'MERCY STREET' EPIC SERIES
ON AMERICAN CIVIL WAR
Today we're spotlighting the last of the brand new historical TV series to air this January MERCY STREET, which is ready to cobble its way into the small screens at PBS from January 17th! Based on real events, it takes viewers beyond the battlefield and into the lives of Americans on the Civil War home front as they face the unprecedented challenges of one of the most turbulent times in US history.
BLOOD ISN'T BLUE OR GRAY
Set in Virginia in the spring of 1862, MERCY STREET follows the lives of two volunteer nurses on opposite sides of the conflict: Nurse Mary Phinney (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), a staunch New England
abolitionist, and Emma Green (Hannah James),
a naive young Confederate belle. The two collide at Mansion House, the
Green family’s luxury hotel that has been taken over and transformed
into a Union 
Army hospital in Alexandria, a border town between North
and South and the longest Union occupied city of the war. Ruled under
martial law, Alexandria served as the melting pot of 
the region: with
soldiers, civilians, female volunteers, doctors, wounded fighting men
from both sides, runaway slaves, prostitutes, speculators and spies.
The intersection of North and South within the confines of a small
occupied town creates a rich world that is chaotic, conflicted, corrupt,
dynamic and even hopeful — a cauldron within which these characters
strive, fight, love, laugh, betray, sacrifice and, at times, act like
scoundrels. This series is not about battles and glory; it’s about the
drama and unexpected humour of everyday life behind the front lines of
war.
Set in Virginia in the spring of 1862, MERCY STREET follows the lives of two volunteer nurses on opposite sides of the conflict: Nurse Mary Phinney (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), a staunch New England
abolitionist, and Emma Green (Hannah James),
a naive young Confederate belle. The two collide at Mansion House, the
Green family’s luxury hotel that has been taken over and transformed
into a Union 
Army hospital in Alexandria, a border town between North
and South and the longest Union occupied city of the war. Ruled under
martial law, Alexandria served as the melting pot of the region: with
soldiers, civilians, female volunteers, doctors, wounded fighting men
from both sides, runaway slaves, prostitutes, speculators and spies.
The intersection of North and South within the confines of a small
occupied town creates a rich world that is chaotic, conflicted, corrupt,
dynamic and even hopeful — a cauldron within which these characters
strive, fight, love, laugh, betray, sacrifice and, at times, act like
scoundrels. This series is not about battles and glory; it’s about the
drama and unexpected humour of everyday life behind the front lines of
war.
THE STELLAR CAST
Mercy Street stars Josh Radnor as Dr. Jedediah Foster (unhappily married doctor searching for ways to advance medical science, sometimes at the expense of his own health)
Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Mary Phinney (feisty widow, and a new nurse with whom he develops an unexpected bond)
Gary Cole as James Green (the patriarch of the Green family who is struggling to maintain his family businesses in an occupied city)
Hannah James as Emma Green (an entitled Southern young woman who volunteers as a nurse at Mansion House Hospital)
Brad Koed as James Green, Jr. (desperately wants to be on the front lines for the Confederate cause.)
Tara Summers as Anne Hastings (a nurse whose claim to fame is her experience working with Florence Nightingale in the Crimean War)
McKinley Belcher III as Samuel Diggs (a black laborer who works in Mansion House Hospital and harbours a secret knowledge of medicine)
Jack Falahee as Frank Stringfellow (a Confederate spy who is betrothed to Emma Green)
Anna Sophia Robb as Alice Green (Emma's younger sister, who at first frivolous and naïve, becomes the most radicalized member of the family)
Donna Murphy as Jane Green (the wife of James Green, Sr. The mother to three is the quintessential Southern belle)
Luke Macfarlane as Chaplain Hopkins (has a dark past and is newly committed to God and his work).
Check out the first trailer below:
Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Mary Phinney (feisty widow, and a new nurse with whom he develops an unexpected bond)
Gary Cole as James Green (the patriarch of the Green family who is struggling to maintain his family businesses in an occupied city)
Hannah James as Emma Green (an entitled Southern young woman who volunteers as a nurse at Mansion House Hospital)
Brad Koed as James Green, Jr. (desperately wants to be on the front lines for the Confederate cause.)
Tara Summers as Anne Hastings (a nurse whose claim to fame is her experience working with Florence Nightingale in the Crimean War)
McKinley Belcher III as Samuel Diggs (a black laborer who works in Mansion House Hospital and harbours a secret knowledge of medicine)
Jack Falahee as Frank Stringfellow (a Confederate spy who is betrothed to Emma Green)
Anna Sophia Robb as Alice Green (Emma's younger sister, who at first frivolous and naïve, becomes the most radicalized member of the family)
Donna Murphy as Jane Green (the wife of James Green, Sr. The mother to three is the quintessential Southern belle)
Luke Macfarlane as Chaplain Hopkins (has a dark past and is newly committed to God and his work).
Oh, those impossible dresses!
ReplyDeletethe colours on some of them might even make you puke :) You will scene in one of the ball scenes :)
DeleteWow, impressive period and costumes, from the laborer to the incredible dresses!
ReplyDeleteshould be really interesting to watch, especially with today's situation in America.
DeleteI'm with Phil.
ReplyDeletePhil is the man
DeleteLooks like a good historical to me, although the US Civil War isn't my favourite historical period.
ReplyDeleteYa the clothes are pretty hideous and from what I understand the fabrics were rough and scratchy. The fashion in France was sooo much better.
mine either, dear.
DeleteYes, to kitschy and curtain looking :)
That's it exactly-kitchen curtains. And ugly ones at that.
Deleteyou could serve tea on them!
DeleteI've enjoyed some historical TV series. I guess we will see how this one does. I cannot imagine wearing a dress like that too constraining.
ReplyDeletenot very practical especially when you're running a hospital!
DeleteWell, what are the options?
Deleterun around naked? Blimey
DeleteNurse!
DeleteSounds like an interesting series. I think I would feel claustrophobic in those clothes- not to mention the fact that I am picky about textures! Thanks for sharing. :)
ReplyDelete~Jess
be welcome, hope it won't disappoint!
DeleteI don't think I could have worn those hideous Southern Belle dresses. It must have felt like walking around with a hula hoop shoved up your dress all day long. And the ruffles and bows they had draped on them... ugh!
ReplyDeletethey looked kinda like Christmas tree - put on me every trinket, every piece of bow and lace I have in the house lol I'm guessing just the price of the length of the fabric used could feed half of Africa
DeleteAnd they didn't come cheap either.
Deletenothing came cheap in the world of slavery
DeleteWow, that looks really good! I wonder what real life events they're depicting. Is it based after someone's real life?
ReplyDeletesays so in the spotlight, dear :P
DeleteHonestly, how exactly did one sit down wearing a dress like that? Looks like an interesting show though; I'd watch!
ReplyDeleteI've always wondered too, guess they had some mechanism for that :)
DeleteI love seeing these clothes. Takes you to a whole different period which is awesome. Wow this was one detailed post Dez, thanks for putting in all that work to inform us.
ReplyDeleteI announced it as MEGA MASSIVE at Facebook :)
DeleteFacebook... what's that?
DeleteHi Sheena-kay!
the same as bacefook only not...
DeleteAn epic historical series about the Civil War sounds like something for me. The costumes look fantastic.
ReplyDeleteArlee Bird
Tossing It Out
don't forget to catch it next Monday, Lee
DeleteNot for me I'm afraid......
ReplyDeletesomething for our ladies, Fran
DeleteThose period costumes look really good.
ReplyDeletehope you will enjoy them in the series
Delete