So another drama about a department store; the biggest in the world this time. Described as "Downton Abbey with tills..." Okay so I'll get The Paradise similarities out of the way first, since we all know it's a much more bigger version than that. Based on the book, Shopping, Seduction and Selfridge by Lindy Woodhead. ITV wanted to screen this last year but didn't until the BBC had screened The Paradise. Though the BBC maintain The Paradise had been scheduled eight months in advance. The similarities, well there's the boss, John Moray (Emun Elliott) and Selfridge (Jeremy Piven) both with big aspirations of making their dreams come true: large department stores with all the trappings to seduce buyers from all walks of life. Though in essence only those who can afford to live the high life will be buying.
There's shop assistant Agnes (Aisling Loftus) who resembles shop girl Denise (Joanna Vanderham) both wide eyed and bustling with huge ideas. Moray doted on his dead wife and was in a 'relationship' of sorts with Miss Glendenning (Elaine Cassidy). Selfridge is married with children, yet he neglects his wife, Rose (Frances O'Connor) failing to show up for dinner since he was at the theatre watching actress Ellen Love (Zoe Tapper). Whom he wanted to be the "face of Selfridge", encompassing her beauty, and standing for quality. Whose in it for the money and other perks. As is Lady Mae (Katherine Kelly), whom Selfridge had to approach for funding the store when his partner, Waring changed his mind and withdrew his investments. Lady Mae, one of those upper classes who marries for convenience, has a toyboy lover and then will hold Selfridge to owing her and she'll collect.
Selfridge purports to get Agnes fired from her position at Gamages store after asking her about gloves, how she would sell them and display them. Not intentionally, but it was obvious she'd be fired. He sends her his card with the red gloves and she keeps it since she'll need a job with him in the future. Supporting her brother, you're meant to think it's her no good husband, but then she couldn't work in the store if she was married, as was the taboo of the time. Also the same rule in The Paradise. Which also boasted two assistants who didn't like Denise, well one did, Pauline (Ruby Bentall) and the other, Clara (Sonya Cassidy) didn't. Here there's Kitty (Amy Beth Hayes) and Doris (Lauren Crace) who think Agnes is a tad arrogant when she's given a job as senior shop assistant; working under Miss Mardle (Amanda Abbingdon) who happens to be Miss Audrey (Sarah Lancashire) from The Paradise. Kitty comments how Agnes is more the name of a servant and Agnes replies they had cats back home called Kitty.
Miss Mardle who is secretly seeing Mr Grove (Tom Goodman Hill) and are spotted by Agnes holding hands in the lift at the station. That probably won't bode well for her. What was a little surprising was how Selfridge couldn't recall Agnes, or that he would have gotten her fired due to his flambouancy and eccentricity. Of course the assistants are in awe of him, the ladies in particular, as they were with Moray.
Selfridge perseveres and doesn't spare any expense in ensuring the store does open one year on, much to the chagrin and unrealistic tendencies of his finance man Crabb (Ron Cook) who is cynical of the store and its success. Though we know it will be successful, part of the pleasure in watching was seeing how it was all done, though in part to dramatic licence for TV purposes.
Agnes turns up at the hiring at the store without references and Miss Mardle was in thinking she made up getting a personal invitation from Selfridge to visit the store and ask for the chief of staff. Agnes later meets another employee there who appears to be enamoured with her, who shows her the restaurant where he's a waiter and then asks her for a dance. Before proceeding to deck her brother reg (Nick Moran) cos she can do better. Does that mean Selfridge himself, ha, well he is portrayed as a womanizer, although not apparent in this opener, he did however not have dinner with his family in favour of Ellen. And he couldn't keep his gaze from her when she was behind the screen, changing even if he appeared to. Though his dalliances were more for showgirls.
Selfridge had the sole intention of making "shopping as interesting as sex" and was the first to coin the phrase, "the customer is always right" as well as his extravagant window displays. The series is set in 1909 when women were coming into their own, like being able to walk the streets alone, demonstrated here.
Jeremy Piven relished the title role and wanted to play him as a showman, since he was interested in PT Barnum and showmanship. Shown by his glamorous window displays, the brainchild of Henri LeClair (Gregory Fitoussi). In this episode, Henri sets the sprinklers off whilst smoking in the displays. Crabb reminding Selfridge they're not insured if the sprinklers go off in the store, being a new untested innovation. As well as taking on board Agnes's idea of having a silk red rose flower for the woman to hold in the window display, as a token of love.
It's still early days but you have to get away from the remnants of The Paradise, wipe it clean from the windows of your mind,to judge whether this lives up to its potential of providing thrilling entertainment for the next ten weeks, now nine. Fans of Jeremy Piven will tune in after his eight year stint on Entourage, personally I recall him more from the role of Cupid, in the short lived TV show of the same name! Ha. Then maybe I'm funny like that.
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