This Western Series With Two Star Trek Stars Was An Underappreciated Cable TV Hit

Here's a trivia question: What do the "Star Trek" franchise and AMC's "Hell on Wheels" have in common? Well, for a start, both tell stories set in wild frontiers, with "Star Trek" exploring space and "Hell on Wheels" taking place in the Old West. More than that, though, they both feature performances by Anson Mount and Colm Meaney, but "Hell on Wheels" never achieved the same level of mainstream recognition.

In "Hell on Wheels," Mount plays Cullen Bohannon, an ex-Confederate soldier who's out to find the Unionists who killed his family. However, he eventually takes a job working on the construction of the First Transcontinental Railroad, leading to his clashing with Doc Durant (Meaney) over how the project is run.

AMC's acclaimed Western series premiered in 2011 and lasted five seasons. Though it largely flew under the radar, "Hell on Wheels" is remembered fondly by the viewers who gave it a chance.

AMC has broadcast some great original series throughout the years, so it's understandable that some have been overshadowed by the network's more popular fare — "Breaking Bad" and "Mad Men" among them — along the way. Still, some folks rank "Hell on Wheels" among the network's best shows.

"'Hell on Wheels' is fantastic, and highly underrated. Somehow this one has gotten lost in the hype for ['Breaking Bad'], 'Mad Men,' etc," one Redditor wrote. "With any luck it will gain some much deserved visibility."

"[To be honest], anything with Colm Meaney is good in my book," another viewer noted.

The "Star Trek" franchise was inspired by Westerns, so many fans of the sci-fi saga likely will have fun with "Hell on Wheels." Captain Pike (Anson Mount) and Chief O'Brien (Colm Meaney) haven't yet appeared in the same "Trek" series, but they certainly share screen time as railroad rivals on "Hell on Wheels."