Revenge 2.5 "Forgiveness" Review

                                       
Emily: "They say let he who is without sin cast the first stone and to be without sin requires absolute forgiveness.  But when your memories are freshly opened wounds, forgiveness is the most unnatural of human emotions."

This episode of Revenge didn't really deliver much in terms of anything new being added to the plot or sub plots.  Other than Padma (Dilshad Vadsaria) delving into whether NolanCorp had any interest in Grayson Global, but even she got found out and Emily (Emily VanCamp) had to warn Nolan (Gabriel Mann) about this.  She's already liquidated her shares in Nolan Corp so the trail won't lead back to her.  Also Aiden (Barry Sloane) is getting pally with Daniel (Josh Bowman) to keep his foothold in the Grayson empire and eek out revenge, but there's more going on here and you can't help get the feeling that he's manipulating Emily or going behind her back.  Like he did when he didn't tell her about Kara )Jennifer Jason Leigh) as here he admits he didn't tell her cos he was worried about the effect on Emily, especially when she recalls how she tried to kill her.

Emily has further flashbacks of being rescued by her father and also when he told her Kara was dead.  Which we later find was Kara's idea.  Seems all these feelings come rushing back now that her mother's in town.   Kara keeps ringing Gordon's number and Aiden finds Emily has the phone.  She really "hides" things in plain sight doesn't she, she needs to do much better than that.

Kara pays a visit to Victoria (Madeleine Stowe) and well, ingratiates herself into her life with Victoria offering her a place to stay at their house.  Then Victoria can't wait to call Conrad (Henry Czerny) whilst he's in a meeting with Aiden.  Acting as proxy for Takeda, he's at Grayson Global to ensure the investments are safe after the argument Conrad and Daniel had.  That's his cover story anyway.  Conrad rushes out of there, leaving Aiden with Daniel who shows him the company accounts.  Ashley (Ashley Madekwe) suggests they go for drinks and she tells Aiden how Emily cheated on Daniel when they were engaged.  Which worked out well for Ashley.

Nolan tells Emily about his father's death and she's sorry she wasn't there for him.  At the hospital Amanda (Margarita Levieva) comes out of her coma, unscathed, like Lydia but she has her memory intact.  Kara turns up to see her and Emily has her first meeting with Kara when holding baby Carl.  Kara was rather aggressive when she asked what she was doing with her grandson; who isn't really her grandson.  Jack (Nick Wechsler) isn't too happy about granny being there either.

SO in this family 'reunion' who should rear his ugly head again but none other than Mason Tredwell (Roger Bart) seems he's heard about Kara coming back from the dead and smells a rat or two.  Confronts Victoria again when he finds her searching Kara's room as if she's trying to steal from her own house and also turns up at the hospital when Amanda is brought back from tests and notices her back. The pervert, er, wasn't the room a little crowded for someone who was still meant to be recovering.  No rules that hospital.

Victoria is worried about Mason and Kara and if they get wind of her being here then the Initiative will interfere in their lives again.  Conrad proposes to Victoria, that way if they're married they can't testify against each other.  Ryan (JR Bourne) makes an offer for The Stowaway and Jack thinks it would be best to get out.  Still can't figure out what he's up to yet, unless he and Padma are all connected, which doesn't appear that way and why was Padma so interested in David Clarke (James Tupper) anyway?   Amanda  doesn't recall Kara who tells her she's sorry for what she tried to do, she wasn't well.  Emily listens outside  to what should have been her conversation with her mother and not Amanda; who forgives her for what she did as Kara tells her David also forgave her.

Emily admits to Amanda she lied about Jack being the father of the baby since she wanted Amanda to help her still.  Amanda knew Emily had feelings for Jack before she came here and now she's ended up with a family.  Kara talks with Emily on the beach and thinks Amanda wants to forgive her.  A lot of bad things have happened here.  Mason admits he knows Amanda isn't really Amanda as she's no scar on her back from a fire.  It's a wonder no one has done in Mason yet the way he keeps cropping up.

The look on Victoria's face when Kara hugged her, surprised she stopped herself from using the shears, ha. Also Kara was married to Gordon and she questions Victoria on where he might be.  Emily telling Amanda she lied cos she wanted to keep her on side for longer didn't exactly sound truthful either, especially since she told her Jack wasn't the father out of sheer spite and vindictiveness.  The look on her face said it all at the time.  She can't have changed now.

Emily: "Over time we commit acts with intentions either good or bad that require forgiveness."  Hey even the closing narration didn't have much going for it!  Oh see Victoria still has her trusty chair, been meaning to mention that for a long time, since Conrad wanted it gone when she 'died.'

Mr Selfridge Series 1 Episode 5 Review

                                  
Oh what did I say last review, hope the ep doesn't open with Harry (Jeremy Piven) stepping out of the lift yet again, well this one didn't, not yet anyway.  Harry unveils a motor car which will be on display in the Selfridge's window this time and Henri (Gregory Fitoussi) will do his usual 'biz' of dressing the window with the help of Agnes (Aisling Loftus).  Henri reveals Agnes has left after the incident with her father, Reg (Nick Moran).  Incident, more like drunken fiasco.  But that won't do as Harry wants, no demands, her back, she was good at her job.

Thus Harry sets out to get back Agnes.  However she's had to take Reg back in, still drinking, otherwise she and George (Calum Callaghan) would have been out on the street, as she tells Victor (Trystan Gravelle).  He wants to take to her to Brighton and he wants to court her.  Which he had to spell out to her and it's okay now since she's no longer working.

Customers arrive asking for Agnes but Miss Mardle (Amanda Abbington) tells Kitty (Amy Beth Hayes) to serve the customer and tell them Agnes is no longer with them, which she doesn't do.  Henri asks Irene (Anna Madeley) for some coats for ladies to wear whilst motoring and reveals some not to his liking, but the brown coloured ones are.  Harry pays a visit to Agnes to personally get her back.  She's great at her job and she reminds him of Harry.  She's dedicated to the store and he can see the potential in her.  (Remind you of Denise and Moray in The Paradise - oh, okay I'm harping about that again five weeks later.)

Harry puts Reg in his place and actually gets physical with him, was hoping we'd see him do that to Roddy!  Darn, maybe next week, or soon.  Yeah we know Harry's a philanderer and all the rest of it but Roddy (Oliver Jackson-Cohen) was "up himself," taking liberties as they used to say!  Harry pays Reg off to leave London and never return.  Then has flashbacks to his own family and his father (Brendan Gibson) a Major in the Union Army and how he too was a philanderer and cheater.  He had another woman on the side and another child.  Yet his mother, Lois (Kika Markham) put up with him, just as Rose (Frances O'Connor) does.  As she tells Roddy she loves Harry and he loves her in his own way.

We see how Harry had to put up with the taunts of other children and are meant to now realize why he's like that too. As his father said to him he's got his blood.  Harry drives Agnes back in a car and she loves every minute of it, like flying she calls it and Harry says she'll do that too one day.  He also advises her, "never explain or apologize," that's what he does.

Everyone's surprised at seeing her back and Kitty would have to get a word in.  Agnes says she didn't hand in her notice so she's still employed and Miss Mardle will check with Grove (Tom Goodman-Hill). Of course she will!  Henri is glad she's back and gets her to help with the window.  Look we know there's more going on with these two and yet it's not spelled out yet, talk about dragging it out.  Agnes must be enamoured with him too considering she doesn't tell Victor she's back.

Victor tries to help George out by telling Grove about the stealing going on, about time, I just said not five minutes before that no one's found out about that yet.  Grove tells Harry not before asking if he's in a good mood and he's not happy with Harry going above his head and bringing back Agnes when he's meant to be chief of staff.  Victor gets George out of the loading bay just before Alf (Christian Patterson) and another man are kicked out.  Harry is angry about the theft and calls a staff meeting.

Roddy brings round the painting but doesn't want Harry to have it, telling Rose she's not "conventional" and to stop being "stifled."  Rose used to paint too and they finally kiss, only to be caught out by Beatrice (Raffey Cassidy).  Rose swears her to secrecy, that the painting is a surprise for pa, but Beatrice can't keep it to herself and has to tell Harry about the painting.  Well, it was rather provocative for the time and Rose being a married woman.  But of course there were different standards for men and women and what was acceptable for men wasn't the same for women.  Except if you happen to be Lady Mae (Katherine Kelly) and wealthy like her.

At the staff meeting, Harry explains about loyalty and how his staff should come to him if they have problems and not steal from him.  Victor leaves when Kitty points out what  a gorgeous couple Agnes and Henri make.  Harry explains how he started out as an errand boy earning $1.50 a week and was promoted to a stock boy and then finally got the keys to the shop.  His manager trusted him and he expects the same from his staff in their "honest endeavour together."  The spirit of Selfridge's.  Thought that was Ellen! ha.

Ellen Love (Zoe Tapper) drops by to tell the wife about Harry's affair and Rose says she already knew when she saw them together for the first time.  Explaining he's had many "chorus girls."  She already knows what Harry's like but he won't leave her for Ellen.  Since she's here it means it's over.  Rose cries and Lois sees her, cos she knows what it's over and what her son is like.  Later Beatrice also blabs about Rose kissing Roddy and how she was blushing when she did.  This leads to an argument, as Harry tells Rose they need to have it out. She attacks him by saying it's fine for him to have his fun but she can't.  She wasn't 'together' with him, but it's fine for him to do what he likes.  See, double standards.  She'll forgive him tomorrow, or at least feel sorry for him, but for now he can "gotta hell!"

Which he does at his club, getting stinking drunk like his father, whom he toasts with Frank (Samuel West) and who should turn up, but Ellen Love, declaring her undying love for him still and throws herself at him.  Not taking no for an answer.  Frank puts her in a taxi and later finds her having taken an overdose, yet she survives.

Tony (Will Payne) had fun taunting Harry with his remark about Rose being at the Chelsea art club and Lady Mae steps in saying times are changing and Lady Rutledge was also there.  Victor cooks for Lady Mae since he doesn't think he'll get Agnes now even if she said she wants to be with him too, but she's tired of being told what to do.  Typical men!    Harry takes the car and crashes it of course, which was obvious.

So Harry finally gets a bit of his own medicine with Rose kissing Roddy and his finding out already, that wasn't stretched out for weeks.  Not that it will change him, but he doesn't want to let her go, cos understandably he's nothing without her, as he wrote in the 50 white roses he sent her.  "My one and only..."  Yes but why white roses and not red, hardly romantic.  So will Rose finally succumb to Roddy's oil paint -ridden charms, or remain the ever-faithful, hard done by wife holding the family together?

Oh and there was a scene with Harry coming out from the lift with Miss Blenkinsop (Deborah Cornelius) who found the painting "interesting."  As it is now displayed on his office wall across his desk, unlike the one in Moray's office (The Paradise) which is displayed behind his desk.  Now Harry will look at it and be tormented every time he sees it.  As for Henri giving Agnes the scarf, will he pay for it next day as he said he would.  See this job has no perks, ha.

Which reminds me back when I was at school, they had a discussion on Selfridge's the store and its name.  The bloomin' teacher said it was cos they used to sell fridges!  Well they do, but that's not why it was named as such. Agh the things they don't teach you even back then! Ha.  So much for education.

CSI:NY Gets Romantic for Valentine's Day

                                        
Actually they may do, but don't be fooled by the title, my title that is.  Apparently the CSIs will be investigating three different cases all on Valentine's Day in the episode to air on 15th February entitled Blood Actually. This will mark the penultimate ep of Season 9, so let's hope there will be a season 10.  I mean if the show is to end at least give it 10 seasons, as they did with CSI:Miami.  But let's not get ahead of ourselves.

The three cases will have the CSIs team up to investigate.  Mac (Gary Sinise) will team up with Flack (Eddie Cahill) to look into the death of a man named Jeremy (Mark Hengst) in a market.  He was there meeting his wife, Wendy (Shanna Collins) but she insists she ran cos she heard gunshots and not cos she did the fateful deed!  Well you know it's always the spouse in 9 cases out of 10.  The couple have also been going through a divorce and Jeremy was meant to be violent.  Well as long as Flack gets to the bottom of it that's all we need to know!

Jo (Sela Ward) Lovato (Natalia Martinez) and Lindsay (Anna Belknap) look into the murder of a man, Theodore (Trenton Rostedt) hit by a champagne bottle in a hotel room.  They have a confession from a man and need to assess the evidence to reach the truth.  Actually champagne bottles and just bottles in general, have featured aplenty in CSI such as season 2's Cool Change, where a broken champagne bottle is found in  a hotel room. CSI: MIami in Just One Kiss where a broken champagne bottle was found and pieced together for prints and in  CSI:NY episodes over the seasons too.

Hawkes (Hill Harper) Danny (Carmine Giovinazzo) and Adam (AJ Buckley) investigate the death of Bernard (Clint Culp).  Signs show he may have died of natural causes or foul play may be at hand.  He was found by his wife, Sandra (Amy Gumenick) - recently seen in CSI:Miami (recently for us anyway.)  Bernard was also diabetic and was warned off eating chocolate by his wife, but clearly didn't listen, as shown by an empty box, but she's unaware of how he got hold of them.

Hey look, Danny and Lindsay not working together, yay!! Pardon my happiness!! ha

CSI did two eps involving chocolate, the first was in season 1's Revenge Is A Dish Best Served Cold where the poker, player, Candyman died from eating poisoned chocolate, it contained lead.  This was also the ep which guested Carmine Giovinazzo.   Also in season 12's Bittersweet, where the DB seemed to have drowned in chocolate.  Well there's nothing to beat chocolate on Valentine's day, shared with Flack and Danny!!

CSI:NY had a case in season 1.17 The Fall (one of my fave Flack eps) where a man who was also overweight, was forbidden from eating chocolate by his wife.  He had hidden chocolate outside the apartment and after being drunk, he went for the chocolate and fell.

This episode will also guest star Josh Groban, as himself, where he will sing Happy In My Heartache, from his new album, All That Echoes, released 5th February.
@joshgroban  on Twitter.
Photo from @GarySinise Twitter

Confessions of an NCIS Addict

We all have our moments of watching TV shows by accident, surfing channels or the web, but I didn't come across NCIS like that.  Nope it was in Kansas 2004, when after watching an ep of JAG, or at least trying to without my friend's neighbour's coming in and both getting started on Dreamboat David James Elliot being "eye candy!"  Now come on, there was more to that show than that. Huh, but they droned on and I couldn't get a word in or listen to the TV, not that I wanted to get a word in.  Then NCIS came on after it.  This was new, of course it was.  Considering the UK didn't get season 1 until later that year and the US was already onto season 2.  We were lucky in that we got seasons 1 and 2 one after the other, but after that we lagged behind, now we're a year behind, no fair.  That's why DVDs were invented, ha.

So what caught my eye about this show wasn't the story, the plots or what NCIS actually stood for, (that came later) nope it was none of these.  Truth be told; which is what I'm doing here, it was for Mark Harmon.  Yes that gorgeous actor with his steely good looks (can I use that word - steely?) and well, having seen him many moons ago in 240-Robert as Thib and that smile of his, ahh that smile.  Now who's being shallow?
Well here's one gal who was a fan for life!  So couldn't believe my luck when later he turned up in Flamingo Road too and many other films and shows after that.

                                               

So it wasn't so much about the entire show, at first,  but Mark and Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs.  Here was a man who meant business and so did his name.  He wasn't taking any prisoners, including fans like me, darn shame!  He had that look, that smile that would make any female suspect melt and the 'no words' demeanour signifies plenty of attitude. Yes Gibbs smiles and laughs, take that you cynical critics.  Felt like they were associating him as being a bit of a male 'Greta Garbo' type, you know, how she never really used to smile in (m)any of her roles.

                                                    

It was later and a quite a few episodes later that I realized what made this show also worth watching was Michael Weatherly.  Not in a 'oh you're so dumb you didn't even notice he was in here' way; but more of a oh it's Logan Cale from Dark Angel kind of way.  SO that's where he turned up when he left Seattle.  Oh you know the way sometimes you associate the character he plays, more than the actor.   First thing said about him was how he managed to be in a show that was so short lived - again.  But hey, I for one was expecting  a satisfactory conclusion to Dark Angel, which no fan ever got!  We woz cheated!  With Logan it was always about the hair, the glasses.

                                                  

So he turned up in NCIS with that hair, that voice (no I don't say that about everyone!  Do I?)  Michael played Very Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo and these two guys were as different as chalk and cheese on the surface, but deep down they shared  a lot of the same traits: caring about people, their job and catching the baddies.  Tony is juvenile, always joking which made him irresistible as a model TV Character.  Not  a model as some of you may be thinking, though he wouldn't have gone amiss with his looks and the clothes too.  These days TV expects everyone on it to be so serious with oodles of baggage!

                                               
                                                 
Not leaving out the NCIS ladies, well Cote de Pablo made a serious impact on the show and viewing figures too, no doubt.  As the dust died down from Kate's shooting and Sasha Alexander's leaving.  But as Ziva David she kicked lots of butt.  Still does!  So trigger happy; wonder what she'd have done if she left her gun at home.  No fear she doesn't really need such weapons considering she knows 18 different ways to kill with a paperclip.  She's tough and never floundering but underneath it all, Ziva's as soft as the next person but with her training and upbringing she hides her feelings well.  At least we know she's human.

                                                        

Her fashion sense can be a little eclectic, just like her "Ziva-isms."  But she can dress to impress.  Whether it be in her boots and khakis or a little green number.  She's beautiful and beguiling with flowing dark tresses to add that little bit of mystery.  Cote has amazing hair!  She's the kind of gal who you'll  always want as your friend, also staunchly loyal.

                                                       

I watched NCIS without looking to any promos, or ads, no publicity as to what the show was about and who was in it.  Even if my addiction stemmed from a season 2 episode.  Maybe it was better that way since I didn't have any expectations of the show and whether it would push the right buttons in the interest department. It was worth waiting to watch season 1 on TV in the UK cos when it came we got seasons 1 and 2 in a row.  Allowing the stories and characters to be on continuous play and replay.

Appealing stories, likeable characters, superb actors.  Not many personal stories or revelations to begin with in every episode, but when they came they were gut wrenching, heart breaking.  Doubly emotional; side splittingly funny. Incredibly engaging.  All I can say, well I can say plenty, is that if I'd missed this show, I'd be kicking myself and a few other people in the process too.  No matter what your age or background, country of residence, there's something about this show that is endearing.  Including the ability to bridge gaps between nations, devoid of language barriers.

When it comes to NCIS I'm as loyal as Ziva.  Addiction comes in all forms and all substances.  NCIS is my fire.  I sit down, tune in and go along for the ride, no matter how long it lasts.  Forever being a long time.
I know I haven't mentioned all of the cast and what an excellent cast it is, past and present; but this was why I became an addict and what made me watch for the first time.

My NCIS: Unofficial and Unauthorized Guide to NCIS The TV Show available now at amazon

Revenge 2.4 "Intuition" Review

The episode opens with the Grayson maid mopping up blood and Victoria (Madeleine Stowe) burning a paper in the fire.

24 Hours Earlier

Emily: "Some think intuition is a gift but it can be a curse as well.  A voice calling to us from places that are better left unexplored.  An echo of memories that will never die no matter how hard we try to kill them."

Emily (Emily VanCamp) demands to know about her mother and asks Aiden (Barry Sloane) what happened since he didn't tell Emily he found her.  She also tells him Det Lasky  doesn't exist.  He warns her if that woman on the phone was her mother, then she's dangerous.  Emily then ropes in Amanda (Margarita Levieva) again for yet another encounter with Victoria, this time she tempts her with her father's diaries.  With Amanda reading her an extract and then Amanda refuses to give it to her.  Victoria says that's up to her and Charlotte (Christa B Allen) interrupts them, prompting Victoria to plan a baby shower. Thus
leaving Emily to come up with yet another plan.  Amanda should ask Victoria for money in return for all the diaries and that way she'll write her a cheque and can compare her handwriting on the sign in sheet from the hospital.  Like the way Emily uses a sob story about her mother being alive this time round to compel Amanda to help.  She needs to think about it.

Trey (Michael Nardelli) doesn't have the goods they stole anymore and the guy he sold them to would sooner break their legs than return them.  Thus Jack (Nick Weschler) has to foot the bill with Ryan (JR Bourne) and come up with an arrangement to pay him back.  Which leads him into more debt as the inspector rejects the work to the bar so Jack can't open.  Padma (Dilshad Vadsaria) up to no good as usual, shows Nolan (Gabriel Mann) a letter about his father and his belongings being in storage.  he finds out his father is dead.  She brings back a scrapbook his father kept and urges him to go there.  Nolan recalls how he started his company from the garage and when he told his father he wouldn't be returning to school, he threw him out. She finds a box of papers for the company and looks over them.  Leaving Nolan the chance to kiss her.  Don't do it man, she's trouble!  Why would Nolan's company papers be in his father's storage?

Aiden confronts Kara (Jennifer Jason Leigh) and tells her he's FBI, deepcover just like Gordon (white haired man) was and she needs to trust him.  She takes him to a hotel room and feigns there being a hard drive in    the safe which Gordon wanted anyone who knew things about him to have.  Then knocks him out with a taser out and ties him up.  He didn't see that coming, no he turns his back on her, especially after telling Emily she's dangerous.

Conrad (Henry Czerny) wants Ashley (Ashley Madekwe) to keep an eye on Daniel (Josh Bowman) as he will be away and he meets with Helen Crowley (Wendy Crewson) from the Initiative.  She tells him they're looking for Gordon and can't understand why he would betray them like that.  Daniel continues his pursuit of delving into Conrad's documents and Ashley gets a call from Conrad when she and Daniel are together which she doesn't pick up.  Daniel later checks the voice message on her phone and realizes Ashley is working for daddy dearest.  When Conrad returns Ashley tells him there's nothing to report and she wants out.

Amanda brings her own friends to the baby shower from the club and Victoria gives her a baby journal with a cheque inside; proving the writing is a match.  Emily coaches Amanda to insist on answering questions about her mother and they stand in front of the balcony and any fool knows what was coming next. Victoria snatches the papers from Amanda and she falls backwards to the floor.  She wants them to save the baby. AT the hospital she's placed in an induced coma.  Kara hears reports of this and visits her there.  Emily sees her there and recalls a memory of her mother pushing her underwater with her father calling out to her.  Looked at another way, it could be seen as Kara hiding Emily from her father, otherwise why call it a game? Victoria thinks Kara certifiable and comments Amanda maybe heading that way too.

Jack has a baby boy and Declan (Connor Paolo) comes to him and to Charlotte.  Aiden comes to Emily and she cries in his arms.
Emily: "When at a crossroads my father was fond of saying, 'go with your gut.'  Intuition he said always has our best interests at heart.  It is a voice that can tell us who is our friend and who is foe.  Which ones to hold at arm's length and which ones to keep close.  But too often we become distracted by fear, doubt our own stubborn hopes and refuse to listen."

Amanda was right about Emily never being done with this (cos that'd be the end of the show) but she always manages to go after someone or something with her plan failing dismally.  Well it has been lately.  Yet another 'fall' in the presence of the Grayson's or caused by the Grayson's.  There was Lydia in season 1 when Frank 'threw' her over the balcony onto the taxi and here Amanda falls whilst 'wrestling' with Victoria.  Not to mention wearing heels in her condition!  Mind you Lydia got better albeit with amnesia.

Emily accessing such a repressed memory at this time was both amazing and eerie at the same time.  That Victoria was right about Kara trying to kill her and how David Clarke cited Kara as the source of his troubles. Still it's good Kara doesn't know the real Amanda is Emily cos she can now play off her.  Daniel keeping Ashley, his enemy close, as he tells her that Victoria's kidnapping was faked by Conrad so he could use the money for the company.  Seems he's trying to play Victoria's game.  As Ashley suddenly grows a conscience, or does she? wanting out of spying on him.  Can she really get out from Conrad so easily and who cares anyway?  Ryan's after the bar but why?

Conrad thinking it was Victoria's blood or the children's, does he really care.  Also asking if she fell in their house, cos Amanda can sue you know.  Why doesn't Jack just ask Emily for a loan or even Nolan, he would have done that once upon a time, last season.  But these three hardly interact anymore with new players Padma and Aiden on the scene.

Mr Selfridge Series 1 Part 4 Review

                                               
Harry (Jeremy Piven) stomps from the lift with his staff in tow and demands Miss Bunting (Pippa Haywood) lifts her skirt, well okay Miss Mardle (Amanda Abbingdon) must check her hems as she's smuggling out lace and silks from the store.  She's caught redhanded, but who gave her away?  Also how did she get all that into the hem of her skirt without anyone noticing all this time.  Harry is angry since you don't "steal from your work family."  In which case, wonder what he'll do when he finds out what's happening in the loading bay.  Miss Bunting is fired and she is despondent since she has her mother to look after and won't get another job without a reference.  Would've thought Groves (Tom Goodman-Hill) would have obliged her with one without Harry knowing.  But no one goes behind his back or they'll suffer his wrath.  Harry ignores the rest of Ellen's (Zoe Tapper) notes and throws them unread into the drawer.

Anna Pavlova (Natalia Kremen) is in town, the famous ballerina and Harry arranges Rosalie (Poppy Lee Friar) and Rose (Frances O' Connor) to watch her perform at Lady Mae's (Katherine Kelly) whilst Ellen Love waits for Harry to come see her.  Would've thought she'd be singing, "I'm just wild about Harry..." by now, but that'd be too cliched, especially since all of London knows about Harry and Ellen.  Lady Mae still teaches Rosalie a thing or two about etiquette, such as how to clap like a lady, whilst Rose tells her maybe it's cos she's an American that she likes to show her appreciation by clapping properly.  Harry watches Rose throughout the performance and is pleased he's done something right by Rose.  As he later tells her about how enchanted she looked when watching Anna.

Rose comments every woman should have her moment with Anna Pavlova thus the idea Harry gets to invite her to the store, think of the publicity.  He even wants Anna to have tea with Rose and Lady Mae, who is now enjoying Rose's company.  Miss Irene Ravillous (Anna Madeley) cycles to work as the new Head of Fashion and promptly proceeds to throw her weight around by asking for lace from the Accessories department.  Kitty (Amy Beth Hayes) refuses but has to give in and says she needs to ask permission from Miss Mardle before taking anything else.

Irene is introduced to the rest of the staff at a meeting and she used to work at Liberty, which Harry calls their loss.  Fashion will be a big thing and she's brash enough to ask Harry if he's telling her that or asking.  Miss Mardle notices the length of her skirt and she has it high for cycling.  Also telling Miss Mardle that corsets will be obsolete, she prefers exercise to keep her figure trim.  Harry wants his staff to come up with ideas as to how they can accommodate Anna Pavlova and at the same time make customers want to buy.  Business is about keeping them happy.  Agnes (Aisling Loftus) didn't have any bright ideas this time round, maybe cos she's too preoccupied with her father and Henri (Gregory Fitoussi).

Irene comes up with an idea about placing large pieces of lace type piping as collars around their store capes in honour of Anna Pavlova's tutu.  At least it seemed that way.  Harry is impressed with the idea and Irene's plans to have ready made dresses available for women immediately, so they don't have to have a seamstress and try them on.  Crabb (Ron Cook) is put at ease by his difficult question of "shapes and sizes," as they will cater for all.  he's always given the women's questions to worry about for some reason.  Last time it was the make-up uncertainties.  Miss Mardle is disappointed no one had any ideas and she doesn't want Irene taking anything from Accessories anymore.  She even says as much to Groves, whom she thinks no longer likes her as he turns down tickets to Drury Lane, as he has to keep an eye on the nurses at home.

Agnes and George (Calum Callaghan) have troubles of their own with Reg (Nick Moran) still around, as he tries to get into their flat, but they've changed the locks.  Victor (Trystan Gravelle) still watches Agnes at work and how Henri interrupts them when talking.  He warns Agnes about George and what he's doing since he's still loading and unloading the blue vans with stock.

Rose spends time with Roddy (Oliver Jackson-Cohen) and she wants her portrait he's painting for her husband.  He convinces her to come to the Chelsea Art club even though she's got to be at the store for Anna Pavlova and she doesn't get out of it.  Roddy finally reveals he's going to the store to see Anna Pavlova and Rose must come clean about really being Mrs Selfridge.  He then makes a flippant comment about how Ellen Love and Harry are the talk of the town.  Rose already knows and confesses she and Harry have a bond and she loves him.  Also that if she's honest with Roddy, she was tempted by him.  Tony (Will Payne) listens to everything they talk about.  Thus opening up the possibility of blabbing to Harry when next they play poker.

Lady Mae finds the chicken in the restaurant bland and is in fear of turning into one herself as she clucks.  Victor spices up her food but she hardly eats anything.  She's saving herself for tea.  She prefers anticipation, whilst Victor prefers to eat when he's hungry.  Oh the innuendos.  Anna Pavlova looked like she was milking the store for everything she could get, as well as the fee Harry was paying her.  She even got a Sable out of it.  Ellen gatecrashes the photo opp and insists on a photo with Anna.  Since Ellen is the 'Spirit of Selfridge.'  Harry is clearly angry since his family is here.  He wants Frank (Samuel West) to take Ellen home and ends her contract with the store.

Reg also crashes the do and after an altercation with Agnes, gets pushed into a glass display case.  Victor takes him down and punches him.  Reg hopes Agnes has lost her job over this.  Victor now realizes why Agnes wouldn't let him come over and promises to look after her.  But she tells him he's got his own family to support. Harry offers Anna the ultimate gift, her very own window, which turns out to have a display of a ballerina.  Harry was instrumental with Henri in coming up with the display and this was it.

Harry kind of looks like he's into a downward spiral now all cos of Rose and even seems to be jealous she wasn't at the store when she makes excuses of being unwell and is avoiding him.  But he can't have it both ways, in this case have his Pavlova and eat it too, okay had to get that one in! Seems Rose is finally showing Harry that she wants a life too and that she's put up with enough from him, wonder if she'll follow through with it.  Agnes doesn't seem to be interested in Victor either, irrespective of Reg and being ashamed and is more in awe of Henri still, as he ropes her in to help him fashion flowers from ribbon for the occasion.  Kitty's also jealous at not being asked to help instead of Agnes.

Seems every week Harry comes up with a new innovative way to impress the press and the crowds but this one caused a bit of an uproar with Ellen turning up and Reg too, but not that anyone hardly noticed.  Ellen has a foolish notion that Harry will leave his wife and be hers which Frank notices the full extent of, as well as her drug abuse.  Agnes is humiliated but it doesn't appear that Harry would fire her for Reg turning up drunk, it's not something she could have handled herself anyway.  As Groves said to Miss Bunting (odd name for someone in Fashion, ha) if she had come to them they would have helped and especially Harry.  Which is what Victor said to Agnes, that she should go see him.

Finally it seems as if things are hotting up and getting interesting after four weeks of easing and teasing us into the characters and how they fit into the scheme of things in and out of the store.  Wonder if we'll get an episode opening where Harry isn't filmed coming out of the lift with his entourage (pun intended) in tow?  As you know he means serious business everytime that happens!