''Mercy Street'' was an American period medical drama television series created by Lisa Wolfinger and David Zabel. The series is based on the memoir, ''Adventures of an Army Nurse in Two Wars'', by

Mary Phinney von Olnhausen Mary Phinney von Olnhausen (1818–1902) was an American nurse, abolitionist, and diarist. Historians look to the book extracted from her diaries -- ''" Adventures of an Army Nurse in Two Wars"'' to understand the medical techniques of the Civil W ...

. It is set during the Civil War and follows two volunteer nurses from opposing sides who work at the

Mansion House Hospital Mansion House Hospital was a Union hospital during the American Civil War, formed after Union occupation of Alexandria, Virginia and the seizure of the Mansion House Hotel. History Mansion House Hotel The hospital was built in the old Mansion Hous ...

in Alexandria, Virginia. The first season of six episodes premiered on-demand on January 14, 2016 and made its broadcast debut on January 17, 2016 on PBS with 3.3 million viewers. PBS announced in early March 2016 that ''Mercy Street'' had been renewed for a second season which premiered on January 22, 2017. On March 9, 2017, PBS cancelled the series after two seasons.

Cast and characters

* McKinley Belcher III as Samuel Diggs * Suzanne Bertish as Matron Brannan *

Norbert Leo Butz Norbert Leo Butz (born January 30, 1967) is an American actor and singer. He is best known for his work in Broadway theatre. He is a two-time winner of the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical, and is one of only nine actors ever to have won the ...

as Dr. Byron Hale *

L. Scott Caldwell L. Scott Caldwell (born Laverne Scott; April 17, 1950) is an American actress perhaps best known for her roles as Deputy U.S. Marshall Erin Poole in '' The Fugitive'' (1993) and Rose on the television series ''Lost''. Early life Born the mid ...

as Belinda Gibson * Gary Cole as James Green, Sr. * Jack Falahee as Frank Stringfellow * Peter Gerety as Dr. Alfred Summers * Shalita Grant as Aurelia Johnson (season 1) * Hannah James as Emma Green * Brad Koed as James Green, Jr. * Luke Macfarlane as Chaplain Henry Hopkins * Cameron Monaghan as Tom Fairfax (season 1) * Donna Murphy as Jane Green * Josh Radnor as Dr. Jed Foster * AnnaSophia Robb as Alice Green * Tara Summers as Anne Hastings * Wade Williams as Silas Bullen * Mary Elizabeth Winstead as

Mary Phinney Mary Phinney von Olnhausen (1818–1902) was an American nurse, abolitionist, and diarist. Historians look to the book extracted from her diaries -- ''" Adventures of an Army Nurse in Two Wars"'' to understand the medical techniques of the Civil W ...

* Owen Teague as Otis *

Bryce Pinkham Bryce Allen Pinkham (born October 19, 1982) is an American actor and singer. He has appeared in the PBS period drama ''Mercy Street''. On Broadway, he played Monty Navarro in '' A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder''. For the latter role, he rec ...

as Major Clayton McBurney * Patina Miller as Charlotte Jenkins (season 2) *

Brían F. O'Byrne Brían Francis O'Byrne (born 16 May 1967) is an Irish actor who works and lives in the United States. He was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for his role in the miniseries ''Mildred Pierce'' (2011) and won a BAFTA TV Award for his role in ...

as Allan Pinkerton (season 2) * William Mark McCullough as Larkin (season 2) * Brannon Cross as Detective #2 (season 2)

Production

The series was created by Lisa Wolfinger and David Zabel and inspired by memoirs and letters of actual doctors and female nurse volunteers at Mansion House Hospital. The production consulted a number of experts, including James M. McPherson and Dr. Stanley Burns, for historical and medical accuracy. Dr. Burns' The Burns Archive has a collection of photographs of wounded soldiers and operations, which helped inspire the show. The show was filmed in

Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States * Richmond, London, a part of London * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, ...

and Petersburg, Virginia, largely in the Petersburg Old Town Historic District. Between 250–300 extras were employed for each episode, pulled in equal parts from local theater around the Richmond region, and first timers alike.

Series overview

Episodes

Season 1 (2016)

Season 2 (2017)

Critical reception

The series has received generally positive reviews from critics. On review aggregator Metacritic, it has a score of 61/100, indicating "generally favorable reviews", based on 19 critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, it has an approval rating of 75% based on 20 reviews, with an average rating of 6.7/10, stating "''Mercy Street's'' intriguing setting and talented cast can't compensate for the overall lack of excitement in a period drama that's traditional to a fault". Mekeisha Madden Toby of '' TheWrap'' wrote, "Riveting drama...masterfully made."

References

External links

* * * {{TV Guide, 803470 2010s American drama television series 2016 American television series debuts 2017 American television series endings English-language television shows 2010s American medical television series PBS original programming Television series about the American Civil War Television series by Scott Free Productions Television shows set in Virginia Cultural depictions of Allan Pinkerton