T23:02:27Z")
I don’t understand why Common wasn’t even trying at first. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2011, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hell-on-wheels-suddenly-got-good/605098/26 "2011-12-06T23:14:26Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > I don’t understand why Common wasn’t even trying at first. Yes, I was puzzled, too. One thing that makes sense is the sudden realization: _Oh, shit. I’m fighting a white man who is also my boss. What could possibly go wrong!?!?_ ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2011, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hell-on-wheels-suddenly-got-good/605098/27 "2011-12-06T23:44:17Z")
I thought it might have been because the other guy took the blame for spilling the beans about the payroll not being met. ---
**Author:** ![What\_the](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f4b2a3/32.png) [@What\_the](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_the)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2011, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hell-on-wheels-suddenly-got-good/605098/28 "2011-12-07T00:12:26Z")
> [@Lute Skywatcher](#): > > In reality, they continued building until well past each other until Congress _forced_ them to meet at Promontory Point. How far past… my recollection is 50 miles at most. And didn’t the Central Pacific start before the Union Pacific? Given that fact, especially, there was no way he was going to get anywhere near the Pacific. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2011, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hell-on-wheels-suddenly-got-good/605098/29 "2011-12-07T02:33:51Z")
> [@What\_the](#): > > How far past… my recollection is 50 miles at most. Wasn’t that just the tracks? Survey crews and the road beds would have gone further. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2011, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hell-on-wheels-suddenly-got-good/605098/30 "2011-12-12T04:06:46Z")
Things are coming to a head, possibly at the end of a rope. ---
**Author:** ![lindsaybluth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/90db22/32.png) [@lindsaybluth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lindsaybluth)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2012, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hell-on-wheels-suddenly-got-good/605098/31 "2012-01-17T19:07:14Z")
_bump_ Anyone still watching this \ saw the full season and finale on Sunday? For me, Common being less of a sucky actor got me watching the full season; initially he was TERRIBLE and really took me out of the story. I’m an Anson Mount fan from his Conviction days. Gorgeous and an understated actor. I look forward to the next season. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2012, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hell-on-wheels-suddenly-got-good/605098/32 "2012-01-17T20:19:35Z")
I’ve been following the show all along and it has been getting better, although I’m a bit unclear on where it can possibly go next season. Bohannon seems to have rather thoroughly burned his bridges behind him, to say the least. Particularly liked the music during the dance party, even though it came off as a modern riff on old-timey stuff rather than the real thing. ---
**Author:** ![What\_the](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f4b2a3/32.png) [@What\_the](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_the)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hell-on-wheels-suddenly-got-good/605098/33 "2012-08-13T13:16:40Z")
Didn’t see a thread…anybody watch the first ep of season 2? Seems like alot hapenned “off camera” between seasons… or am I just forgetting how season 1 ended? Did the main character go to Meridian MS and back in between? Don’t remember the lady being so involved in the RR construction either. ---
**Author:** ![LVBoPeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/858c86/32.png) [@LVBoPeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LVBoPeep)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hell-on-wheels-suddenly-got-good/605098/34 "2012-08-13T13:22:10Z")
I watched it…I think it’s a little soon for Bohannon to be in an impossible situation he has to get out of. I didn’t get how he ended up locked up though, I thought it was his own gang members that brought him down but maybe they just knocked him out and left him on the train. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hell-on-wheels-suddenly-got-good/605098/35 "2012-08-13T13:56:12Z")
> [@What\_the](#): > > Didn’t see a thread…anybody watch the first ep of season 2? > > Seems like alot hapenned “off camera” between seasons… or am I just forgetting how season 1 ended? > > Did the main character go to Meridian MS and back in between? Don’t remember the lady being so involved in the RR construction either. Me, too. I don’t remember what it was that got Bohannon out of town and into the train robbing business. And that guy who married Tattoo Woman… He looked like the head Irish guy that I thought Common killed last season. Oh, well. It was OK, so I’ll keep watching. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2012, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hell-on-wheels-suddenly-got-good/605098/36 "2012-08-15T05:04:57Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > And that guy who married Tattoo Woman… He looked like the head Irish guy that I thought Common killed last season. Yeah that was him. He got better. No really, there was a scene last season where he walks back into town with his mouth all bloody, willing to do whatever Common wanted him to do from now on. ---
**Author:** ![lindsaybluth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/90db22/32.png) [@lindsaybluth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lindsaybluth)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2012, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hell-on-wheels-suddenly-got-good/605098/37 "2012-08-16T15:01:26Z")
I thought overall the writing was shoddy, which was sad because last season I thought it was great. Other than Cullen Bohannon (Anson Mount), the actors are generally piss-poor, with Common being the worst of the bunch. My better half thought that Toole had beaten Eva (the tattooed girl) because she had bruises. I thought they were streaks of dirt, but he said the camera lingered on them. Thoughts? Is it supposed to be deliberately vague as to whether Durant and Lilly are sleeping with each other? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hell-on-wheels-suddenly-got-good/605098.md?page=1)