The AMC series "Hell on Wheels" is a wonderful glimpse of life after the Civil War during the building of the Transcontinental Railroad -- a story line that has only been briefly touched-on in past westerns.

Being raised during the Civil War myself (my parents were re-enactors) ;) hee haw! I can confirm the scenes are spot-on with mud up to their shins, dirty canvas tents, era furnishings, period firearms, and mix and match uniforms remnants being the fashion statement of the time - very well done.

The Cast and Story Line:
Interlaced within the 1865 details is the unlikely friendship between an ex-confederate soldier and a former slave (flawlessly portrayed by Anson Mount and Common respectively). Their bond grows with each episode as their commonality becomes apparent and they have each other's back in revolving dilemmas.

Lily Bell (wonderfully portrayed by Irish actress Dominique McElligott) is half lady / half wildcat and cute as a button - we all want her to find happiness - hopefully with bad boy Cullen Bohannon as their attraction is apparent.

Colm Meaney is perfect as the railroad tycoon, Thomas Durant, trying to control everything in a world of chaos.

And villain "The Swede" played by Christopher Heyerdahl is the man you will love to hate. He is just deliciously sadistic and self righteous - someone who really needs to be tarred and feathered!

The bumbling Irish brothers are always good for a laugh - love them and their 8-12 toes!

Robin McLeavy plays Eva "the hooker" and she has had a horrible existence too and is fighting for her chance for a better life as her love, Elam, is also. She is tough and adorable at the same time.

Reverend Cole (Tom Noonan) is a total loon; the man is as clueless as the day is long. He blurs the line between right and wrong continuously; but he can swing a sword like a ninja when he has to protect someone he cares about.

Eddie Spears is Joseph "the resident Cheyenne "; he is intriguing too as he is also trapped between his past and his future, like many other characters in this unfolding story. But luckily he has caught the eye of Rev. Cole's daughter, Ruth, and who knows where that is going in season two.

Finally, the realistic details drew me into this series, but the intriguing story line and wonderful actors make this show just awesome. The accompanying soundtrack is also an unexpected treat. AMC has a winner with this series and it is a must have in your DVD collection.

I caught episode 6 while channel surfing last week and I was instantly hook. There were only a few episodes on demand through my satellite. I found the beginning of the series on Amazon and quickly caught up.

The show is about the construction of the Union Pacific railroad shortly after the end of the Civil War. The show is historically accurate and the locations transport you to that time.

Common is OUTSTANDING as Elam Ferguson! The characters are well developed and the acting is superb.

I usually watch the HBO series, The Wire, Oz, Trueblood etc. because the stories can be told with less editing and a realness. This series can can compare with any of those shows.

AMC has a great thing going and I hope that word gets out and people start tuning in. I am waiting on season 2 already.

With all the success that AMC has had recently turning out high quality adult programs such as "Mad Men," "Breaking Bad," and "The Walking Dead," few new dramas in 2011 were as eagerly anticipated as their Western revival "Hell on Wheels." Despite a somewhat mixed reaction from the mainstream media, the show was an instant hit when its premiere episode became the network's second highest rated debut in history. And yet, despite these big numbers and impeccable production values, it is still very much a show that is finding its way creatively and dramatically. There are so many reasons to recommend "Hell on Wheels" and yet it takes a while to find its footing after a powerhouse beginning. For most of its ten episodes, I found myself admiring the show's technical construction as opposed to loving its storytelling arc.

The two strongest components of the show (evident from the very beginning) were its lavish depiction of the Old West with some spectacular battles and effects and a dynamic lead villain in Colm Meaney. The story opens in a post-Civil War America with an enigmatic soldier (Anson Mount) seeking revenge for the murder of his wife by Union officers. His journey puts him in the heart of a railroad construction project led by Meaney at an untamed post on the outskirts of civilization. There are working girls, disgraced clergy, thuggish bosses, newly emancipated slaves, a Native American presence and a myriad of other unscrupulous business types coexisting in this tempestuous microcosm and seeking to exploit the new possibilities on the road west. Meaney is absolutely terrific and other notable performances are turned in by Common (unexpectedly solid as a sometimes ally of Mount) and Tom Noonan (as a preacher trying to reform his life). While the entire cast is quite good, some of the peripheral characters have yet to be developed in any meaningful way.

There is no denying that "Hell on Wheels" is a handsome and extremely well executed from a technical standpoint. From the sets to the costumes to the effects, there are some pretty spectacular action set pieces and period recreations. The Blu-ray presentation takes advantage of these components in an impressive 3 disc compilation. Included are all 10 Season One episodes in 1080p High Definition with a DTS-HD Master Audio tract (and SDH Subtitles). The shows look and sound great. The additional bonus content also does a good job supporting the technical aspects of the show that make it stand out. Some of the content was utilized by AMC and some was available on the show's website, so if you followed the program closely--you may have seen a few of the extra features already. But still, if you're a fan, they are nice additions.

Bonus Content:
Recreating the Past: The Making of Hell on Wheels
Crashing a Train: From Concept to Camera
Seven Making-Of Featurettes
Ten Inside The Episodes Featurettes
Seven Character Featurettes
Behind-the-Scenes Footage

It's obvious that many people love "Hell on Wheels." I wished I had been more emotionally connected to the earlier episodes, it took about half of the season before I felt really invested. After that, though, I really loved much of what came next. There are so many strong elements at work here--I was willing to be patient. The skeleton for a improved second season is in place. As long as the show digs deeper into its characterizations, there's no reason to think it can't develop into one of TV's best dramas. Not fully cooked and sometimes relies on too many cliches, but it has enormous potential. And it sure does look great! KGHarris, 5/12.