Forget Star Trek, Anson Mount’s Best Role Is in AMC’s Gunslinger Western Drama

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When Anson Mount took on the role of Christopher Pike, the original captain of the Starship Enterprise in season two of Discovery, no one expected fans to embrace him so quickly. Pike has always been a relatively obscure character in Star Trek history. He was first played by Jeffrey Hunter in the original, unaired pilot episode. When that pilot wasn’t picked up by the network, William Shatner became Captain Kirk and the show was completely revamped. Pike reappeared later as Kirk’s predecessor, and Bruce Greenwood portrayed him as Kirk’s mentor in the 2009 Star Trek reboot movie. But Mount was the first actor to truly make Pike a central character.

Anson Mount was incredibly popular with fans, who even started a petition for his version of the character to have its own show. That show, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, arrived in 2022 and quickly became a success. As of 2025, it has three highly-rated seasons, with two more planned to finish the story. This explains why many science fiction fans strongly associate Mount with the character of Pike. However, some would argue his greatest role is Cullen Bohannon in AMC’s Hell on Wheels. This gritty Western series allowed him to explore complex and morally ambiguous characters, ultimately creating a memorable figure in Western television.

Hell on Wheels Always Went Frustratingly Under the Radar

The AMC series Hell on Wheels ran for five seasons, from 2011 to 2016, but didn’t achieve the widespread popularity of other network hits like The Walking Dead or Breaking Bad. Despite this, it maintained a loyal audience and surprisingly lasted for a solid 55 episodes.

It’s remarkable considering the landscape for TV westerns at the time. Deadwood had already been canceled five years before Hell on Wheels started, and it took another two years after Hell on Wheels ended for Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone to premiere. Yellowstone‘s popularity then led to spin-offs like 1883 and 1923, proving that westerns could succeed on television once again.

Even though Hell on Wheels might have done even better with today’s television options, lasting five seasons is still a great achievement. The show told a huge, sweeping story following Cullen Bohannon, a charismatic former Confederate soldier, as he worked on the construction of the first Transcontinental Railroad in 1865 for the Union Pacific Railroad Company.

He’s looking for work building the railroad, but he’s secretly driven by a desire for revenge. During the Civil War, Union soldiers brutally murdered his wife and child, and he believes they may be hiding among the workers and entertainers in ‘Hell on Wheels’ – the temporary town that follows the railroad’s progress. He’s determined to find them and make them pay for their crimes.

Bohannon’s Character Arc Was Truly Incredible

Throughout the show, viewers see Bohannon change from a quiet, revenge-driven man to someone who accepts he’ll never truly get the payback he desires. He then chooses to move on from his past and fully commits to building the railroad, starting as a foreman and eventually becoming the Chief Engineer. While he remains reserved, his strong personal ethics prove useful when he meets many dishonest, desperate, and even cruel people along the way. The most dangerous of these is Thor Gundersen, nicknamed ‘The Swede,’ who serves as the ruthless head of security for Thomas Durant, a major investor in the railroad.

The intense and emotional rivalry between Bohannon and The Swede perfectly demonstrates television’s ability to evolve based on audience reaction. The Swede began as a minor character, but actor Christopher Heyerdahl’s compelling performance resonated so strongly with both the producers and viewers that the character was developed into one of the show’s most memorable villains.

Mount shared that his character evolved along with The Swede’s, and he and Heyerdahl enjoyed collaborating with the writers to explore that change. If the best TV shows showcase transformation, and characters almost always end up different from where they started – both in terms of their circumstances and feelings – then Bohannon’s story is among the best examples of high-quality modern television.

I was immediately hooked by the very first scene. It opens with this deeply troubled Union soldier, clearly haunted by the terrible things he’s done – things he can’t just excuse away by saying he was ‘just following orders.’ He steps into a confession booth, seemingly to finally unburden himself, but the twist! It isn’t a priest on the other side, it’s Bohannon. And then, shockingly, Bohannon shoots him, right there in the church. It instantly makes you realize this isn’t going to be a story about a typical, straightforward hero.

Bohannon struggles deeply with guilt and questions whether he can ever find redemption for his past actions. The story culminates with him returning to a confession booth – a place he hasn’t been since taking a life – where he reveals his true desire: not forgiveness, but to be saved from his own inner demons.

Playing Bohannon Prepared Mount for His Role as Captain Pike

Though Bohannon and Pike are distinct characters, and Hell on Wheels differs greatly from other shows, actor Colm Meaney (who played Pike) has said he wouldn’t have been able to portray Pike effectively without first playing Bohannon. He explained in an interview that being the main character in Hell on Wheels—his first time as the lead—was initially quite intimidating.

Acting schools don’t prepare performers for the unexpected role of being a leader on set – when everyone looks to them for guidance and to set the mood. He described it as being quickly put in charge, which forced him to learn quickly. This experience ultimately made him a stronger actor and a more capable leader. When he later played Pike, he felt much more self-assured and had the experience to support that confidence.

Cullen Bohannon from Hell on Wheels was key to the show’s success. But when looking at acting alone, many find Bohannon more interesting because it’s like watching the actor himself evolve and improve along with the character’s journey.

While Mount isn’t simply a rehash of his character in ‘Bohannon,’ he delivers increasingly powerful performances throughout the show. This development creates a remarkably realistic and complex character who feels truly alive. As a result, Mount’s work over the show’s five seasons stands out as one of the best leading performances in modern, high-quality television.

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2025-11-18 05:37