AMC's "Hell On Wheels"

AMC (American Movie Classics) TV channel has a weekly series named Hell On Wheels. It's set in 1865 and is a story about the race to build the first intercontinental railway. The third season will start this October. It's one of my favorites. The "long haired guy" (Anson Mount as Cullen Bohannon) is one TOUGH(!) good/bad guy.

I believe they went to great lengths to make it historically accurate and the clothing and lifestyle are incredibly depicted. THE HATS! Seeing the hats alone is only one reason to watch. I think they did a fantastic job of showing the hat styles as they pertain to each class of working folk (there are several) and the styles worn as the social and economic rank is divided. Copy-cat hat's can already be purchased on-line.

I hope the story continues to be as well produced and exciting in the future episodes.

Is it just me, or does the NEW hat he took off the dead guy look too small for his head?

Bring back his old hat!

I know nothing about hats but i love the show. The buffalo hide vest is one of my favorite pieces. Good stuff, and it's pretty honest about how crappy life was.

mikey517 said:

Is it just me, or does the NEW hat he took off the dead guy look too small for his head?

Bring back his old hat!

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On the first show of this season, he spends all of his money on a dandy suit to impress the railroad executives and bankers. After his meeting, he takes off his new bowler hat, in disgust, and throws it to another man.

I caught a glimpse of the liner in the hat and feel sure that it is a Clearwater bowler just like mine and Bowlerman's.

That makes us tough hombres, by proxy. (Even if he didn't like the hat!)

ButteMT61,

Good stuff, and it's pretty honest about how crappy life was.

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My impression as well. Things were dirty, gritty, and grimy no matter what it was. Although I do admit, I think I could have survived it.

A show that was good from the start, but has gotten better as it has moved along. AMC has produced some really good television over the past few years and this is one of its best. Good directing, good scripts, and good acting equal rarely found anymore.

This is one of my favorite shows at the moment not just for the hats but the plot. I like the way the conflict is present between all of the characters but the railway is the one thing they have in common and all strive for. Ever since the second season it is hard to wait for one episode to the next. I like the hat that was pulled off the dead man but I prefer Bohannon's first hat.

I watched the pilot episode when it premiered in November of 2011 and, though I enjoyed it, didn't find it compelling enough to warrant continued viewing. I had watched almost the full first season of Copper, and the first two seasons of The Walking Dead, before I came to that conclusion. I wanted to like those shows, but...didn't...and didn't want to waste time on another show that would ultimately prove to be unsatisfying. A little over a month ago AMC ran a Hell on Wheels mini-marathon leading up to the new (at that time) episode, and I tuned in again; now I wish I'd been watching the whole time, and haven't missed a new episode since. And yesterday AMC ran every episode from season 3 in order, so I recorded them to see what I've missed from earlier in this season.

And, yes, I find myself paying far more attention to hats these days (and not just on Hell on Wheels). Bohannon is on his third hat this season alone--the bowler, the dead man's hat, and another wide-brimmed hat in the last two or three episodes; I'm starting to think he doesn't like hats. :shocked: