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S05.E02: Mei Mei

JWalker

By JWalker
in Hell On Wheels [V]

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riverheightsnancy

riverheightsnancy

I just knew Fong was a girl the first time we saw "him". Something about the hair in the face, it was just a feeling. I think that they did a good job hiding her, and the reveal was good. I wonder if Bohanon will fall for her and then be conflicted about finding his family? The guy with the black foot, whoa. When the toe snapped right off, I gasped out loud. The dog is super cute, but I kept worrying that they would eat him/her. Please, no eating of the doggie!

  • Love 4
Ohwell

Ohwell

I thought Fong looked like a girl, too.  I'm afraid to even ship Bohannon and Mei because the Swede would find a way to kill her.  It would be nice if they wound up together and he didn't go back his family.   On the other hand, he probably wouldn't do that because he would always wonder what happened to them and would feel like crap for not looking for them.

nodorothyparker

nodorothyparker

(edited)

So out of two full episodes in the seven episode "half season" (I'm sorry, when you put them a year apart I think you lose the right to call them that.), we've basically only managed setup.  To be fair at least these episodes have been about the railroad, which already puts them ahead of a good number of episodes last season, but what have we learned?  Everyone treats the Chinese workers badly.  This is pretty damn dangerous.  The Swede is still crazy with some endlessly convoluted plan involving Mormon workers, now probably with a rotting toe or two in his pocket.

 

Mei seems set to fill this season's quota of women who will probably end up suffering for Cullen and for him to feel guilty over.  That should fill up episode three at least.

 

I thought tonight's episode was ... well, bad. The whole snow cliff scene? I was watching Frozen all over again. The only thing missing was Olaf, popping up to say he couldn't feel his legs.

 

It's bad when your elementary school child who's watched Frozen umpteen times and just happens to be walking through the room when it's on immediately calls the comparison.

Edited by nodorothyparker
Ohwell

Ohwell

I cracked up at the look on Cullen's face when he cut away the bandages.  Holy sheeeeeiiiittt!!!

 

It's pretty sickening when the longest relationship Cullen has had on the show is with the Swede!!

Yes.  I'm feeling worn out and tortured now as far as the Swede goes.  Frankly, if I had known in the beginning that he would be a main character, I'm not sure I would have continued watching this show.  Each season as I wait and hope for his demise, nothing happens, so that now we're in the last season and are still stuck with him.   I don't know what the ratings have been over the past seasons, but I think they would have been higher had he been killed off sooner. 

Commando Cody

Commando Cody

I knew she was a girl the moment she started speaking.  She sounded like a girl. She was kind of in shadow in her first scene and she looked like a girl.  It was hardly a shocking reveal.  

 

I agree.  The Swede should have been killed off long ago.  They have made mistakes with this show.  Like taking Cullen away from the railroad and giving him a family. That whole sex in a barn with a virgin didn't even make sense.  It was so out of character for him and she, supposedly being a virgin wasn't even believable.

 

I didn't mind this episode.  At least he's working on a railroad again. I never saw Frozen so I can't compare. 

 

The foot was really gross.  I thought frostbite that bad meant death if they didn't do something about it.   I didn't think you could just wait for it to fall off and still live.   

  • Love 1
Ohwell

Ohwell

Since she's small, it's hard to tell how old she is but there was one scene where to me she looked like she was about 20.  It certainly wasn't unusual for older men to marry much younger women during that time and if it's someone who's kind and handsome  like Cullen, I'm fine with it.  Naomi is probably only about 20 or so but her facial expressions always look like she's sucking lemons or smells something bad, and make her look older. 

nodorothyparker

nodorothyparker

Humorlessness and constant disapproval has a way of aging you, it seems.

 

I doubt anything of significance will come of it because the show seems determined to ride the finding Naomi for some unlikely imagined happiness wagon all the way down.  We were joking here that the look of shock on Cullen's face was because Mei was wearing a "I'm this season's Ruth" shirt under the bandages.

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Ottis

Ottis

They've brought the character on for a reason. If she gets to close to Cullen Ive got a pretty good idea how shell end up.

 

 

That's what I figure. It's either that, or Cullen finds his dream house on the water with Fong, because that is all he has ever wanted and the "with who" doesn't matter so much.

 

I didn't realize Fong was a girl at first, but I also didn't care that she was when I figured it out. I get that, in that era, people would be chauvenistic and shocked to find Fong was a girl. But why would they kill her?

 

This show feels a lot like Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman with Asians instead of Native Americans anymore and less about the railroad.

ikmccall

ikmccall

That's what I figure. It's either that, or Cullen finds his dream house on the water with Fong, because that is all he has ever wanted and the "with who" doesn't matter so much.

 

I didn't realize Fong was a girl at first, but I also didn't care that she was when I figured it out. I get that, in that era, people would be chauvenistic and shocked to find Fong was a girl. But why would they kill her?

 

.

I think the Swede will kill her, simply because she will have a relationship with Cullen. Even if it's platonic.

nodorothyparker

nodorothyparker

(edited)

The actress who plays Naomi is credited for the following upcoming episodes according to IMDB (episode 5.7/5.8/5.9)

 

So that would mean we'll be seeing her at the "midseason break" and then immediately upon return next year.  If the Swede's going to hatch some convoluted plan to kill her or kidnap her, he's going to have to get on that then.

Edited by nodorothyparker
catrice2

catrice2

I agree it was a horrible idea to cut this season into two.  I also agree with everyone...there was no mystery with Mei, I knew she was a girl from the start.  Just another unnecessary storyline, along with the Swede.   I actually don't know if I am going to make it through the last season. I agree with the above, I am watching it out of habit. 

 

I miss Eva and Elam's brother, (can't remember his name) and some of the other characters. Did we ever find out of MIckey was a serial killer, or was that another storyline that was dropped? 

JWalker

JWalker

  • Author

I suspect at some point Fongs true identity will be revealed. That could make things very interesting. Hopefully she doesn't end up being someone who bonds with Cullen only to get killed off. Don't know what to make of the Cullen/Naomi storyline. Some of that has been pretty far fetched and forced. The last time I saw those two together it seems they could barely tolerate one another. Found it difficult to watch myself. I sense though there is a strong sense of "obligation" on Cullens part to keep the family arc intact. Time will tell.

femmefan1946

femmefan1946

I didn't understand why Mei/ Fong cut her hair.

The reason so many Han Chinese at that time wore the long pigtail was that it was a requirement of the Mongol Chinese government. If they cut off the pigtail (like Chang) they would not be able to return.

So a Chinese woman cutting her hair would not help her disguise, unlike a Western woman of the time. Her father (?), Tao, wears the pigtail as do some of the other workers.

 

By the way, her name is not necessarily Mei. The word for sister is mei mei.  (妹妹) (Yes, I want Firefly back.)

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