Mercy Street

Mercy Street was created by Lisa Wolfinger and David Zabel and is based on the memoir Adventures of an Army Nurse in Two Wars by Mary Phinney von Olnhausen.

The series was inspired by memoirs and letters of real doctors and female nurse volunteers who worked at the Mansion House Hospital during the Civil War.

Historical and medical accuracy consultants included historian James M. McPherson and Dr. Stanley Burns, whose Burns Archive collection of photographs of wounded soldiers and operations helped inspire the show.

The series was filmed in Richmond and Petersburg, Virginia, largely within the Petersburg Old Town Historic District.

Between 250 and 300 extras were employed for each episode, drawn equally from local theater communities around Richmond and from first-time performers.

The first season premiered on-demand on January 14, 2016 before making its broadcast debut on PBS on January 17, 2016, drawing 3.3 million viewers.

PBS renewed the show for a second season in early March 2016, which premiered on January 22, 2017, but cancelled the series after two seasons on March 9, 2017.

On Rotten Tomatoes the series holds a 75% approval rating with critics praising its setting and cast but noting it lacked excitement as a traditional period drama, while Metacritic gave it a 61/100 score based on 19 critics.