Mr Selfridge

I am loving this series and the details that the production company have put into the costumes and sets are a delight to watch. The hats (referring to some of the previous reviews) are in keeping of the time and reflect, with some humour, some the huge hats women wore at this time. Though I am sure that Mrs Selfridge would have had more hats as she was very wealthy would be nice to see her wearing a few more designs (hint hint ). The cast is very well put together a nice mix of interesting characters, reminds me of the original series of Upstairs Downstairs showing both the upper class and working class characters. I hope they continue to explore all of these characters as well Mr Selfridge.

Some people have made mention to the lack of locations used in the series so far, myself I actually like the fact that it's not filmed in hundreds of locations. With good story and characters I don't need to be shown lots of location filming to grab my interest. Though it would be quite nice to see some more of the homes of the workers. As much as I am enjoying this series as pure entertainment I am actually finding it historically interesting to see the beginnings of the modern department store that we know today. Having worked in department store myself I found all those little details such as the introduction of the perfume counter at the front of the store very interesting from a geeky historian point of view lol. Over all a Lovely series to watch on a Sunday night, I hope there will be a 2nd series, nice to see ITV doing more period dramas.

I admit that I'm surprised and puzzled by the number of negative reviews of Mr. Selfridge on this site. I'm actually wondering if I'm watching a completely different show from the one many reviewers describe! Beginning with the dazzling opening credits and stylish musical score, this show is an absolute joy every week. I fail to understand how anyone can possibly be unimpressed by the gorgeous period costumes and sets and the fine, subtle performances of most of the cast. If there's a weakness to be found, it's with Jeremy Piven's acting, though I admit that even he's starting to grow on me as his character begins to acquire a little more dimension. But there's so much else that's wonderful about this series, including engaging story lines, that Piven can almost be overlooked. Overall, it's a light, frothy confection that charms and delights in an easy way that few shows ever manage. But I suppose charm is out of fashion. And please, let's stop comparing it to Downton Abbey, which it's not even attempting to replicate, and judge it on its own merits, which are considerable.

'Mr Selfridge' (PBS)

The great American playwright Neil Simon, in his memoir "Rewrites," recalls that he was on the brink of "replacing" the late actor Jerry Orbach in the Broadway musical "Promises, Promises," when suddenly, Orbach seemed to pull a performing rabbit out of the hat and became absolutely brilliant in the part. The show, an adaptation of the 1960 Oscar-winning film, "The Apartment," had 1,281 performances from December of 1968 to January of 1972, and Orbach won the Tony Award as Best Actor for his performance. I was reminded of this as I watched Jeremy Piven in the title role of the PBS drama series, "Mr Selfridge," which has just begun its second season. The series, a British period piece about Henry Gordon Selfridge, the American who came to London and opened his department store, Selfridge & Co., at the beginning of the 20th century, has clearly been a class production since the moment it premiered (January 6, 2013 in the United Kingdom and March 30, 2013 in the United States). What I was less certain about was Piven. He didn't, at first, seem up to the task of matching stride for stride a cast that was chock-full of fine British actors. My suspicion is that he himself was questioning his abilities. But he had his moments, enough to have hope for him in the second season. He's now proved, as the next go-round gets underway, that like Orbach, he possesses a deep reservoir of talent that has allowed him to pull the performing rabbit out of the hat, doing not only a capable job, but an outstanding one, certainly worthy of consideration when awards season rolls around. Like the Selfridge character itself, a man who matured and evolved from a philandering husband and mercurial businessman to a steady spouse and solid leader, Piven also has grown, delving into the many sides of a truly prismatic man, as complex as he was brilliant, with a sure hand that reveals an actor who knows what he is doing and mesmerizes in the process. The series itself is knee-deep in colorful quality, depicting the landmark Selfridge department store and the period in which it was born with a brilliance that both captivates and explains. The supporting cast is superb _ Frances O'Connor as Selfridge's beleaguered wife, Rose, Aisling Loftus as the blossoming young woman and retail whiz Agnes Tower, Gregory Fitoussi as Selfridge's best friend and business confidant Henri Leclair, Amanda Abbington as the emotionally fragile sales head Miss Mardle (it's nearly impossible to imagine Abbington as the icy, assured Mary Morstan that she so effectively portrays in the BBC's hit series, "Sherlock"), Tom Goodman-Hill as the sad personnel head Mr. Grove, Ron Cook as the ever-dependable right hand man Mr. Crabb, and on an on. But without an effective Piven as Selfridge, the foundation of this universe would crumble. Especially now. The plot is beginning to thicken, as they say, with World War I on the horizon. Complex issues, plots and characters obviously await. It's clear that Piven, as Orbach did decades ago on Broadway, has found his sweet spot with his character. And as with "Promises, Promises," the sky's the limit for "Mr Selfridge."

I'm a late arrival to this true gem of a series, giving me the distinct benefit and joy of watching back-to-back episodes in a binge viewing. Frankly, my initial reaction was "what could be interesting about a department store?" I'm glad I went with a friend's recommendation and had a view.

Mr. Selfridge is a finely handled period piece which continues the tradition of exceptional British drama. Jeremy Piven is an inspired choice for Mr. Selfridge, showing his dramatic chops once again in a difficult and demanding role. I've often thought Mr. Piven had more to show us, and this series gives him the opportunity.

As well, the rest of the cast is strong and well-defined. It didn't take long to get hooked into the varied tribulations, trials and triumphs of the characters.

As a confirmed Downton Abbey fan, I thought this series would be a pale copy. I was wrong. It holds it's own very well. The challenge of balancing the factual aspects of Selfridge's history with the fictional, yet realistically painted accounts of the people behind the store, has been very capably managed by the writers. The drive, innovation, quality and forward thinking of the actual Selfridge has been captured here in a way that makes the viewer see how astonishing and astute Selfridge the businessman was.

Kudos to everyone involved. And the theme music for the series is truly inspired. Every time I hear it, I want to shop.

When I first read about the show I was skeptical, but I found I fell in love with it from first view. The way the story is distributed among multiple characters is definitely something you don't see every day, or at least not with the quality that "Mr Selfridge" has. I'm reminded how relationships run on the fast track, how they lack foundation and are never really secure, how decisions are made on a whim, when you're overwhelmed or when you feel you need more from life that you're currently getting. The fact that everyone is susceptible to passion and making mistakes is at the core of all human beings and the cast of the show portray it beautifully through a much needed emotional acting that most shows fail to provide. The splendor of the fashion world and the eagerness of the workers reveal the inner beauty of times long gone. Mr Selfridge has become one of my favourite period dramas and I have high hopes for its future.