AMC’s ‘Hell On Wheels’ Gets A New Showrunner For Season 3

AMC’s Western drama Hell on Wheels has finally filled the power-vacuum left by former showrunners Joe and Tony Gayton for the show’s upcoming season 3. Falling Skies consultant and vet showrunner John Wirth has been tapped to run and executive produce the show next season, reports Deadline.

The AMC series, from Entertainment One, Endemol USA and Nomadic Pictures, was recently renewed for a third season despite mediocre viewership and flagging ratings. The renewal came as a bit of a surprise after the season 2 finale rushed through storylines and tied up loose ends in true “this is definitely our last episode” fashion.

Myself a fan of the AMC show, the season 2 finale both confused and frustrated me, and my surprise was compounded tenfold when I heard that the show had been renewed for a third season. In the words of Kevin Yeoman of ScreenRant, the mind-numbing amount of frantically wrapped-up plot-lines “was merely the producers’ way of saying, ‘I’m taking my toys and going home.’ ” Indeed, it seemed as though season 2 was the last of Hell on Wheels, even from a story-telling perspective.

But AMC apparently believes in the show, likely seeing what he rest of us see: That Hell on Wheels could be a good show with the right direction. Enter John Wirth, who replaces the out-going Gaytons and executive producer John Shiban, who also jumped a train out of Hell on Wheels. With experience on shows like The Cape, The Sarah Connor Chronicles, and Falling Skies under his belt, Wirth’s appointment to Hell on Wheels is an encouraging one.

“As we gear up for season three of Hell On Wheels we are pleased to have such an accomplished showrunner as John Wirth join our team,” said Susie Fitzgerald, AMC’s SVP of scripted development and current programming. “With the help of our partners at Entertainment One, Endemol and Nomadic, we look forward to a new season of the poetic and pulpy adventures of Cullen Bohannan and the other characters as they build the railroad across the US.”

We have also reached out to actor Anson Mount, who plays Cullen Bohannon on the show, for his perspective on the upcoming season 3. We’ll let you know if he gets back to us.

What do you think the future holds for Hell on Wheels?