Hell on Wheels: Writers Wanted Closure for Each Character

What can you expect from the final episodes of Hell on Wheels? During a recent Q&A, showrunner John Wirth discussed the last season of the AMC series.

Set in the 1860s American West, the historical drama tells the story behind the construction of the country’s first transcontinental railroad. The cast includes Anson Mount, Colm Meaney, Christopher Heyerdahl, Robin McLeavy, and Jennifer Ferrin.

Discussing the end of the series, Wirth said he hopes fans are satisfied with how each character’s story ends:

As they watch the last season, I know a lot of our fans will be thinking about how it’s going to end for these characters. I’ve had a lot of interaction with our hard core fans and I can tell you they’re very invested in these folks. We worked so hard to come up with a satisfying way for the story to end for each character – tough, because there are a lot of them. It caused us a lot of sleepless nights. In terms of takeaway, I think people really came to love Anson Mount as Cullen Bohannon and Colm Meaney as Durant. That father/son relationship was beautifully realized and very relatable and in many ways the heart of the series. Christopher Heyerdahl as The Swede… you rarely find a psychopath so carefully constructed and played on television.”

He added that he is also proud of the series’ female characters:

And for a western, I’m proud of the strong female characters we featured, all beautifully portrayed by our incomparable and gifted female cast members. I think people who enjoy the western genre got a full dose of western heritage, action, character and a little insight into one of the most incredible American stories that had yet to be told on film. I sense people will be sad to see it go, but there’s always the DVD collection!”

The second half of Hell on Wheels‘ fifth and final season premieres on June 11th at 9 p.m. ET/PT. 

What do you think? Do you watch the AMC series? What do you hope happens in the final episodes?