Hell on Wheels is a halfway decent western. I'm tempted to rate it higher than a 7, as I think it is probably one of the more realistic westerns ever to hit television, but it is just a hair too dark and gritty for my taste. Several things they get very right, from a historical perspective. Westerns usually play it loose when it comes to firearms, but this show stays true to the cap and ball revolver that were prevalent in the mid-late 1860's, which is when this is set. For history buffs, it really drives home the fact that the lever action Winchester and Henry rifles were king if you wanted firepower. The cap and ball revolver is time consuming to reload, even with a spare cylinder ready to go, and this show authentically points that out several times.
What I enjoyed even more, however, is that this is the first show I'm aware of that pays tribute to Olive Oatman. The character in Hell on Wheels is named "Eva", and is played by Robin McLeavy. Olive Oatman was a Mormon who's family was slaughtered by the Yavapai when she was 14 years old. She and her younger sister (who later died of starvation) were taken captive, and traded shortly after to the Mojave Indians. Olive lived with them until she was 19 years old, when she was finally returned to white society, in what is now Needles, California. At the time of the massacre, Olive and her family were living in what is now the inhabited "ghost town" of Oatman, Arizona, which was named after her. Oatman is along the iconic "Route 66", and became famous as the honeymoon spot of Clark Gable and Carole Lombard.
The creative license taken by the producers of Hell on Wheels involved "Eva" living with the native Americans in the Midwest, as opposed to Arizona and California, where she actually lived. Secondly, Olive became famous when she was returned to Fort Yuma, and never worked as a prostitute. In fact she graduated from the University of the Pacific. What Hell on Wheels got right was her tattoo. Olive had the exact same blue chin tattoo, given her by the Mojave Indians, as a sign she'd been adopted into their society. This made her the first white woman, possibly in history, to have a tattoo.
What I enjoyed even more, however, is that this is the first show I'm aware of that pays tribute to Olive Oatman. The character in Hell on Wheels is named "Eva", and is played by Robin McLeavy. Olive Oatman was a Mormon who's family was slaughtered by the Yavapai when she was 14 years old. She and her younger sister (who later died of starvation) were taken captive, and traded shortly after to the Mojave Indians. Olive lived with them until she was 19 years old, when she was finally returned to white society, in what is now Needles, California. At the time of the massacre, Olive and her family were living in what is now the inhabited "ghost town" of Oatman, Arizona, which was named after her. Oatman is along the iconic "Route 66", and became famous as the honeymoon spot of Clark Gable and Carole Lombard.
The creative license taken by the producers of Hell on Wheels involved "Eva" living with the native Americans in the Midwest, as opposed to Arizona and California, where she actually lived. Secondly, Olive became famous when she was returned to Fort Yuma, and never worked as a prostitute. In fact she graduated from the University of the Pacific. What Hell on Wheels got right was her tattoo. Olive had the exact same blue chin tattoo, given her by the Mojave Indians, as a sign she'd been adopted into their society. This made her the first white woman, possibly in history, to have a tattoo.