Bohannon Comes Home, Hell on Wheels “Chicken Hill” 

I think my favorite thing about Cullen Bohannon is his economy of language. When Mickey asks, ‘What happened to you?” He replies, “I got a Mormon girl in the family way. I need a job. Any more questions?” Bohannon has a way of simplifying things that I really enjoy. And it’s interesting that he gets two good job offers – at least in Naomi’s eyes – that he turns down. But I honestly can’t imagine Bohannon working for Mickey or for Governor Campbell. He’s got so much more integrity than that. And as he tells his wife, he’s got to “finish this right.”

in order to do that he’s got to stay alive and the beating Campbell’s men (We don’t need to see their faces to know it was Campbell’s men who attacked him) put on him is brutal. But if I was a betting woman, I’d always put my money on Bohannon. That man may have as many lives as the average cat, because he seems to come back from the dead often. As always, there are people who are both happy and very, very disappointed to see him when he first returns to town. Even though the position is currently filled, Bohannon is going to do what he needs to get his old job back. In the meantime, he’s willing to work on the line for the same wage as the freemen.

When she sees Bohannon with wife and child in tow, Ruth is disappointed. She’d been praying for his return, but it looks like she didn’t quite pray for the right thing. Or maybe someone else’s God answered her prayers. In any case, when Bohannon comes to see her and asks for Ruth to lend a helping hand to Naomi and William if need be, she tells him that she’ll never turn away from someone in need. Bohannon knows he’s hurt her, but is there any way he can apologize for the choices he’s made. And would that apology be sincere?

When Bohannon goes to see Eva – after she’s already spit in his face – he is contrite. But Eva doesn’t want to hear it. He should’ve known Elam would come after him when he disappeared. Bohannon tells her he was abducted at gunpoint against his will. And there really isn’t much Eva can say to that. I’m not sure if she’s trying to comfort him or add to his guilt when she tells him Elam considered him a friend. But his response, “Well, one fewer now.” I know he’s feeling Elam’s loss, even if he won’t admit it to Eva.

In an effort to either move on or look after herself or both, Ev is learning a new trade. When she loses all her money to a card sharp, she asks for him to teach her his tricks. He says it’s taken him years to perfect his sleight of hand and when he doesn’t seem interested, she promises to make it worth his while.

Even though Bohannon has no interest in talking to Louise about his story, she writes about him anyway. Any reporter worth their salt would too. He’s newsworthy on so many levels. Personally, I want to see him shake up Cheyenne even more. Although they’re at odds now, I still (and will always) want Bohannon and Durant to be on the same side. I really do think they’ll have to team up to defeat the likes of Campbell.

Hell on Wheels airs Saturdays at 9/8c on AMC.