Mercy Street: Season 1

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 19 Critic Reviews

See All

USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 43 Ratings

See All

6.1

VOTE NOW

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

6.1	Your Score
6.1	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 43 Ratings

Would you like to write a review?

There is a 75 character minimum for reviews. If your review contains spoilers, please check the Spoiler box. Please do not use ALL CAPS. There is no linking or other HTML allowed. Your review may be edited for content. 0/5000

Check box if your review contains spoilers

Play Sound

Please enter your birth date to watch this video:

You are not allowed to view this material at this time.

Mercy Street

Now Playing: Mercy Street

Season Details & Credits

PBS | Season Premiere Date: January 17, 2016

Summary: Produced by Ridley Scott, the drama follows the lives of two Civil War nurses: Mary Phinney (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), a New England widow and Emma Green (Hannah James), a young southern belle, whose family's luxury Alexandria hotel has been turned into a Union Army hospital they both volunteer at.

Genre(s): Drama

Watch Now

Stream On

Buy on

Stream On

Season 1 Episodes

tbd
S1:E6. The Diabolical Plot
Air Date: February 21, 2016
tbd
S1:E5. The Dead Room
Air Date: February 14, 2016
tbd
S1:E4. The Belle Alliance
Air Date: February 7, 2016

See all Seasons and Episodes

Metascore

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

Critic Reviews

100

David Wiegand

Jan 14, 2016

The script occasionally wanders into “Gone With the Wind”-style melodrama, but is always rescued by excellent performances. Among the best of the bunch are James, Radnor and Winstead. Butz and Summers edge delightfully close to comic relief. Read full review

Mekeisha Madden Toby

Jan 19, 2016

Subplots surrounding Green’s southern belle daughters, espionage and PTSD do little to move the series along and would’ve been better shortened or left on the cutting-room floor. That said, such distractions do little to dilute Mercy Street as the imperative Civil War narrative it truly is. Read full review

Mary McNamara

Jan 19, 2016

Overcrowded with plot, character and intent, the production has an earnest theatricality that can be both charming and tedious. Read full review

Ellen Gray

Jan 21, 2016

Trying to do justice to the stories of abolitionists, freed slaves, Confederate sympathizers, wounded warriors, their harried healers, and history itself is probably a too-tall order for the six episodes PBS envisions as a first season. The series, though, isn't afraid to be entertaining, and it shouldn't have to be. Read full review

Joanne Ostrow

Jan 27, 2016

Unfortunately the storytelling lacks subtlety. The good and evil characters are too starkly one or the other. The camera tends to flag ideas or objects in advance and make points too obviously. Read full review

Elisabeth Vincentelli

Jan 15, 2016

Mercy Street hugs the middle of the road so steadfastly, it makes “Call the Midwife” look like something by David Lynch. Read full review

Matthew Gilbert

Jan 14, 2016

The characters are one-dimensional, so that you essentially know who they are within a minute or less, not least of all the spoiled-belle Confederate volunteer Emma Green (Hannah James), who’s straight outta “Gone With the Wind.” And the story lines about patients are didactic, there simply to provide the writers with EZ-to-read lessons about race, war, and medical progress. Read full review

SEE ALL 19 REVIEWS

User Score

Write a Review

6.1

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

User Reviews

rachelnicoll

Jan 20, 2016

I particularly like the attention to historical details and yet captivating story lines. Great acting and writing. The sets are fabulous and the costumes gorgeous.

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

ChargerRodger

Jan 21, 2016

I loved the show. I thought the story-lines were very interesting and I want to know more. I thought the scenery and wardrobe was wonderful. I especially enjoyed the acting, I though it was the strength of the show.

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

Knighthawk81

Jan 19, 2016

I like the Civil War period in history, so I was excited about "Mercy Street," which is set at a field hospital in Virginia during the Civil War. There are some interesting actors and some great potential here. That's why I'm rating it the way I am. The pilot was a bit slow at times, but II like the Civil War period in history, so I was excited about "Mercy Street," which is set at a field hospital in Virginia during the Civil War. There are some interesting actors and some great potential here. That's why I'm rating it the way I am. The pilot was a bit slow at times, but I think this could develop into something different, interesting, and compelling.… Expand

2 of 5 users found this helpful23

shellview

Jan 18, 2016

What a disappointment. Watching "Mercy Street" I felt as though I had fallen into a history/medical/social course 101. The acting is just pedestrian as is the writing. Sadly disappointingly boring as I had looked forward to this period drama produced by PBS. I found nothing interestingWhat a disappointment. Watching "Mercy Street" I felt as though I had fallen into a history/medical/social course 101. The acting is just pedestrian as is the writing. Sadly disappointingly boring as I had looked forward to this period drama produced by PBS. I found nothing interesting in the premiere that would get me to watch episode 2.… Expand

4 of 4 users found this helpful40

scooter261

Jan 24, 2016

I couldn't have been more disappointed. As stunned as I was by the egregiously bad acting and unremitting use of every Civil War cliché they could pack into the first episode, even more surprised am I that other reviewers think Mercy Street was any good. Costumes and photography are the onlyI couldn't have been more disappointed. As stunned as I was by the egregiously bad acting and unremitting use of every Civil War cliché they could pack into the first episode, even more surprised am I that other reviewers think Mercy Street was any good. Costumes and photography are the only reason I didn't give this a 1. Question: Why did one sister have a southern belle accent and the other did not?… Expand

5 of 5 users found this helpful50

cshaws

Jan 19, 2016

My wife and I second shellview's review. This has to be the worst pbs series we have seen in years. Its like they had checklist to go through with speeches perfectly placed at each strategic point. Wooden acting and dialogue. Hey my wife has been a nurse of 35 years and she was the firstMy wife and I second shellview's review. This has to be the worst pbs series we have seen in years. Its like they had checklist to go through with speeches perfectly placed at each strategic point. Wooden acting and dialogue. Hey my wife has been a nurse of 35 years and she was the first to give it a thumbs down.… Expand

3 of 3 users found this helpful30

jchap1022

Jan 24, 2016

Once and done for this Tar Heel. More stereotyped Southerners getting their noses rubbed in slavery of which only a very small percentage of the population owned. There are the stereotypical dumb Southern belles, loopy old fathers, carpetbaggers, Yankees telling Southerners how to do things,Once and done for this Tar Heel. More stereotyped Southerners getting their noses rubbed in slavery of which only a very small percentage of the population owned. There are the stereotypical dumb Southern belles, loopy old fathers, carpetbaggers, Yankees telling Southerners how to do things, and so on. Hmmm...sounds like a former neighbor of mine from Massachusetts who prided himself on having all the answers and being the first one out the driveway during the occasional snow storm.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

SEE ALL 19 REVIEWS

Seasons & Episodes

61

Series Overview
Season 2

tbd
- Season 2 Overview
  Air Date: January 22, 2017
Season 1

61
- Season 1 Overview
  Air Date: January 17, 2016
- tbd
  S1:E6. The Diabolical Plot
  Air Date: February 21, 2016
- tbd
  S1:E5. The Dead Room
  Air Date: February 14, 2016
- tbd
  S1:E4. The Belle Alliance
  Air Date: February 7, 2016
- tbd
  S1:E3. The Uniform
  Air Date: January 31, 2016
- tbd
  S1:E2. The Haversack
  Air Date: January 24, 2016
- tbd
  S1:E1. The New Nurse
  Air Date: January 17, 2016