NBC Mercy (NBC)
Premiere: Wednesday, Sept. 23, 8-9 p.m.
Competition: Gary Unmarried, The New Adventures of Old Christine, Hank, The Middle, America’s Next Top Model, So You Think You Can Dance
Cast: Michelle Trachtenberg, James Tupper, Taylor Schilling, Jaime Lee Kirchner, Delroy Lindo
Status: We've seen the first episode.
Should you watch Mercy? Read on...
Talk about a jam-packed premiere! In the first hour of this nurse-centric medical drama, we learn just about everything we'll ever need to know about the ladies and gents of Mercy Hospital.
Veronica (Taylor Schilling) has just returned from a tour of duty in Iraq and is now dealing with the anticipated post-traumatic stress that comes with settling into her old life. The outcome? A broken marriage and outbursts at any and all hospital staff, particularly those idiot doctors—an opinion repeatedly shoved down viewers' throats through the entirety of the first hour of the series. Star Schilling echoes those sentiments, saying, "It's become more and more clear to me that nurses are the backbone of our hospital system." OK, fair enough.
Veronica's struggles coincide with her two nurse pals, Michelle Trachtenberg's newly minted R.N. Chloe and Jaime Lee Kirchner's hard-knock-life survivalist, Sonia. And things really take a turn for the crazy when Veronica's overseas lover, played by the über-handsome James Tupper, joins the staff of her hometown hospital. It's all just a little too Addison Montgomery coming on board at Seattle Grace for us. Mind you, we haven't even touched on Veronica's alcoholic family, Sonia's "loose" dating style and Chloe's Hello Kitty scrubs—and again, this is just the first 50 minutes of the season.
Overall, show runner Liz Heldons tells us that Mercy is a show about "female friendship grounded in reality. These girls happen to be heroes, but beyond their jobs, they have hopes and dreams." It's also a lot like Nurse Jackie, but you can decide for yourself if that's a good thing or a bad thing.
Verdict: DVR
Fall TV Preview 2009: Mercy
Are you interested in Mercy? Share your thoughts in the comments!
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