Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		1.5
Overall		3.5

Mercy Street Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf February 11, 2016

In its quest to find a suitable replacement for “Downton Abbey,” PBS turns to the Civil War for inspiration, with its wealth of class and combat-based conflict providing ample dramatics to fuel a limited series. Created by Lisa Wolfinger and David Zabel, “Mercy Street” is primed for grittiness, observing medical chaos and battlefield woes during the devastating conflict, setting the series in Alexandria during a transition period of power between the Union and Confederate armies. However, subtle antagonisms aren’t encouraged here, with the production team going the soap opera route, encouraging heaving chests and wild-eyed close-ups, leaning more towards “Gone with the Wind” than a Ken Burns documentary. While the show only lasts for six episodes, it remains a struggle to work through the tepid conflicts contained within “Mercy Street,” which seems allergic to any scene of authentic emotion, caught trying put on an opera with material that’s best served as soberly and respectfully as possible.

While not explicitly a knockoff of “Downton Abbey” (“Mr. Selfridge” owns that trophy), “Mercy Street” doesn’t deny any inspiration either, creating a divided world of white soldiers and doctors and black slaves and ex-slaves, with varying degrees of privilege creating unease around the Mansion House Hospital, the setting for the show. However, instead of developing pressures and resentments, the series wisely develops into something of a medical series, with every episode detailing a new physical ailment or surgical trial for the main characters, who are forced to juggle operational pressures while feeling the suffocation of a war they hope will end in the near future.

To emphasize the atmosphere of critical care, gore is supporting character in “Mercy Street.” Plenty of time and money is poured into the production to provide it with visual and historical authenticity, keeping the Civil War mood alert through lavish costumes and bearded men, but when the action hits the operating table, the program is happy to display the sawing of limbs and cracking of skulls, while one character performs her own abortion in detail. “Mercy Street” knows it has to compete with taboo-smashing cable programming, and it tries to find integrity through bloodshed, hitting the viewer with substantial horrors to sell the urgency of the period and its crude medical achievements.

Acting is uneven throughout “Mercy Street,” with lead Josh Radnor miscast as a medical profesional spiraling out of control, caught between his addictions and his duty as a Union doctor in a Confederate city. Mary Elizabeth Winstead fares better as a Union widow trying to find purpose after tragedy, hitting softer moments of reflection the show desperately needs. Also impressive is McKinley Belcher as a freed slave trying to navigate his new reality, caught up in love while society continues to apply pressure due his skin color. Sadly, bright thespian achievements are few and far between, with most acting amplified beyond all reason. Villainy is especially grotesque in execution, finding “Mercy Street” populated with mustache-twirling-types who scheme obviously and conduct themselves unforgivably, eroding the atmosphere of authenticity the production is chasing. It’s difficult to absorb the show’s meaning when the acting does all the heavy lifting for the audience.

Episodes:

Disc 1

“The New Nurse” (53:30)

In 1862, The Union Army has taken control of Alexandria, with a local landmark, Mansion House Hotel, becoming a makeshift hospital treating all types of injuries on both sides of the conflict. A war widow with privileged past, Mary (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) arrives at the hotel ready for nursing service, plunged into a chaotic environment alongside Dr. Jedediah (Josh Radnor). While the hotel’s owner, Confederate sympathizer James (Gary Cole), works to keep what’s left of his property, appeasing wife Jane (Donna Murphy), his daughter, Emma (Hannah James) enters the hospital on the search for her missing boyfriend, instead discovering her sister Alice’s (AnnaSophia Robb) missing betrothed, Tom (Cameron Monaghan). A spirited abolitionist, Mary’s education on the ways of slavery are deepened by her interactions with free man Samuel (McKinley Belcher III), who knows a thing or two about medical treatment.

“The Haversack” (53:02)

Samuel is smitten with fellow freed slave Aurelia (Shalita Grant), but she’s being sexually abused by hospital cook Silas (Wade Williams), forcing the woman to withdraw from the world as her suitor searches for a reason why. Fatigued, Mary continues with her work, observing Jedediah turn to extreme measures to help the sick while battling a secret addiction to the needle. Alice, growing interested in Union activity on the property, finds Tom’s wartime property in Emma’s care. And Anne (Tara Summers), a trained and esteemed nurse, refuses to accept Mary as her equal, venting her displeasure while sleeping with another doctor, Byron (Norbert Leo Butz).

“The Uniform” (54:33)

Fighting to maintain his southern way of life, James struggles with Union control, urged to sign a surrender note to keep his family together. Aurelia is hit with medical issues while dealing with new faces on the scene, urging others to take their freedom seriously. Jedediah’s morphine addiction is exacerbated at a horrible time, facing a surgical procedure on his own brother, while his mother (Debra Monk) judges him harshly, especially when word leaks that he’s been made a captain in the Union Army. And Mary takes patient needs into her own hands, secretly building a pantry to help deliver the care they deserve, earning Anne’s tentative respect.

Disc 2

“The Belle Alliance” (53:30)

The Union Army is set to host a ball inside Mansion House, infuriating James, who once again is diminished inside his own home. Jane takes the news as a challenge, hoping to score a Confederate victory on the culinary front. Working through his addiction, Jedediah is challenged by Mary, who isn’t ready to allow the doctor to return to duty. And Aurelia, trying to terminate her pregnancy, goes to extreme lengths to speed up the process, creating a medical emergency that requires steady hands, with Jedediah and Mary turning to Samuel for surgical care.

“The Dead Room” (52:57)

An inspector has arrived at the Mansion House, and with his approval comes the possibility of promotion. Seizing a chance to impress, Byron and Anne conspire to attract attention, selling themselves as a valuable part of the hospital. Mary has a special encounter with a uniquely troubled patient, exposed to a different side of the war. Samuel takes a confrontation with Silas too far, soon suffering the consequences that threaten to run him out of town. And James’s family is hit with a particularly sensitive tragedy, bringing additional disruption and legal interference to their already ruined lives.

“The Diabolical Plot” (54:17)

President Abraham Lincoln is set to make an appearance at Mansion House, causing a tremendous stir inside the hospital as preparations are made. In the shadows, Confederate sympathizers prepare for secret attack. Mary feels the true impact of her new profession as she becomes emotionally involved with a patient. Byron attempts to prove himself by limiting the distribution of chloroform, pushing Jedediah’s buttons. And the curious case of Silas takes some interesting turns as the loyalties are exposed.

Mercy Street Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.78:1 aspect ratio) presentation remains in line with most PBS releases, with the show's replication and use of natural light giving the viewing experience a nice, sharp level of detail when the frame is fully illuminated. Facial particulars and set dressing achievements are open for inspection, while exterior distances remain in view. Contrast struggles a bit during scenes with limited lighting, with a few moments experiencing more solid delineation. Colors remain consistent, with hearty primaries finding life on costuming, and skintones are natural.

Mercy Street Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA sound mix sets the mood of the series to satisfaction, leading with crisp dialogue exchanges that handle accents and dramatic intensity well, without reaching into uncomfortable extremes. Scoring is supportive, balanced encouragingly throughout the show, retaining pleasing instrumentation. Atmospherics are welcome, making the most out of surround activity, adding hospital and street clamor with a more circular hold.

Mercy Street Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Behind the Scenes (3:01, HD) is an overview of the cast, with each performer sharing a quick character bio.

• "Civil War Style" (3:02, HD) discusses the production's quest for authenticity, chatting up the production designer, property master, and costume designer to explore research methods and special findings.

• "The Green Family" (3:01, HD) provides an overview of the struggling Confederate clan, with cast sharing character motivations.

• "Jed & Mary" (3:02, HD) also explores dramatic inspiration with Winstead and Radnor.

• "Recreating History" (4:02, HD) delves into production preparation, location shooting, and dramatic goals for the series.

• Deleted Scenes are offered for "The New Nurse" (1:29, HD), "The Haversack" (8:33, HD), "The Uniform" (3:43, HD), "The Belle Alliance" (1:57, HD), "The Dead Room" (:26, HD), and "The Diabolical Plot" (2:01, HD).

Mercy Street Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Mercy Street" is a disappointment, missing a chance to do something original with the expansive but well-worn realm of the Civil War. Despite building a community of anxious types, citizens dealing with the insanity of a country divided, the show doesn't dig deep enough to find the truth of the moment, preferring to project all its concerns to the back row. "Mercy Street" dissolves into obviousness, eventually turning into a series that looks and sounds like many others.