In which everyone kills or wants to kill everyone else and in which everyone forms alliances both bizarre and expected.
As an episode, a solid “B” grade. It did right by most of its characters, it was fun and interesting to watch, but it mostly felt like it was establishing conditions for the next two episodes (the last of this season–but never fear, Season 2 is scheduled!).
Mostly I’m annoyed that the writers dropped the ball on Lily this week. Let’s review what we know about her: She lived “in the wilderness for a year” (as she says this week) with her husband, defying the expectations of her family to see the West and live in the wild. She survived an Indian attack, killed a brave, and treated her own wound in a gut-wrenching scene. When faced with genteel drawing room ladies, she turned tail back to Hell on Wheels rather than live that life.
Does this sound like a woman who weeps because putting down floorboards is dirty and hurts her delicate hands? Does this sound like a woman who shows up for chow with a china cup and is then too put off to eat? Did the writers this week believe Durant’s “Fair-Haired Maiden of the West” propoganda?
The highlight of the episode for me was Cullen’s beating of the Swede, and the Swede’s subsequent tremulous state. Our hero wasn’t trying to make a point, and he wasn’t seeking revenge, or playing the scene for advantage: He was just pissed off (tell you true). It’s a different side of our hero and it was great. The whole resolution to last week’s conflict was great, especially Durant’s incredulous reaction. You wanted to lynch a worker? Did you wonder how the other workers would react? You wanted to lynch him for sleeping with a whore? Really? And the Swede’s “It seemed like a good idea at the time” was pathetic and funny and blatant political commentary delivered with panache.
Elam Ferguson had some interesting character growth this week. His “I am a man with a gun now” was childish, and his “I am an Indian hunter too” was childish, but there is something childish about this guy. He wants to step up and prove himself a free man, but he’s also still proving himself to his biological father, his owner, and the rage he experiences is still a childish rage. I like that there’s an individual psychology here, that Elam isn’t reduced to Everyman Freed Slave; he’s unique, and I think we saw his flaws laid out.
I found the preacher’s breakdown mildly interesting, and his daughter’s standing up to him less so, mostly because she simply doesn’t seem to be the same character week to week. Is she a delicate lost child seeking a father, as she was when we first met her in episode 5, or is she the religious fanatic who believes her father is a holy man, as she was last week, or is she the tough girl who is here to show the old man who’s boss, as she appeared to be this week? The preacher is being given something like a character arc, although we still don’t know why we should care, but the daughter is just being given exposition. I am open to changing my mind.
We’re really supposed to be rooting for Durant, aren’t we? I mean, that scene with the watch was beautifully filmed, almost poetic, but he’s still the prick who withheld her dead husband’s watch.
But of course the driving piece of the episode is the hunt for the Cheyenne, with the “rainbow” of grey, red, and black riding with the Yankee blue. I liked that enough to include the photo here, and I like that Joseph is finally showing enough individuality to do something a little sneaky. There was some good stuff but it was also kind of forced, and just as I don’t want to side with Durant, I don’t want to have to swallow the Noble South defeated by the Overpowering North mythology in order to enjoy this show.
This week’s title indicates people becoming derailed in their plans, but as that happened, people also formed new alliances. Durant was derailed in his pursuit of Lily, and the Swede in his pursuit of Bohannon, and the soldiers in their pursuit of the Cheyenne. Meanwhile, Eva and Lily, Elam and Cullen, all represent shifting power in Hell on Wheels.
For the record, another week without the McGinnes brothers.
To me it felt like Lily didn’t run away from the ladies, she just saw them and imagined spending time with them and couldn’t bear it. She’s a different person now, and they are the same.
But other stuff, like the cup and the floors… did her husband do all of the stuff for her or what? I was really surprised with that moment. Though I can relate some, I guess. When it’s do-or-die situation, it’s understandable that she did everything to survive, she’s that strong. But when she got back to civilization, she probably relaxed like ‘I don’t have to be in survival mode anymore’, but guess what, WRONG. It’s always survival now.
Victoria, I didn’t mean “run away” in a childish sense, more like ‘run screaming from this house of horrors.’ I think she saw a life she could no longer live. We’ve seen a tough-minded, strong, and sensual Lily from the beginning. I think the script didn’t serve that character when it made her weep at her dirty hands. With her husband newly dead, odd waves of emotion that just don’t fit are perfectly normal, but if the intention is to show mourning, then show mourning, without floorboards.
Deborah, did you get the feeling that if it weren’t for Bohannon’s remark, Lily would’ve stayed at Durant’s despite his obvious intentions?
Interesting question. I meant to write about that conversation. I thought it was very Tracy/Hepburn, or Sam & Diane; obviously meant to be “sparky.” I loved his response to her. I thought Durant’s scolding call to lunch was too well-timed, too on the nose. But you’re right, she may not have moved out so suddenly had Bohannon not witnessed that.
Anyway, my favorite character at the moment is Eva. She knows where she stands, and others are on a rollercoaster.
This was a great review but I have to disagree with a few points about Lily, or at the very least, respectfully tender my own opinions. I went home last night and caught up, watching the last few eps of Hell On Wheel, ending with this new episode. As you said we’ve seen Lily move out of high society in London to live in the wild with her husband, and we’ve seen her not only survive a brave attack, but kill one of them and treat her own wounds in the process…same as you mentioned standing up to the genteel women, she stood up to them…I’m 100% with you there. She shows another tough streak when she tells Durante she wants nothing to do with him and abandons the creature comforts he can provide for a tent in the mud, all this with her chin up and crisp English accent. It’s shown over and over that she will do for herself what she thinks is right, no matter what, no matter how uncomfortable this makes her. Then we get to the scene of her trying to put boards on the mud floor of her new home, and she loses it. I don’t think she breaks down because this is hard dirty work, I think she broke down because it was on top of everything else she’d endured since watching her husband’s murder right in front of her. I think they had her break down to show the viewer that she can be absolutely tough as nails and seemingly cold and calculating when she needs to be, but underneath she’s human, just like the rest of us, and just like anyone else, she reaches a breaking point. The china cup I think was more a shot at symbolism than anything else, speaking about her condition as a whole…English Debutante (china cup) meets the rough, dirty, dangerous world of the New West (the slop put in the cup). That she threw it out just goes to show that she will not compromise herself, for anything, ever. Anyway I’d love to hear what you thought of my observations and I love the site so I will definitely be back to check for comments here and for more content in general, but please, feel free to email me, too! Thanks again!
@Deborah
I’m glad that I wasn’t the only one who enjoyed Cullen whipping The Swede so much. I literally watched that scene 8 times in a row on my DVR! Lol I loved how Cullen didn’t stop just because Lily and Durant scolded him.
I don’t think it was out of character that Lily started crying when she was trying to lay the floorboards. We already knew she was tough when she killed the brave with an arrow. Remember in episode 3, Lily steals a horse and runs from the bounty hunters. She breaks down and cries in the middle of the field as Cullen looks at her, not knowing what to say to her. I don’t think these instances mean that Lily is “weak”, but rather that she has reached her breaking point and feels frustrated at her situation.
What was the name of the song at the last scene in Hell on Wheels 108? And who performed it?