Season five

Hell on Wheels started as one man’s single-minded journey to avenge the death of his family. As the series enters its final season, though, it has been transformed into a deeply meditative look at a changing world, an intricate retelling of a brutal time in American history and powerful examination of the characters that helped create it.

Holy. Crap. We thought last week’s episode was intense, but “Ozymandias” takes us gently by the hand, pats us on the back, and patiently gives a masterclass in intensity. *Deep breath* On to the recap. After last week’s climactic final moments, and given the season’s habit of opening with unrelated scenes, it’s not surprising when …