‘Hell on Wheels’ season 5: Closing the door on season 4, looking ahead

For the first time in about a month or so, we’re looking tonight at a TV schedule that does not include “Hell on Wheels.” The Western is off the air now until next fall, which is when you are going to have the first seven of the show’s final fourteen episodes on the air. It’s a sad state of affairs for new programming tonight without the show, likely made even worse by the sad state of affairs for the past few days with many shows in repeats.

Before we get too far into this article, we want to send a little reminder your way that if you missed it this week, we had a lengthy conversation with executive producer John Wirth that is so great, we had to split into two parts to cover everything.

The video below was released by AMC earlier in the week, and we find it a nice way to put a pin on season 4. Wirth, many of the other producers, and the cast including Anson Mount all sit down for a discussion about what it was like going through the story this year, and the difficulty that came with filming two very important moments: The death of Elam Ferguson, and also the hanging of Ruth. These were both daring moves, and they send the show on a trajectory that ends with Cullen Bohannon in California, working with the team from the Central Pacific for the first time.

Moving into next season, the video reminds you that you are going to have the gift of a new perspective, as well as many new characters who are going to inhabit this part of the world. While this may still be “Hell on Wheels,” so much of the surroundings will have changed. Be prepared for that, and stay tuned: We’ll have more coverage as it comes out in the months ahead.