Though it has never garnered the ratings or awards clout of dramas like Breaking Bad or Mad Men, AMC’s transcontinental railroad drama Hell on Wheels has proven a reliable performer for the network throughout its four-season run. Now, AMC has opted to give the Anson Mount-led series the same treatment as those aforementioned prestige dramas, renewing it for a fifth and final season of 14 episodes, which will be split across the summers of 2015 and 2016.
The first seven episodes of Hell on Wheels‘ final ride will arrive next summer, at which point the show will break until the summer of 2016.
Given that AMC moved Hell on Wheels to Saturday nights (considered by many to be a graveyard slot) for its third season, there were those who didn’t expect the series to live nearly as long as it has. However, the drama’s fans followed it to Saturday, establishing a new evening of programming for AMC and giving Hell on Wheels a new lease on life.
Said Charlie Collier, AMC President:
“With season five of Hell on Wheels, we are proud to bring our transcontinental journey to conclusion for the large, loyal audience that has traveled with Cullen Bohannon and his crew for so many years. We look forward to appropriately honoring Hell on Wheels in this final season. Enormous thanks to the terrific writers, cast and crew for all they have achieved and for all that lies ahead in the Wild West.”
In addition to Mount, Hell on Wheels currently stars Colm Meaney, Phil Burke, Robin McLeavy, Dohn Norwood, Christopher Heyerdahl, MacKenzie Porter, Jake Weber, Jennifer Ferrin, Chelah Horsdal, Kasha Kropinski, Tayden Marks and Common.
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