‘Hell on Wheels’ season 5, episode 10 preview: Experiments and plans

On Saturday night, “Hell on Wheels” gave us an episode that gave us what was a pretty widespread look at life both on the railroad and beyond. Cullen did what he could in order to help Naomi and Isaac, while Mickey found himself a new arrangement courtesy of Durant. He realized that he needed someone with loyalty and skin in the game, and he may have found one thanks to a negotiation.

As to where the story is going to go from here, it’s an interesting question and one highlighted in a very-short synopsis below courtesy of TV Guide:

“Cullen’s nitroglycerin experiment provides an explosive backdrop for the railroad life in Truckee. Meanwhile, Durant’s plan turns deadly.”

So why is Cullen looking towards explosives as the next course of action for the Central Pacific? It in part comes back to the railroad being a little bit behind in production, and having a newfound sense of determination to complete this railroad. At this point, it’s really all he has following the super-sad tale of the end of his time with Naomi. This is one of those shows that does really demonstrate what the massage of time can do in terms of damage, and for this character, he had to realize that she had moved on over the course of his time away.

The other bit of sad news here is merely that there are only five more episodes still to go until this story is complete; therefore, we expect to get a little emotional through watching the joining of the two railroad companies, leading to a turning point in American history.