(Photos courtesy of PBS / Erik Heinila)

While the quality of mercy is not strained, television productions (and their budgets) often are. We are sad to report the Mercy Street TV show on PBS has been cancelled. There will be no season three on PBS. Ridley Scott, David Zucker, and David Zabel, executive produced the series.

A Civil War-era medical drama, Mercy Street follows the doctors, nurses, contraband laborers, and Confederate loyalists at the Mansion House Hospital in Union-occupied Alexandria, Virginia. It is set prior to the Emancipation Proclamation. The PBS TV series stars: Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Josh Radnor, Gary Cole, Peter Gerety, Donna Murphy, Norbert Leo Butz, McKinley Belcher III, Shalita Grant, L. Scott Caldwell, Hannah James, Wade Williams, AnnaSophia Robb, Tara Summers, Brad Koed, Luke Macfarlane, Cameron Monaghan, Suzanne Bertish, and Cherry Jones.

Mercy Street Cancelled After Two Seasons on PBS

According to Deadline, PBS and producers cited funding, as well as, “the complicated nature of aligning production timelines.” Here’s more:

The first season reached 14 million viewers over six episodes (Live + 7), making it the second-highest-rated drama for the 2015-16 TV season on PBS, behind jet-fueled lead-in, Downton Abbey. Season 2, which premiered on January 22 and ended on March 5, has attracted 6.5 million L+7 viewers for the first three episodes.

“We sought to bring a time and place to life that is so important to understanding American history, and in a way that was meaningful, authentic and entertaining, EP David Zucker said of the series.

“Together, we delivered twelve hours of compelling and worthwhile storytelling which we all take pride in,” added EP David Zabel. “It was five years in the making and we are grateful to PBS for its loyal support.”

What do you think? Did you watch the Mercy Street TV series on PBS? Did you expect it to be cancelled or renewed for season three?