Hell on Wheels Is Free on Roku and Better Than Netflix Westerns

Key Takeaways

• Hell on Wheels is available free on The Roku Channel with no account required
• The series ran for five seasons on AMC and stars Anson Mount as a former Confederate soldier
• The show follows the construction of the transcontinental railroad in the 1860s

A Western Worth Watching, At No Cost

Westerns don't dominate TV the way they did in the 1950s and 60s, when shows like Gunsmoke and Bonanza each ran for more than 10 seasons. The genre has faded from the mainstream. But the shows that do get made today tend to be better crafted than their predecessors. One of the best has been sitting overlooked: Hell on Wheels, now available free on The Roku Channel.

The Roku Channel doesn't require you to create an account. You search for what you want, click, and watch. That's it. For a five-season drama with a strong cast and production values, the price of zero dollars is hard to argue with.

What Hell on Wheels Is About

The series is set in the 1860s, immediately after the American Civil War. Cullen Bohannon, played by Anson Mount, is a former Confederate soldier hunting the Union officers who killed his wife and son. His search leads him to a mobile encampment following the construction of the transcontinental railroad. This railway would eventually connect Council Bluffs, Iowa to the San Francisco Bay, providing a safer route through dangerous territory.

The revenge plot drives the early episodes, but the show evolves as it continues. Bohannon tracks down most of the men responsible for his family's death. He finds new purpose. Slowly, he becomes obsessed with finishing the railroad itself. That goal becomes the show's north star, giving every character something to push toward.

A Strong Supporting Cast

The show builds out a rich ensemble around its lead. Colm Meaney plays Thomas "Doc" Durant, a morally flexible businessman hoping to make his fortune from the railroad. Dominique McElligott portrays Lily Bell, a widow who helps map the route. Common plays Elam Ferguson, a recently freed slave who demands the same respect as his white colleagues.

Christopher Heyerdahl plays Thor Gundersen, known as the Swede. He starts as Durant's head of security and becomes Bohannon's main antagonist. Their conflict stretches across nearly the entire run of the series.

Bohannon himself fits the classic Western archetype: a stoic stranger with a dark past and a hidden capacity for heroism. Mount brings enough depth to the role that the character grows over five seasons without losing what made him interesting in the first place.

Why It's Worth Your Time

Hell on Wheels ran on AMC, the same network that produced Mad Men and Breaking Bad during the same era. It didn't get the same cultural attention, but it shares some of that DNA. The show takes its historical setting seriously while building character arcs that span multiple seasons.

For viewers who've exhausted the Western options on Netflix or are looking for something with more grit than streaming's typical fare, this is a solid find. The fact that it's free and requires no account signup makes it an easy recommendation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Hell on Wheels really free to watch?

Yes. The Roku Channel offers Hell on Wheels at no cost. You don't need a subscription or even an account to start watching.

How many seasons of Hell on Wheels are there?

The show ran for five seasons on AMC before concluding its story about the transcontinental railroad.

Who stars in Hell on Wheels?

Anson Mount leads the cast as Cullen Bohannon. The show also features Colm Meaney, Common, Dominique McElligott, and Christopher Heyerdahl.

What is Hell on Wheels about?

The series follows a former Confederate soldier seeking revenge after the Civil War. His journey takes him to the construction of the transcontinental railroad in the 1860s.

Source: MakeUseOf