Every Wednesday at 8:00 p.m. you tune in for your weekly dose of Veronica, Sonia, Chloe, and the rest of the Mercy gang. What you DON'T see, however, are the nearly 300 people behind the scenes whose hard work makes every episode of Mercy come to life. Without these people, who comprise several different departments, Mercy would never make it to your living room. Here's a sneak peek at just a few of these departments and what they do:

Writers: Each episode of Mercy starts with our writers, who, as you might guess, pen our brilliant scripts.
BET YOU DIDN'T KNOW: While filming takes place in New Jersey, the writing staff is based in Los Angeles.

Technical Advisors: A team of doctors and nurses guides us both in the writers' room and on set. They help us shape stories, make sure we use the right medical lingo AND pronounce everything correctly, and ensure that what's happening in a scene adheres to real-life hospital protocol.

Props: Our props department reads each script verrrry carefully and makes sure that every prop listed in the script appears on screen. This could be anything from the large and technical (for example, a defibrillator or pulse ox machine) to the everyday smaller items (such as Chloe's iPod or a bag of potato chips).

Art Department: These guys and gals are in charge of building every set and making it look real and lived in. They paint the walls, arrange beds for a hospital scene... they even stock the bar at Delaney's!
INSIDE SCOOP: Ever noticed how the elevators at Mercy Hospital open and shut with perfect timing? That's because off-screen set dressers are manually moving the doors!

Craft Services: Then of course there's everyone's favorite department, craft services (a.k.a. catering)! We work long days at Mercy--often 12 hours or longer--and this group makes sure everyone has breakfast, lunch, dinner, and plenty of snacks in between. YUM.

Want to know more about the making of a hit TV show? Feel free to ask your questions in the comments section, and come back for weekly updates, department profiles, set photos, and more behind-the-scenes exclusives!