The AMC Western series Hell on Wheels, which first aired in 2011 and ran for five seasons until 2016, is now available to stream for free on Tubi, and fans have hailed it as one of the best Westerns ever made.
Based on a true story
The series is based on a true story and follows the formation of the Union Pacific Railroad in America, starting in 1865, shortly after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. It focuses on a former Confederate soldier, Cullen Bohannon (played by Anson Mount), who seeks the Union soldiers who murdered his wife and young son during the American Civil War.
The show also stars Colm Meaney, Common, Dominique McElligott, and the late Tom Noonan, among others.
Critical acclaim
On IMDb, Hell on Wheels holds an impressive 8.3/10 rating. One reviewer gave it a 10/10 and called it the “best TV Western” they had ever seen, saying: “I have watched TV westerns since the mid 1950s, and, after five episodes I can state categorically 'Hell on Wheels' is the best I have seen.”
Another reviewer gave it a 9/10, describing it as a “gritty and exciting Western” and added: “I never watched it when it was originally on and thought I'd finally give it a chance after hearing so many great things about it and I'm so glad I did. I binged the entire series in just a few weeks and it was worth every second. It's one of the more underrated shows ever!”
Fan praise
Other viewers have called it an “underrated Western” and “The last great western nobody talks about.” One reviewer wrote: “I have been watching westerns my whole life, from the Saturday afternoon classics through Leone, Eastwood and Deadwood, and I am here to state a minority opinion with full confidence: Hell on Wheels belongs in the conversation, and the fact that it usually isn't mentioned is an accident of timing, not quality.”
Hell on Wheels is streaming on Tubi for free and on Prime Video.
