‘Hell on Wheels’ season 4 official, will receive extended 13-episode order
From this vantage point, there was never really any mystery at all surrounding whether or not “Hell on Wheels” would be back for a fourth season on AMC. When you consider the numbers that the show was drawing, and on a Saturday night, no less (a time where most programs typically go to die), it was a foregone conclusion that executives would see this as a massive win and bring the show back for more.
What we imagine may have taken this renewal announcement a while to come out was simply figuring out just how long the episode order was going to be. Well, consider this good news to be a reward for your viewer loyalty over the past several years: Season 4 will contain 13 episodes, an increase from the ten that made up season 3. In a statement, the network head in Charlie Collier had the following to say about making this decision, and giving the show a little more time to show off what it can do:
“AMC has served passionate Western fans for three decades, so it is particularly gratifying to see these viewers capping off their Saturdays with an original Western on what has historically been a tough night of the week for television. Our commitment to the genre is unwavering and we look forward to continuing to super-serve this audience with an expanded fourth season of Hell on Wheels.”
Keeping the show on Saturdays at this point is such a right move, given that as more and more people become aware of the show, they will make time either live or on their DVRs to watch it. Plus, it can actually become event TV, since it’s not like there are really a plethora of other options for people to watch rather than this. The only other new program worth seeing typically is “Saturday Night Live,” and that is not until hours later.
We have only campaigned for a season 4 renewal for quite some time now, and given AMC’s continued efforts to promote the show on social media, the writing here was on the wall. There is apparently no decision yet on the future of “Low Winter Sun,” but we have no clue how it comes back with the atrocious ratings it going during season 1.
Photo: AMC