Mercy Street on pbs

Saw the first episode. Not sure I will take to it. Anyone watch it?

I watched the first 20 minutes or so, but it didn't grab me.

I felt the same, but I think we'll give it another try. Some of the characters are interesting. 

I found it hard to switch to after watching a bright and happy Downton. But I was intrigued by the actor who plays the chaplain (he was in Brothers and Sisters), so I was partly watching, partly Googling. Somewhere along the line I found myself more drawn in. I think I liked it more than I anticipated. 

I watched it...not quite a fan of it yet, but I'll probably give it another try. Cherry Jones was a strong lead-in to the series, but I don't think she's a recurring character. Some of the characters are quite interesting and I'd like to see how those stories develop. (And at least I don't have the issue of trying to understand UK regional dialects with this series!   )

Does Norbert Leo Butz still live in Maplewood?

Yes he does.

I thought the first episode showed promise. Can't wait for Anne Hastings to get pulled down off her high Crimean horse. Some interesting characters to develop as things smooth out.

I am still watching, and I really like it. The character development and complexities of the end of the Civil War are really very, very good. Great performances by a good cast. I would recommend it to anyone.

I find it difficult to  actually "see" the program,   Candles must have been a valuable - and scarce  - necessity of life, and probably carefully rationed at that time.

We 21st century folks have much to appreciate!

It's true we have much to appreciate... Modern hygiene and medical supplies spring to mind after an episode of this show! Although I have less trouble seeing this show than many others. Murder mysteries, thrillers, and sci-fi seem to all be shot with only the benefit of a flashlight in the distance.

I watched part of episode 1 and got interrupted by something. When I went to find it yesterday, on demand, it wasn't there, only episode 2. Will be checking again, as a nurse myself, with a long time interest in the Civil War, I am looking forward to it.

It is turning out to be excellent. Love the complexities of the characters. I find it hard to move into after and episode of Downton. But they got me. 

I am still watching. Interesting to learn about the characters and their complicated lives during this time of great turmoil and tragedy in our country. (Surgery scenes I tend to fast forward at times.)

I'm glad to hear the positive reviews. We watched the first episode and have been recording the others, but haven't felt compelled to watch. We'll give it another try!

Oh, Crikey. I couldn't watch when Dr. Foster did his first amputation. 

I am so impressed by the young Southern Belle/turned nurse. That character is really something. And the complexities facing her family... If they don't collaborate fully, they lose all they own. If they DO work with the Union government, their neighbors could turn on them. 

But one of the most interesting elements for me is the transition for the slaves to freedom, whether it is given to them or they "steal" themselves from unwilling masters.

Speaking of complications, there were many families who fought on different sides of the Civil War. I always thought it was interesting that some Jews sided with the Confederacy. Speaking of the difficulty of watching the first amputation, which I closed my eyes on occasionally, the doctor is reading how to amputate and performing the amputation on his own brother who is a Confederate. His mother wants him to save the leg, and is furious with him for siding with the Union. I found all of it highly believable. Including his addiction to morphine. 

Yes, there were a lot of families that split according to their beliefs during that war. Awful. And the tensions between the daughter who sees things in black-and-white and truth as absolute and her father who is trying to preserve something for his family and not get everyone killed are compelling.

For comic relief I turn to Dr. Hale and the  Self-Righteous Nurse From Hell. They are cracking me up.

PeggyC said:

For comic relief I turn to Dr. Hale and the  Self-Righteous Nurse From Hell. They are cracking me up.

You mean Hot Lips and Frank Burns?  The nurse actually gave almost a direct quote from one of the early M*A*S*H episodes -- "They are ruining the war for us!"

Hah!!! You are absolutely right!!! All the way down to Hot Lips hankering after Hawkeye, in this case Dr. Foster! LOLZ!

The new Costco Connection magazine has a comment on using RF headphones (not Bluetooth) to enhance hearing flat screen TVs. The suggestion came in response to a complaint about sound issues.

Anyone familiar with such headphones?

Sorry, I'm not familiar with them. But I have turned on the closed captioning on my televisions to deal with my hearing issues. 

I actually asked my poor husband to turn the captions back on yesterday, with some asperity, because the characters "were mumbling." That immediately sent a frisson down my spine, because that is an accusation my mother used to make all the time when her hearing had become really bad. As I then told Jim, it's apparently my ears that are actually mumbling. But I really wish he would quit turning the captioning off. Unless, of course, he really enjoys me asking him to repeat every line of the show.

*sigh*