A few months back, I was flipping through the diverse collection of shows on Netflix. We don't have cable, satellite or DISH (whatever that is), so other than the occasional reference to one of the Kardashian's (whoever they are) or something about a professor who makes meth to "help" his family, I haven't been too aware of the types of things the majority of the American public watch on a daily/nightly basis.
Anyway, I saw a historical drama that caught my attention, and, being a fan of the historical drama (I've always loved Happy Days and The Man From U.N.C.L.E., etc.), and generally liking cowboys, Hell On Wheels looked like a worthy endeavor. Well, I watched the first episode up until one of the characters got his throat slit by a former slave, and that was the end of that adventure... for a few weeks, anyway.
Long story short, I decided to watch another episode a few weeks later, and... I... finished all three seasons on Netflix last night. It took a few weeks, but not for a lack of trying; carrying my "smart" phone into the bathroom with me; watching it on my tablet while in the waiting room at the doctor's; and even occasionally watching it on a real television set!
Why? You may ask, if you've read this far... It's a brutal show, with maniacal ministers, racial bigotry, former slaves willing to exact their own brand of redemption on former slave-owners, and enough of the N-Word to make some rap fans blush. It's also a bit gory, with the infrequent decapitation, mutilation, scalping and shootings (actually there are a lot of the last two), and if you know me you know I'm not a huge fan of gore.
The honest answer, however, is I don't know.
Yes, yes, I do. I like the unpredictability of the world these people live in. Characters are on the show for two or three seasons, and then suddenly die; some by bullet, others by accident. The characters, even those now deceased, are also rather interesting in their flawed ways. None of the regulars on the show are "straight and narrow," though a few of them try to be and are constantly on their knees asking for guidance and forgiveness. They also aren't portrayed in a PC fashion; the indians/natives, the Confederate/Union soldiers, and the ex-slaves all have flaws and make bad choices at times. But even the choices, when they come to haunt (and they always come back to haunt!) often lead, again, to a sort of redemptive spirit.
Like the inhabitants of Hell on Wheels (yes, it was a town), the show isn't without it's flaws. Plot-holes, possibly caused by the occasional stray bullet or arrow cause some confusion, and the brutality of the characters makes it a little difficult to like any of the people above the age of 16. And, yes, the sporadic violence makes me a little squeamish. That said, I found myself constantly going back to see what would happen next.
Fortunately, I guess, season four is just now airing on regular cable channels, so I won't be seeing it for another year...
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