Mr Selfridge Series 4 Episode 10 Review

                                           
As the news of Jimmy's death rocks the tabloids and papers alike, Harry (Jeremy Piven) places himself in a shell at home and doesn't want to do anything.  So much for Harry telling Jimmy to "pay your price..." cos this is what happens to him.  Gordon (Greg Austin) tells Harry that he's needed back at the store and they need to pick up the pieces and deal with the stock embargo, but he doesn't want to do anything.  He tells him either Harry comes back or he puts Gordon in charge and he needs to decide fast.  Meanwhile Keen (Oliver Dimsdale) wants to see Harry's personal accounts, those of the chairman's cos of the furore Jimmy caused with his mismanagement.  Rosalie (Kara Tointon) tells Harry that Mae (Kathleen Kelly) wants to talk to him, but he doesn't talk with her.  He needs to get out and stop closing himself off from people.  As Gordon talks with Keen, Hardcastle (Ian Ashpital) storms raving that Harry made a fool of him and he isn't even here.

At work, Mae is ostracized and ridiculed by the customers, the object of gossip and she has to retreat to her office as Miss Mardle (Amanda Abbington) offers to take over.  Now known as Mrs Grove of course.  Tilly (Mimi Ndiweni) grabs the paper from the other girls and tells them they're here to work and not to gossip, as Mae walks in and agrees.  Harry returns to work with a spring in his step and gets to deal with the stock seller's embargo.  He comes up with a plan to hold a reception for the sellers and convince them to settle the debts of Whiteleys at a later date.  Jimmy didn't leave a will so Gordon and Harry will inherit his share of Whiteleys and that will take at least a month and there's not enough time to help them now.  However Hardcastle at the reception refuses the plan Harry explains to them the exclusive three year contract to buy stock just from them.  "I built Selfridge's from nothing."  Like they care!  Hardcastle still says they want the debt of Whiteleys paid first cos they've got to deal with employees, and unions.  Harry is quite literally left with egg on his face.  If he can't afford to pay them, then how did he afford the reception.

Harry makes Miss Mardle Deputy Manager, taking over Grove's position and she accepts, sitting in his office.  As she makes her first executive decision of promoting Tilly to Head of Dressmaking, whereas she thought she was getting her marching orders.  As well as getting her chance to meet Harry for the first and last time.  Crabb (Ron Cook) tells Gordon of Keen asking for Harry's chairman's accounts and Gordon says if the reception works out then they won't need to see them, as Crabb files them away in the drawer.  Of course that's not what happens.  Mae tells Harry she's leaving and she's given her notice and is heading back to Paris, after his plan to woo her with flowers backfires.  She needed him but he didn't need her as much as she did after Jimmy died and she knows he's got his troubles, but even after that's over, he'll still have more to deal with.  Stocks dwindle and some items are out of stock in the store, as plans for the twentieth celebration goes ahead.

Rosalie tells Mae that Harry didn't want her to see him at his lowest and he always shuts himself away just like he did when he fell.  He thinks that she won't love him when she sees him like that. Gordon goes full steam ahead with his own plans and meets with Keen late night to discuss a deal. What we might call backstabbing even if he was attempting to save the store.  Next day Harry's called to a meeting with the Civic and they lay out their plans for him.  They will pay off the debts for Whiteleys and in return when the store is theirs, they will sign it over to the Civic.  They want Harry removed and he can have a token name as President if he so wishes and a meagre sun of £6,000 a year.  They looked at his personal accounts and he owes the company £118,000.  If he can pay it immediately then they'll reconsider but of course they know he can't.  As well as telling him about his past conduct such as the Dolly sisters and his gambling, which he says is over with.

They want Gordon as Managing Director and he handed over his accounts to them.  Harry says he is the Selfridge name with Gordon interjecting "our name."  Crabb tries to defend him but to no avail. Harry can't listen to anymore and walks out of there dejected, Crabb takes him back to the store.  I remember when I used to write about those lift scenes in the past, it was always with purpose and there was always something going on with Harry and business in mind and his vision to keep the store going.  That's long since past now and when he comes out of the lift, he's a broken man.  Crabb tells him he's resigning too.  Also adding to Miss Mardle that the Civic were after Harry long before Jimmy and everything else happened.

Wynnstay (Robert Pugh) reads the proof copy of Harry being "ousted" and changes the headlines to "The Earl of Oxford Street Bows Out."  Actually giving Harry a fitting send-off for all their differences.

Gordon tells Harry he had to do it to save the store and that's how he got to be Managing Director of Selfridge's and if I'm not mistaken he did seem a little arrogant as he sat in his Pa's chair! Harry wants to walk out of there together so they present a united front, as the staff all bid him a fond  farewell. Before leaving, Harry reminisces about the store and its twenty years.  Plenty of flashbacks galore to the very first episode and the staff, such as Agnes, Henry, Grove and Kitty and everyone starting out. The remainder of the staff also bid him farewell and he says goodbye with a speech about how most have been here for twenty years and how they started here together.  That there are new faces now and they'll all carry on the store and the celebrations.  A new generation as he looks at Connie (Sacha Parkinson) and George (Calum Callaghan) and their baby called Victor George Towler.

What an emotional final ever episode it was too.  Though of course being TV and having dramatic licence Harry gets the fitting ending he deserved.  He walks out of the store with his head held high, but with tears in his eyes, as he looks at Lady Time and sobs.  Then to hear Mae's voice as she returns.  Saying she heard what happened and he's much better than that.  "You're Harry Selfridge." She loves him and she asks him to go to Paris with her or anywhere else she might want to go.  And he's right he doesn't deserve her.  In real life of course Harry lived out his days with Rosalie and penniless.

Therein ends four years of drama, romance and shopping at Selfridge's!  What a blast!