[Blu-Ray Review] ‘Hell On Wheels: The Complete Second Season’; Now Available On Blu-Ray & DVD From eOne

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Hell On Wheels: The Complete Second Season [Blu-Ray]

Release Date: Now Available on Blu-Ray & DVD

A Review By: Kevin Lovell

Disc Rating: 9/10

Plot Summary:

Cullen Bohannan, a former soldier and slaveholder, follows the track of a band of Union soldiers, the killers of his wife. This brings him to the middle of one of the biggest projects in US history, the building of the transcontinental railroad. After the war years in the 1860s, this undertaking connected the prospering east with the still wild west.

‘Hell on Wheels’ is one remarkable series, and one I never expected to enjoy nearly as much as I do. I have never been a fan of period pieces normally, though when every aspect of a show is as wonderful as ‘Hell on Wheels’ I’m always willing to give them a shot regardless, and always quite pleased when I fall in love with one. This series follows a group of individuals as they work and live their lives at Hell on Wheels during the building of the Railroad, following the civil war. One man is on a quest for revenge, others just trying to exist and do what is necessary in order to survive. From a struggling priest to a slave determined to be his own man regardless of the consequences, to a widow trying to find a new place in a world controlled by men following her husband’s untimely death, ‘Hell On Wheels’ is a truly amazing series you won’t want to miss out on, and season two is only an improvement from the first which was already wonderful.

The show features a number of memorable characters, including Cullen Bohannan who is the lead character (should one be defined) and is portrayed brilliantly by Anson Mount. Common does an impressive job in the role of Elam Ferguson. We certainly must give credit to two of my personal favorites as well, The Swede who is portrayed by Christopher Heyerdahl so amazingly that lots of his time spent on screen is liable to give you chills, and last but certainly not least, the outstanding performance by the talented Tom Noonan as Reverend Cole must be mentioned. The writing is sharp, and well crafted with a large number of characters who I’m certain everyone will come to love.

Whether you are a fan of the subject matter or not, I would highly recommend checking out ‘Hell On Wheels’ and for fans of the show, you won’t want to miss out on this nice 3-Disc Blu-Ray set for The Complete Second Season which features all ten season two episodes and a number of special features.

VIDEO:

The video on the Blu-Ray release of ‘Hell On Wheels: The Complete Second Season’ is a full 1080p High Definition presentation utilizing the show’s original 1.78:1 Aspect Ratio and it looks great. For fans of the show who previously watched the show when broadcast on AMC, you will certainly be able to notice a significant improvement in the video quality on the Blu-Ray.

AUDIO:

The Blu-Ray release features an uncompressed English 5.1 channel DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack which sounds phenomenal. The specifics on this soundtrack really impressed me, such as minimal noises that were perfectly placed to the appropriate speaker in every notable place. When the train is running by or when some gun shots come into play the soundtrack really kicks too. This is a very impressive lossless audio soundtrack for a television season set and most audiophiles should be pleased.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

While this set does not include a huge mass of special features, it certainly has a pretty nice collection, and some very insightful looks into the shows creation and everything involved in bringing it to life. There is a 20 minute making of Featurette, and on top of that there is also Behind The Scenes Featurettes for all ten episodes which I found to be a very nice addition. Also included is a recap of Season One for those (like me) who have trouble remembering what occurred so long ago on a show with the ridiculous number of shows I watch throughout the year. There is a Featurette with the cast discussing Season Two and lastly a Set Tour with Anson Mount. There should be more than enough to keep you occupied for a good while after finishing the ten episodes.