'Mercy' review: Needs some doctoring up
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"Mercy," judging solely by the promos, is a world where nurses are the respect-challenged Rodney Dangerfields of the medical profession, yet art the ones who keep you alive in spite of incompetent, megalomaniacal doctors. And this little service is served up with plenty of attitude.
Admittedly, any show boiled down to sound bites and highlights can feel rather one-dimensional or, in this case, incredibly annoying. "Mercy" is indeed a better show than advertised: the characters have some unplumbed depths, and not all the doctors are evil ... well not if they happen to be hot. The problem is that being somewhat better than annoying may not be enough.
Nurse Veronica Callahan (Taylor Schilling) decidedly does not have it all: She's returned from a harrowing time in Iraq treating the wounded, is living with her alcoholic parents and is trying to deal with a clingy estranged husband she's outgrown. Add to that a job in which she seems to know more than the doctors and her attractive ex (James Tupper) popping up to work at the hospital, and you have a very confused lady who can't seem to function in any area of her life, except for tossing back drinks at the local bar.
Viewers will either embrace or become exasperated with all of Callahan's flaws, but Schilling does an admirable job keeping the character from becoming a melodramatic mess.
The two other nurses joining her in medical angst is sexy Sonia (Jaime Lee Kirchner), much adored and chased by men, and doe-eyed newbie Chloe (Michelle Trachtenberg, seen earlier in the week on "Gossip Girl"), whose idealism gets in the way of her professionalism. Kirchner's character hasn't been fleshed out enough in the pilot to be compelling yet. All we know is that apparently she reeks of phermones and that some internal soundtrack must play in her head when she walks. Similarly Trachtenberg's Chloe only keeps us guessing which Hello Kitty-printed nurse's smock she'll bust out next. She's eager, she's sensitive and a good target for jokes.
The men in the series still feel secondary, reacting to the women. Tupper has the same, easygoing magnetism he exhibited in "Men in Trees," and thankfully Delroy Lindo is allowed to be a benevolent and wise doctor who gives Callahan the proper guidance. Once again though, they men are upstaged by another supporting actress -- Kate Mulgrew in a wonderfully sloppy and boozy take on the protagonist's mother.The series premiere pushes the medical stuff to the background: Only one patient gets any real face time, and the medicine practiced on the show appears to be a mere prop to fleshing out the nurses' characters and their combative relationship with the doctors. The constant barrage of examples pointing out how ineffectual or pompous doctors are get tiresome. There are definitely bad doctors out there. They just don't have to all be concentrated on this one show.
To balance the drama, the writers worked overtime to give the nurses fun, sassy lines, but the cute glibness tends to sound straight out of a parody. When Chloe's character first spots the bartender, the object of all the nurses' fantasies, she's informed, "He's a unicorn. He's a magical creature," and "Girl, he's for looking at, not for talking to."
Following on the sensible, aerosoled heels of "HawthoRNe" and "Nurse Jackie," "Mercy" will have to set itself apart not only from most hospital dramas, but also from the recent influx of nurse shows. For the most part it does, in a softer, more huggable and less drug-addled way.
"Mercy," like the nurses it portrays, suffers from not being taken seriously. If it wants to compete against its time slot rivals, sitcoms and reality shows, it needs to increase the action and intensity, offering a stronger, character-driven alternative. Otherwise, expect it to go the way of Chloe's elderly patient: taken off life support to drift away into a quiet, painless death.Follow Zap2it on Twitter for the latest TV, movie and celebrity news.
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I loved Mercy and Eastwick. Both shows have great storylines and i cant wait until next weeks episodes.
I stopped watching the show right after the nurse made out with the new doctor. I won't be watching this show ever again. Considering the nurse went to Iraq and apparently turned her cranky and bitchy, I expect "Iraq" is always going to be part of every other line in this episode. I just can't stand all of these characters saying Eye-raq. For heavens sake, if you're going to make a character's experience in Iraq a crucial part of the story, the series crew and cast should take the time to pronounce Iraq properly. Short vowel i, not long i. Give the country some respect. How would you like it if other people pronounce America as a-meh-rye-ka?
Mercy was horrible, i will not be watching it again, War is horrible, but that doesn't understate the pain and sadness of other's who are sick and dying, and just because you served your country doesn't give you the right to rag on everyone and everything else, and the Dr bashing felt contrived. I watch Nurse Jackie & love it, but this feels like a HORRIBLE copy cat attempt...and failure....it was full of useless cliches, horrible acting, horrible dialog, horrible script.
Eastwick on the other hand I half loved 1/2 hated...Daryl's character is supposed to be someone you want, yet hate....i don't want any part of him, his character just oozes obnoxious, and is rating a zero on the attraction scale...possibly negative.
Mercy i am begging NBC for Mercy that they can it, Eastwick....unless they change Darryl's character has no hope...not that it had much to begin with.
I stopped watching after 20 minutes because it was completely unrealistic. Nurses and doctors can actually work together and get along without getting it on and not all male nurses are gay. As far as the Hello Kitty scrub tops? Pu-leeze! Nobody makes fun of that stuff. At least that's how it is in Colorado... maybe New Jersey is in a completely different universe or something.
LOL @ nurses doing anything but bedpans. Seriously.
Hi, I'm a paid NBC promoter, and I have to say, that show was great. I loved all the plot twists and turns. The characters are so multi-dimensional, so real--I feel like I'm in a hospital putting in a chest tube with them. Oh Chloe, will you ever learn? I'll definitely be watching next week.
Your review was horrible. Stereotypical much? Geeze. Stop thinking every Medical drama has to be just like Grey's Anatomy or ER. Not everything has to be a freaking love triangle and explosions with hand in victim's wounds so the bomb wont explode.
If what's what you want to watch, watch Grey's or a soap.
Leave the intelligent shows for us grown ups.
ITA with Madr, the main nurse is just bitchy and I really hope the Iraq part is not all they have for dramatic effect. I think if they make Veronica a bit more likeable the show will be better to watch. And I wish the show had a normal nurse; theres the total bitch, the naive dumbass, and the complete slut. When do the human characteristics come in?
I guess I'll still be tuning in just for fun but don't expect me to make any schedule changes. (Oh and I hope the bitch doesn't leave her husband for the annoying doctor.)
ITA with Madr, the main nurse is just bitchy and I really hope the Iraq part is not all they have for dramatic effect. I think if they make Veronica a bit more likeable the show will be better to watch. And I wish the show had a normal nurse; theres the total bitch, the naive dumbass, and the complete slut. When do the human characteristics come in?
I guess I'll still be tuning in just for fun but don't expect me to make any schedule changes. (Oh and I hope the bitch doesn't leave her husband for the annoying doctor.)
Oh my God! What crap. A 17 year old full of angst wrote this, right? A 17 year old boy who thinks he knows women. If a woman wrote this show, she ought to be ashamed of herself. No, this is an 17 year old boy who has idealized what he thinks a strong woman is like. This is show is so unbelievable, I'm actually believing in Barack's death panels. NBC, cancel this show now! Now, before the stink spreads to Law and Order SVU, a show we like, with what I'm sure has women writers.
Shall I go on. Okay, the lead female has her hair tied back in what can be only considered a perpetual mess, with the lock always dangling in front of her face, the right side of her face. This actress is so undistinguishable from other actresses that the lock of hair is the only thing that helps me recognize her from one scene from another.
It's completely obvious that this show has been created from other shows; the writers and producers built this from other shows; I recognize Grey's Anatomy, ER...you name it. The pot pouri of medical shows. Give me a break. Dump it quick.