Revenge 3.8 "Secrecy" Review

                                                                                         
Emily: "Secrecy causes even the simplest truth to seem wondrous, mysterious .  It has the power to feel passion and to seduce you into becoming someone you're not.  But no matter how we try to guard our secret, to keep them close, they all come out eventually."
Does this apply to Emily too?

Revenge now into flashbacks a la From Here To Eternity, (the movie) well almost as we saw Daniel (Josh Bowman) with Sara (Annabelle Stephenson) on the beach in 2010, where he tells her he will protect her from his mother.  Didn't he say the same thing to Emily (Emily VanCamp) later on and look how that turned out.  Emily, back in the present, asks him to lunch cos they haven't really spent much time together, but he's busy.  Yeah so busy he makes time to meet Sara at the farmer's market after she texts him.  Then she's all like how she doesn't want to break the two of them up after what happened to her parents.  Daniel is disappointed but has to settle for a punnet of strawberries and work.  Oh and this time it's Daniel's turn to get the obligatory shower scene!

Nolan (Gabriel Mann) roommate proves his home but putting, "you break it you pay for it" sticky notes all over his valuables as he's having Aiden (Barry Sloane) move in, much to Jack's (Nick Wechsler) chagrin! He doesn't know he's back in town which is upsetting for him and as he puts Aiden down, Emily walks in to hear him do so.  Then she has a go at him by telling him he can't interfere in her life cos she's getting her revenge and leaving, which is what Jack wanted her to do.  That was before he found out she'll be leaving with Aiden.

Emily turns up at the Farmer's Market just as Sara has a smug look on her fast and is busted! Ha.  Emily puts on quite a sob story of a show when she tells her how she loves Daniel so much and doesn't want to lose him.  Of course Sara convinces her she won't get in the way, yeah that'll last 'til about the end of the ep.

Victoria (Madeleine Stowe) has set up a co-ed bridal shower as Nolan puts it and Emily picks out a gift for Daniel.  Nolan suggests she should get the watch with the GPS just incase things go awry, it's good to have a Plan B.  Charlotte (Christa B Allen) has lost her phone but still wants Victoria to break up Daniel and Emily, but Sara tells Victoria she's not doing this.  She's catering for the bridal shower and she tells Daniel someone else should make their wedding cake.  Charlotte finds she needs Aiden's help with her phone after she's blackmailed by the man who stole it.  She has revealing photos in there from her time in Europe when she was going through issues and Aiden obliges by beating up the man in front of The Stowaway.  Well anything to help Emily's sister, right.

Conrad (Henry Czerny) gets Daniel to proof read the first chapter of his memoirs and tells Margaux (Karine Vannasse) he's going with a different publisher.  She still thinks there's a story for her there and Jack wants Nolan to convince her there isn't cos she can't get too close.  Seems Conrad knows all about Daniel and his feelings for Sara especially when he sees the strawberries, ha, okay it was a little more than that.  He shows Daniel his 'love nest', the place where he would bring his mistresses without Victoria knowing and gives him a key.  Daniel doesn't want it cos she's not like Conrad, oh no!  We know better.

Things hot up at the bridal shower, Emily gives Daniel a gift and also Victoria obliges by taking the bait from last ep and finds Emily's first husband, Rohan (Anil Kumar) that's who she called earlier on.  She thinks it will knock Emily for six but it's Victoria who gets the tables turned on her. In walks Rohan as Emily sits blindfolded on the chair as Victoria announces who he is.  Emily tells everyone she was married to him but only for him to get his Green card, since Rohan has a boyfriend and is gay.  The look on Victoria's face. Daniel is still upset Emily wasn't honest with him, yeah he can talk.  Emily later confesses to Nolan that he was also one of Takeda's students like her and they were really married cos she knew Victoria would do exactly what she did after last ep's reveal.

Daniel is upset with Emily and tells Sara he doesn't want to marry her cos she's just like Victoria.  Funny that, that's what Emily used to say about Daniel, that he's a Grayson through and through, so he can't shout being used or being innocent.  He has the necklace he gave her all those years ago and Sara agrees to be with him, but only if he breaks it off with Emily.  Here was Emily thinking that necklace was Daniel's gift to her. Victoria invites Emily over to give her a gift, it's a card with the address of said love nest/shack.  Though the Grayson wives were not meant to know over the generations, Victoria knows cos she was a mistress wasn't she, before a wife.  Emily calls the number and hears Daniel on the other end.  There, Victoria thinks she's scored a victory.

Emily thus comes up with another plan, she has a gift for Daniel, an ultrasound photo as she's pregnant.  Well he seemed happy enough, or was this just a dilemma for him.  Now he has to go through with the wedding for appearances sake if nothing else, but this means Sara won't get her way cos he'll still be with Emily and she'll remain the other woman.  Didn't we get all this baby stuff with Amanda and Jack already.

Aiden also tells Nolan he's got a secret to share with him but we don't get to hear!  After Nolan tells Margaux there's no story behind Conrad, she meets up with someone who wants to spill, that someone being Lydia! (Amber Valletta).  Her return was to be expected cos no matter if someone dies or gets killed, there's always that possibility that they'll return which is shown by Lydia.  She was Victoria's best friend, so maybe she had a hand in getting her off the plane in season 1.  That was ages ago! But also cos Conrad did mention her by name.  SO no surprises as to who Margaux was meeting.

Daniel and Sara's storyline was unbelievable, she hated him for not being in touch, getting paid off by his parents and him doing nothing.  That scene at the pastry shop and now  she miraculously loved him all along and wants him back.  The same goes for Daniel, he's trying to get away from being a Grayson and everything that entails but at heart he is still Conrad's son and keen on displaying his lack of loyalty and convictions to his fiance.  As said, so much for saying Emily is like Victoria!

AT least we won't have to 'Surrender' for three weeks for the next ep, only a week to go, well less at time of writing!

The Mentalist 6.9 "My Blue Heaven" Review

                                             
We had to wait over two months for this to return, whilst US viewers got to see the aftermath of what happened without Red John straightway.  Didn't think I'd e saying this but after watching this, kind of missed Red John, at least those eps and the CBI were exciting, this seemed rather routine and all it did was serve to remind me of NCIS and Gibbs' (mark Harmon) hideaway down Mexico way! How he used to get calls at the bar, here Patrick (Simon Baker) also had the post office.   When in doubt always run to a country without extradition laws which is what Patrick did, obviously, especially with so many charges laid against him. He did commit murder no matter how warranted it may have been.

So there was no mention of RJ, hey even the music in the opening credits wasn't normal Mentalist fare, let's hope we get that back soon and let's hope we get the good old Patty back too.  Lisbon (Robin Tunney) is Chief Lisbon now in a sleepy town where the highlight of her day is giving a talk to a bunch of school children, which she loves doing as she later tells Van Pelt (Amanda Righetti) and Rigsby (Owain Yeoman) who have now got their own digital security company, which is doing very well and their own baby.

Patrick has made friends with the locals though his Spanish sucks, as we see he's been using a dictionary to chat the lingo but as the two ladies at the post office observe he's hasn't got it down pat!  No pun.  He's also been writing to Lisbon as we've moved forward two years.  Abbot (Rockmond Dunbar) comes to see her but she doesn't know where Patty is or any of the team, aside from Rigsby and Van Pelt.  Abbott notices the shell on her desk and of course it's a present from Patrick to her, which will lead Abbot straight to him. Abbot and that horrible FBI agent, Kim Fischer (Emily Swallow) who is so apparent she sticks out like a sore thumb!  Surprised Patrick didn't make her, he's definitely out of practice is our Patty!

Oh no, don' fall for her, well he did, hook, line and sinker, even if he didn't out and out tell her he did some awful things like killing his nemesis, but she already knew.  They must have figured he could use the company and female company at that, so bored with her already and am not looking forward to watching her every week!  Nope, he was much better off with Lisbon and so glad when they finally met up again.

Abbott makes him an offer to drop the charges coming from "the powers that be" but he doesn't take the bait.  Not until he has dinner with her and then gets drunk and into a fight with the local drug dealer, Danny Otero (Juan Gabriel Pareja).  Just cos she said they were being followed, why fall for that again, especially since she was no hapless femme fatale, though she was hopeless!  He also took off his wedding ring for her, don't do it.  So dinner led to mad dance moves, involving a lot of jumping on Patrick and Fischer's part whilst Lisbon read his letters.  Which Patrick had been sending to her via his carnie friends.  Abbot thinks he's so smart as does she, but really why then do they need his help.  SO after she makes him tea and decides to leave the next day, he decides he's got to go back.  Pretty lame.

He comes up with new terms to the deal and wants them in writing, written on a napkin, top priority being getting Lisbon to work with him.  Along the way he gets some drug dealers caught and Abbot to sign the napkin and five copies but when he returns to Austin, Texas this time, Abbot surprises him with his own terms.  You see it was just a piece of paper he signed, not binding.  If he doesn't sign he'll go to detention and get his parole revoked.  Cue miss high and mighty Fischer and Patrick's shocked, well he should have been, or was he really?  He wants a detention cell with a window, but he's not bothered as long as he can make tea and makes himself at home.  Everything will work out for him no doubt.

He also meets Cho (Tim Kang) who has joined the FBI and was at Quantico training but he hasn't told anyone else this, oh, thought they were all so close!  Cho is happy to see him but you wouldn't guess it. Another ep directed by Simon, wonder what he thought of it all.   Pretty soon we're back to him being good old Patty, but he's slow off the mark, did he really think Abbot would agree to his terms so easily.  Let's not get him romantically involved with Fischer cos he can do so much better and needs to meet someone outside of law enforcement, that was a life he did leave behind.  She tells him that coming home doesn't necessarily mean going backwards, but moving on, not with you love!

SO wishing things move on quickly and we get back to solving cases instead of the personal lives, maybe they need the character development after 6 years but this wasn't what was expected or needed.  Don't like Fischer at all, or Kim, she seems so smug at having put one over on him and that Patrick returned to the US for a woman, seemed so unlike him, unless it was for Lisbon.  It was good seeing them hug and hopefully Patty will play the FBI at their own game!  He's genius like that.  Saving grace, seeing he got to keep his shoes and lost that sarong! Ha.

Mr Selfridge Series 2 Episode 6 Review

 Loxley (Aidan McArdle) finds a man's cufflink and tells Lady Mae (Katherine Kelly) she's been entertaining again.  Whereas she tries to explain to him that a charity committee man was here.  He tells her that he's her husband and he's every right to be with his wife and shows her the key to her room.  Lady Mae later tells her friend and entertainer, Richard Chapman (Alfie Boe) that she shouldn't have married Loxley since she thought she could keep him at bay, but not anymore.  Richard thinks she should have been with him but she needs money and riches.  She can't do without her furs to keep her warm and he tells her a good man would do that.  She also was sought after she tells him, during the season where she was in demand.  But she chose Loxley, well she made her bed,so to speak.

Ms Mardle (Amanda Abbington) and Agnes (Aisling Loftus) arrange to attend the Variety Show with Victor (Trystan Gravelle) and Florian (Oliver Farnworth) and it's the same entertainer, Richard that they've come to see.  Lady Mae's booked him for the charity concert at Selfridge's for the war effort.  Harry (Jeremy Piven) is approached by Bill Summertime (Jay Villiers) and recruited as a spy but he can't reveal this to anyone, not even Rose (Frances O'Connor).  He agrees to do so since the procurement committee turned him down and he's no longer interested in them.  He confides this to Delphine (Polly Walker) who comes a-calling to thank him for the wine he sent her for arranging the card evening.  She can't accept it and tells him, but as we knew from the start, she was after Harry after all, telling her servant that the more he gives the better for her.  On her way out she bumps into Rose again but doesn't say two words to her, aside from asking for her forgiveness in asking Harry to the card game without her permission.  Still Rose doesn't see what she's really after.

Thackeray (Cal MacAninch) is still on his high horse about Henri (Gregory Fitoussi) being a spy and conveys his suspicions to Mr Grove (Tom Goodman-Hill) who will look into it but doesn't want him starting any rumours.  Of course Thackeray won't give up.  Henri won't tell Agnes what's wrong and says the same to Grove, seems he was in America and then in Germany for the last 4 years.  He wants to give notice as the French government is recruiting older men for the army and he wants to join them.  Agnes also tells Henri that she's seeing Victor and he's a good man.

Ms Mardle asks Florian to play his violin at the concert and Crabb (Ron Cook) and Grove think he's still a 'she'.  Harry also advises Ms Mardle to enjoy her money since her brother left it to her and she deserves to enjoy herself.  As Grove smells a new scent she's using.  Gordon (Greg Austin) is left on his own in the tea emporium and Grace (Amy Morgan) is brought back to accessories.  She doesn't think Gordon is normal cos he's the boss's son.  But she mentions her sister not having any toys to play with, so he brings her a doll, British made, for her later on.  Since Harry's removed all the German stock from the store.

Loxley calls on Harry asking for his contacts for felt and Harry refuses to oblige him as he doesn't trust him. All Loxley can complain about is how Harry's been trading in German goods up until recently.  Another one like Thackeray who's got a bee up his proverbial, ha!  Harry also gives Frank (Samuel West) the story of how America is trading with both Britain and Germany during this time and they shouldn't be allowed to.  As well as all his American friends leaving to go back home.

Victor proposes to Agnes and wants her to help run the restaurant with him, then their children can also help them.  He's leaving the store and wants her to leave too.  She agrees to marry him.  Kitty (Amy Beth Hayes) agrees to dinner with Frank and Ms Mardle warns her that he's much older and has been around.  But Kitty comments on her not being with a man.  Sees Ms Mardle turns the tables on her when she tells her of their visit to the theatre with Agnes and two gentlemen.  Ms Mardle is developing feelings for Florian and at the concert Crabb and Grove find out Florian is a man.  Grove thinks it's inappropriate he should be staying with her, but she doesn't think anything wrong in it as the time calls for it.

Harry is expected to leave at a moment's notice and that comes up when he's meant to be at the concert.  He writes Rose a note and she asks Henri to check what's wrong, he's already left.  He meets Delphine outside who's late for the concert and she wants him to be careful, he hasn't told Rose what he's doing and she kisses him on the cheek, after having told her he'll be in Paris meeting suppliers.  He's actually going to Berlin to meet a German.  Delphine kisses Harry on the cheek, sure Harry can't be oblivious to what she's doing either, besides Harry's choice of 'other' women were always young, not old like her!  Henri is arrested as Thackeray's turned him in, to the shock of Agnes and Rose and everyone else.

Lady Mae gets to sing a duet with Richard, "It's A Long Way to Tipperary much to Loxley's chagrin!  Mrs Crabb (Wendy Nottingham) stocks up on supplies such as bed linen, soap and marmalade which Crabbe found under the bed.  We also get to see a glimpse of Doris (Lauren Crace) as she accompanies Grove to the concert.

Seemed to be just a routine episode with nothing much happening in terms of the store but Harry just going off to 'spy' as we knew he would from the last ep and a continuation of Thackeray's paranoia concerning Henri coming to a head.  Lady Mae must be naive for thinking Loxley wouldn't find a way to get back into her room and really should leave him.  Though there was plenty use of the lift this time round, ha.

Women are seen at wok and manning the store whilst the men are away in their new uniforms and they also cleaned the windows, stoked the store's boilers, as well as forming a fire brigade.  Harry Selfridge was also to coin the well-known phrase, "business as usual" during these dark times.

Revenge 3.7 "Resurgence" Review

                                            
Emily: "Growing up my father said the ocean is a great escape, as time passed I also learned that its great expanse holds greater secrets and the ability to hold mine. And that like love it is at its heart, fluid, powerful and sometimes violent. But in its harshest reality, the ocean is a barrier separating you from those you love."

This time round it's Nolan (Gabriel Mann) who eyes revenge after Emily (Emily VanCamp) tells him about the new PR woman, Bizzy Preston (Ana Ortiz) (appropriate name cos she really has been a busy bee in more ways than one!) Conrad (Henry Czerny) has hired to put the family name into good light once more. Almost blackmailing Victoria (Madeleine Stowe) in the process by telling her to go along or he'll hurt Patrick. Emily thinks it's time she gave her some juicy gossip about herself and ensure her clients find out about her. Bizzy's plan is to throw a 4th of July party and get Victoria and Emily to play best friends. of course a Grayson party never goes without a hitch as is common knowledge.

When Emily tells Nolan about Bizzy he already knows her since she spread a story about him being gay to the press and his father and things were never the same between them.  Emily decides to tell Bizzy about her first marriage, of course it's a fake, but she tells her she was young and Victoria doesn't know of it.  She then takes a backseat as Nolan takes over the reins.

Jack (Nick Wechsler) and Margaux (Karine Vanasse) appear to be heating up too as he asks her out on a date but at the last moment couldn't go through with spending the night with her, not at first anyway.  He opened up to Nolan about this and Nolan tells him he has to let go and realize Amanda isn't coming back.  Jack later visits her grave with flowers and takes off his wedding ring.  Things later hot up and she drops the bomb about Conrad publishing his memoirs and how she wants the book rights.  Since there must be plenty of secrets in his past and present.  Margaux even turned down Jack's offer of cooking her pancakes! SO that was their fireworks.

Nolan gets a hold of Bizzy's phone and finds she's been having an affair, so much for being happily married to Jeff.  Bizzy still thinking she helped Nolan when she outed him.  Nice the way Nolan placed a camera on his glasses and then let her use them cos he got to hack into her phone that way!  Nolan being in the wrong business, he should be in the spy trade!  Lots of possibilities there for him.  Nolan told Bizzy he'd ruin her by outing all her client's secrets and by telling her husband about her affair but he was being much kinder than she was.  He gives her an ultimatum, end the affair or else.  She apologizes for what she did to him but it's too little too late.  Though Nolan waited years to hear that, it's sad that his father couldn't.

Anyway Bizzy also lets slip to Victoria about Emily's first marriage, so much for keeping secrets.  Daniel (Josh Bowman) sees Sara (Annabelle Stephenson) at the Stowaway and thinks she could prepare their wedding cake for them, follow cake tasting where Emily tells Daniel she's got the job.  Daniel is more aloof however as he still has feelings for her.  Charlotte (Christa B Allen) picking up on this finds a way to drive a wedge between Emily and Daniel and in the process ensure he gets with Sara.  This she doesn't tell Victoria until after she's been rude to her and so she has to say sorry.  This leaves Aiden (Barry Sloane) out in the cold as Victoria no longer needs him to make Daniel jealous, so she fires him. Victoria can't stop walking in on Aiden in the shower and in his towel!

Aiden and Emily talk at the party but Daniel is oblivious, instead he's focused on Sara.  He sees her on the beach and they almost kiss, which Nolan picks up on his glasses.  Emily making sure that they "have no future."  Emily also reveals to Nolan that she didn't think she could have anyone else in on this revenge business with her and that he is a true friend to her.  Well about time, since he's been there for her since the beginning and all that time she was in juvvie.

Seems like another spanner in the works as far as Emily's plan for revenge goes.  Now she has to deal with Sara and Daniel's newly heightened interest in her, so where was he all that time she was out of the picture, not even so much as a visit and now she turns up, he's wanting her all over again.  Can't wait to see what Emily has in store for her.

Also good seeing Nolan get some revenge of his own although he tells Emily he wasn't as tough on Bizzy as he should have been.  Well he's not Emily and maybe it's cos she did finally offer him an apology.  She was hopeless as a PR agent cos as Victoria tells her she's unable to read people but can't keep secrets either, with blabbing about Emily's marriage already, she didn't even bother finding out if it was real or not.  What I didn't like was how Aiden and Emily would always meet out in the open but never get caught and even now as they said their farewells, no one spotted them, not even Charlotte, she'd have plenty to shout over if she did.  SO he's booted out by Emily too and must go prepare for her 'death.'  Seems he didn't have much to do on this show anyway.

Victoria seems to have forgotten Patrick already as she sets her sights on sabotaging Daniel and Emily but must have been pleased that Charlotte is following in mother dear's footsteps.  Amazing Charlotte takes after her mother considering her father is David and not Conrad, so she's only got half the evil genes, ha.  Emily does rue having to leave her sister though.  She regrets this cos she'll never see Nolan again either.

Victoria to Aiden: "It's the fourth of July, the day we Americans celebrate getting rid of the British."  Oh Victoria don't underestimate us Brits! Ha.

Mr Selfridge Series 2 Episode 5 Review

Ms Mardle (Amanda Abbington) has invited a refugee to stay at her house by the name of Florian Dupont (Oliver Farnworth) and is surprised when he turns out to be a young man who has lost his home in Belgium.  He was a violinist and he couldn't get his violin back since his village was bombed.  Ms Mardle tells Agnes (Aisling Loftus) he can't stay cos they're two women on their own and it isn't right.  Agnes misses George and gets a letter from him showing he's "chipper" which has been censored/blacked out and Agnes wonders why that is.  Obviously not knowing at the time that they can't give away locations during wartime.

Crabb (Ron Cook) and Grove (Tom Goodman-Hill)  watch the women in the loading docks and how some of them are struggling with the crates and also with their clothes which he draws to Harry's (Jeremy Piven) attention.  Harry also finds that Crabb is worried cos it's his birthday as Grove tells him and he feels left out of the war and the war effort, being too old to serve.  He was happy when he got to organize the parade of men last episode, so Harry finds him a project.  He asks him to come up with some sort of training programme for the staff and Crabb thinks rifle shooting, so they can feel they're defending themselves whilst the men are away.

Harry agrees to have dinner with Rose (Frances O'Connor) alone but he won't be able to make it since Delphine (Polly Walker) comes up with a card game and for Harry to meet some government men on the military procurement committee as she thinks there might be a position open for him.  He tries to put her off but even after she finds out it's dinner with Rose, she tells him she's already invited people.  Rose sees her outside and she doesn't tell her about the card game and rushes off, not being able to join her for lunch with Harry.  That sly look on her face, can't wait to see what her game is.

Loxley (Aidan McArdle) wants Lady Mae (Katherine Kelly) to buy a whole new wardrobe since he wants her to be seen out with him and get involved in more charities to make the Loxley name more public.  She sees him take money out of his locked drawer to pay the butcher.  She does go on a spree but alas is bored with the fashions which all seem old to her.  Henri (Gregory Fitoussi) listens to her tell Thackeray (Cal MacAninch) how dissatisfied she is.  She also tells Harry about this and he's not happy since she's their best customer and "the customer is always right," as he tells him.  Thackeray thinking Henri has been complaining behind his back.  Faced with this, Thackeray bumps into Henri's man he has been paying off and tells him he's on the wrong floor for him.  Following him to the right floor, he overhears the man provide Henri with an address and he follows Henri there.  He pays off the woman who tells him Henri's been looking for a woman who was last seen in Germany.  Thackeray jumping to conclusions as he thinks Henri is hiding something dark, like being a spy no doubt.  He tells Agnes his suspicions about Henri keeping secrets; look another lift scene.

Agnes asks Henri if he's okay but he's abrupt with her and shouts at her.  She's not prying but is concerned. Agnes tells Victor (Trystan Gravelle) how he's upset her.  Victor has inherited the restaurant from his uncle and he wants to talk to her about it.  She invites him to dinner at Ms Mardle's.  Ms Mardle buys a violin for Florian and Grove sees her in the lift with it, see yet another lift scene.  He wishes he was "on the receiving end" of something like that since it's rather expensive.  Well he would have been if he had stuck by her and not gone for Doris!

Harry promotes Gordon (Greg Austin) to junior assistant in the tea emporium and he must learn all about teas.  He's not happy with this but he's missing the men and so Harry must take his mind off them.  Gordan also signs up for rifle training as does Rose.  She also has an idea for the women's new working clothes, which Grove was a tad nervous about talking to Harry about.  But she understands their needs and gets the women to sign up for rifle training too.

Henri tells Thackeray not to interfere in his private or work business and says the same to Agnes. At dinner Victor asks about Agnes and Henri and she's no longer close to him.  He's decided to take on the restaurant, even if its hard work and she and Victor kiss.  Ms Mardle is taken with Florian and after hearing him play the violin, she doesn't have the heart to send him packing.  Agnes saying that everything's unconventional in war and she hopes there's someone out there for George like her if he was ever in that position.

The rifle training proves to be a success with Rose showing off her shooting skills to Gordon's surprise.  Also Crabb is given a diamond tipped pen for his birthday by Harry who thinks he may be put out to pasture.  But Harry tells him he has a job for life.  Kitty (Amy Beth Hayes) meanwhile pursues Frank (Samuel West) especially when she finds out there may be another woman involved and kisses him when she leaves.  Frank almost has a whole page in the paper now.

Harry attends the card game and meets Miles Edgerton (Raymond Coulthard) who thinks he could be on the committee, but Loxley fails to vouch for him.  Harry only now realizes Loxley's true colours and that he gave him those contact lists out of haste.  Bill Summertime (Jay Villiers) also arrives and Delphine introduces him to everyone, apparently he's meant to be some bigwig.  Harry wins at the game, knew he had a full house, much to Loxley's chagrin, so much for beating the Yank! Ha and must leave straightaway to hide his shame. Well that's Loxley's ill gotten gains lost.  Harry returns home triumphant and this includes spending the night with Rose.

Plenty to keep us going in this episode, with yet more mystery surrounding Henri and what he was up to for 5 years and doesn't appear to have been in America as he's told Agnes and everyone else.  It appears he's in search of some woman who could turn out to be a relative or even Valerie Maurel herself, the woman he left Agnes for. What's the betting the man Henri paid off is a private detective and not someone who's into shady dealings. As for Thackeray being concerned about Henri not serving his country, what about Thackeray fighting for his? He doesn't seem to be that old.

Wonder if Agnes and Victor will make a go of it as I said they should last episode review, especially since Gabriella has returned to Italy for good and is out of the picture.  Ms Mardle has her heart aflutter and love is in the air, even if he's young for her, she deserves some happiness in her life after wasting all those years waiting for Grove.  Let's hope Rose finds out how good a friend Delphine really isn't and the way she didn't tell her about the card game herself was not on.  What's her problem, I said she was only using Rose to get to Harry.  Halfway through the series and there's still a lot more to see, let's hope Loxley gets his just desserts at the end of it, along with Delphine, I'll be happy.

Revenge 3.5 "Control" Review

                                                
Emily: "When on a mission of revenge, one must maintain control over risks, emotions and one's enemies. The single greatest thread to success is losing control of your allies."

After Emily (Emily VanCamp) finds out Conrad's (Henry Czerny) brakes were cut she wants to find out who did it and Aiden (Barry Sloane) omits the part where he told Conrad it was Jack (Nick Wechsler) who did it just to get him out of the picture.  Jack is also invited to Margaux's (Karine Vanasse) magazine launch as he holds baby Carl shirtless, which must have sent female hearts racing.  He of course fails to turn up, since he's got more important things to worry about like keeping Carl safe.  Especially after Conrad and his 'thugs' would be out for revenge.  What can of worms Aiden opened.  He told Conrad he could help him get Charlotte (Christa B Allen) back into his good graces by lying about Jack and Conrad fell for it, for someone who wanted the Brit gone and out of his hair, he wasn't too quick in wanting him gone now.  Thus Aiden now puts his plan into motion by telling Jack to leave town or Conrad will have him hurt, saying that he's here to warn him and if he had been anyone else he'd be dead by now!

Nolan (Gabriel Mann) warns Emily again about her revenge plans and that she's getting too caught up in them, also telling her he's not that big on Aiden either.  Victoria (Madeleine Stowe) also wants Jack alive but only cos she thinks he can get under Emily's skin as she relayed this to a shirtless Aiden!  Really that came a bit late.  Thus he warned Jack off but again it was all for Emily.  Think he's a little too possessive of her at times.  Anyway Victoria heads straight to Emily to tell her about Jack and Emily has blinkers on as far as Jack is concerned cos she couldn't see how Victoria was playing her and did she play into her hands, did she ever as she goes running to Jack.  Meaning Emily can't be on time for Daniel's (Josh Bowman) big night! Liked Emily's outfit, took me back to Grease and Olivia Newton John as Sandy in those leathers!! Ha.

Margaux makes excuses about her father not turning up cos he's had a skiing accident but later reveals that he doesn't believe in her.  Charlotte turns up and is happy to see Emily isn't there for Daniel either.  When Emily does arrive, Daniel tells her he no longer wants to marry her.  That threw a spanner in the works as Emily needs to do some quick thinking to win him back otherwise her revenge plans will go awry.  We knew she was going to mend bridges with him since we saw her in her wedding dress in the season 3 opener.

Emily must approach Nolan for comfort and help and he advises she needs to tell Daniel something personal about herself especially since Daniel's said he hasn't even seen a family photo of Emily and she kind of keeps things impersonal.  Emily returns home to find Daniel packing too, so how many packing scenes were we going to have to endure?  She finally shares info about herself and a photo of how her parents were killed in a car crash when she was little.  Of course said parents were Amanda's family.  Whilst Emily was retrieving the photo from Jack's place, she sees him with Margaux as he explains the bar was broken into and he had to take Carl away for safety.  Cue kiss which Emily is so jealous of.

Aiden tells her he needed to tell Conrad about Jack cos he'd have to leave otherwise and she wouldn't have an inside man.  Also how she played right into Victoria's hands when she ran to save Jack.  Aiden tells Victoria that Emily didn't see Jack, also telling her that an access code was used to get into the garage which means it was either Patrick (Justin Hartley) or Charlotte.  Obviously it was Patrick but Victoria can't lose him, instead she gets Charlotte to confess it was her who tried to kill Conrad cos he'll forgive her and take her back.  Charlotte agreeing to go along to protect Jack.

Patrick confronts Nolan about going to his wife to find out about him being gay and is angry.  He walks off but later they get together again. Which all was bound to happen.  But Nolan's character has really changed this season in that he no longer has those witty one liners so much and always gets into strife, instead of being on the ball like the past two seasons.  Yes it was obvious Patrick cut the brakes and of course Victoria would want him to get away with it.  Just like Aiden turned in Jack to Conrad for doing this, I like the reversal to come in the next ep (I reviewed that one before this one, never mind) when Jack does a u-turn here and turns in Patrick.

Emily: "In order to gain control, we must sometimes relinquish it.  By doing so we believe we're protecting the ones we love, the ones we cannot live without.  But the most dangerous truth of all is that control is merely an illusion."

Emily has lost her way too in that she doesn't see Victoria pulling one over on her, she's got too much to deal with: Aiden, Jack, Daniel and Nolan is otherwise preoccupied to help.  Oh and Charlotte too, there's no love lost between them, but what does Charlotte have to be angry about with Emily anyway.   Seems like everything Emily narrated here in the opening about losing control and her allies is exactly what was happening to her.  Her carefully plotted out revenge was unravelling and it seems by all the men in her life too.  She didn't have control over them, just as in the way Victoria used her here.

Revenge 3.6 "Dissolution" Review

                                                    
Emily: "Love built on lies is an arduous endeavour, for wherever passion and treachery meet, dissolution begins.  Still we fight to hold our ground in the emptiness ignoring the fact that every relationship, even the ones we cherish, eventually dies."

Emily (Emily VanCamp) finds herself with Daniel (Josh Bowman) again and wakes to go for a swim, but goes to see Nolan (Gabriel Mann).  She finds his place trashed and thinks the worst at she sees Patrick (Justin Hartley) leaving outside, to find Nolan in the tub, but hey he's not dead, obviously for us the viewer, we know he's not! Nolan opens his eyes to get the shock of his life too, but no, that was to come later! He tells her about Patrick and falling for him but this is Revenge and as we know Nolan's plans for love or keeping a kindred spirit never goes to plan.  Last season it was Padma, this season was to be Patrick, so the 'P's' have it! Ha.  There's friction in the air as Emily tells him about Patrick and he's no good, just when Nolan thought he was making headway, he has to give him up, cos it's what Emily wants, well, decrees.  But no way is Nolan taking this anymore.  He's decided to come clean to Jack (Nick Wechsler) and no longer listen to her.

He later tells Patrick they should get together regardless of Emily and Victoria (Madeleine Stowe) getting in the way as we get yet more passionate kissing, for these Nolan and Patrick that is, ha. Yet Emily's going to throw a spanner in the works but her plans backfire yet again, is it any wonder, she was getting a little too ahead of herself and a little too cocky.  She and Daniel after making up, have breakfast at Grayson Manor where Emily remarks Patrick is very good with a knife, he's had practice.  Victoria arrives and needs to see him so sends him off to the gallery, as she sits down to breakfast, hey she didn't get any either.  Conrad (Henry Czerny) walking around with another bimbo as Victoria thinks, breaks the news that he's sold the mansion for funds!  Victoria being angry as this is her home and he knows what it means to her.  Conrad and Victoria get the best lines when she says they can order "pop tarts" for his 'mistress' and calling him a "monster."

Charlotte (Christa B Allen) calls upon Daniel for his help in business as she wants to make the opening of the new Stowaway a success.  He reluctantly agrees and what follows turns out to be Charlotte attempting to be be as bad as Victoria and getting her own way.  Stopping by for the cake at the bakery cos she knows Daniel's old flame Sarah (Annabelle Stephenson) will be there, you know the one who he injured in the car accident whilst driving DUI.  They have words and she blabs about how Daniel robbed her in the settlement. Daniel goes to read said settlement, while Charlotte proceeds to get her fired and then finds she still has feelings for Daniel.  All to disrupt wedding plans between the two.  She also tells her Emily gave the interview in the magazine.

As the manor has already been bought, Emily needs to find a way to keep the house in the family and offers to buy it but it's too late.  So she comes up with a plan with Aiden (Barry Sloane)  to ensure they make the house un-saleworthy.  All the time admitting she's glad he's back and she needs him now, cos thinking about it, she couldn't have done it without him.  She changes the files at the Town hall with one of her own and sets about finding a crack in the foundations of the beach house and having to get it repaired.  She tells the agent the beach is getting shorter, beach erosion and so the house will need to be repaired again in the future.  Thus agent goes running for the planted file and tells Conrad the deal's off and she'll make sure no other agent touches this property.  Which seems to be good news for Victoria as she's decided to make a clean break which includes getting a divorce from Conrad and gives him the mansion, thinking it's worthless!

Obviously getting to the point of cracks in the walls involved Aiden getting a hammer to it whilst he got it on with Emily too!  Wonder when they'll get caught together on the beach or on the street, surprisingly no one has seen them together yet.  Once Emily's had her revenge they'll be jetting off to the Maldives then as Aiden reads about it when Victoria asks for his help in removing Emily from the equation.  Well it's no good reading a guidebook when Victoria's seen where he's heading.

Daniel finds his parents cheated her in the settlement and apologized but she doesn't want to hear it.  He hopes she will one day forgive him and he'll try to earn this, er, not with Emily around you won't.  Seems like Charlotte got her way, not liking this Charlotte at all, before she was just a spoiled brat always thinking of herself and quelle surprise, she's grown up into a scheming brat following in Victoria's footsteps.  Think I preferred her out of the picture.  Yes Emily hurry up and deal with your half sister.

Nolan goes for a drink needing a friend in Jack and he comes clean that Emily is Amanda, saying Jack really knew it but didn't want to say anything.  Jack warns him against Patrick and realizes Emily's been telling him. Jack asks how long he's known about Emily, "I've never not known" and he promised her father he'd look after her.  Both their instinct is to protect her.  Nolan was oblivious as to how entire Emily's revenge plan was.  They're still friends and hug, aww. Jack having his own plan up his sleeve, in telling Conrad about Patrick being the one who tampered with his brakes and calls a truce between each other. Conrad deals with Patrick by getting him men to take care of him, but he does the silly thing of telling Victoria he knows and she asks if she has to beg him for Patrick's life.  Just after Victoria was smug and thought she'd found their millions in gold bars at a warehouse (yeah that's safe) with Aiden's help and thought Conrad was pulling a swifty on her by keeping their assets.  She vows not to divorce him which is what Emily wanted for her wedding plans to take fruitition.

Emily revealing to Jack and Nolan that she means to set Victoria up for her murder and Nolan tells her all he wanted from her was friendship.  However, she needs to disappear and so reveals her plans for August 8th. As Victoria buys Patrick a ticket to Philly and gives him money to disappear.  He was only just getting to know her and she tells him she will see him again one day.  She was happy Patrick tried to kill Conrad for her, you know son defending mother's honour and all that, cos only she would be happy at something like this.  Just like she got Charlotte to take the blame for cutting the brakes.

Sometimes it feels like the plots of season 3 are becoming too convoluted or diluted since as soon as something happens to make Emily's plans seem more like being fulfilled that things go awry.  Okay that's to make the stories last longer, but sometimes the plots feel a little ridiculous as she comes round full circle and never really gets anywhere. She blames Nolan for letting Patrick go since he was part of her plans for Victoria.  She's got Nolan who she calls a friend but lets him down at every opportunity.  Then has feelings for Aiden, and Jack too and in the meantime she's marrying Daniel for revenge. Sure she hasn't missed anyone in the equation?

Conrad and Jack discussing Patrick, with Conrad telling Jack to "shoot."  Yes okay lame joke, we know he already tried to shoot him in the season 2 finale which seems a world away from what is happening now.  Finally Nolan stands up for himself against Emily but it's too late since he'll never get Patrick, not as far as we know.  Also he wishes he took up Jack's offer to say goodbye to him.  Everyone did have Nolan's best interests at heart, but seems he's always the one needing help which by now shouldn't be the case.  He used to help Emily after all and was there for her all the time she was in juvvie.  Nolan has lost his sparkle and those cool one liners of his.  Jack just seems to be a loose cog in the wheel since he wants Emily to get this over with but not to involve her friends and yet he still gets drawn into her crazy web of deceit.  Seems like he'll be getting his way when she says she's disappearing after the wedding.  Like that'll happen.  Maybe someone's going to beat her to the punch and really shoot her.

Conrad and Victoria should just stay together, their one liners will keep them happy in their golden years and us amused too!  They truly are an old married couple.  Oh and Victoria puts the gallery in Patrick's name, that's how much she trusts him.

Mr Selfridge Series 2 Episode 4 Review

                                              
Rose (Frances O'Connor) discusses fund raising ideas with Lady Mae (Kathleen Kelly) to help the Belgians and the refugees after the invasion of their country.  When along comes Delphine (Polly Walker) who takes over the entire meeting when she decides they should use Rose's designs for the display of Belgian chocolates they will be selling.  Disagreeing with Lady Mae whose design is a more traditional approach with the tables being laid out in rows and surrounded with flags, even if it is patriotic.  Delphine suggests Harry (Jeremy Piven) should choose and he picks Rose's design of course since a circular design is more modern.

George (Calum Callaghan) buys the paper and reads of women and children being slaughtered which makes him decide to enlist as he relays this to the other men on the loading dock.  They all decide they must do their duty and serve king and country even if Agnes (Aisling Loftus) objects to him going.   Agnes displays leaflets and chocolates with a collection tin in the departments and Thackeray (Cal MacAninch) objects to his fashion department being used for such purposes.

Harry offers Henri (Gregory Fitoussi) a permanent position as his deputy since he needs a friend around and offers him as much money as he wants which is music to his ears as he's got debts that need paying off. So he arranges payment for this.  Also agreeing to stick around for six months.  Thackeray is being difficult with Agnes and Henri puts him in his place by telling him he's in charge now and if he objects he can take it up with Harry.  Which will prove problematic for Henri later as Thackeray spots him paying off his debt in the cafe.

A chocolate display is held with a Belgian refugee and chocolatier, Jean Neuhaus (Anthony Howell) which amazes the customers and Rose too as she's shy about trying a chocolate since they look too good to eat. Delphine giving Lady Mae a few pointers on how to sell effectively and not engage in mindless chit chat. Then takes it upon herself to have the grand rose chocolate display auctioned off, making Harry buy it since he's a millionaire and will be good publicity.  She also thinks she can get Harry to do more for the war effort since he's an American and is sill able to move around freely.

The assistants, Grace (Amy Morgan) and Jessie (Sai Bennett) on the shop floor eat the chocolates but pay for them and entice Ms Mardle (Amanda Abbington) to do the same, she can't resist and for a moment there you'd think it was the Maltesers chocolate ad which Amanda stars in, as she eats chocolate after chocolate, even Jean gets her blood pumping and also sensually entices her when he tells her women find eating chocolate more sensual than men since their body temperature is higher.

Harry comes up with the idea of a Selfridge Brigade with so many men going away and he has a parade of men as they all enlist in the store there and then.  Ms Mardle comes up with the idea to open up her house to refugees and asks Agnes to stay with her until George returns.  Agnes makes George promise he will return home to her. Which we know is not really a promise he can be sure of keeping.

Lady Mae gets a champagne break courtesy of Frank (Samuel West) who has his own column but is stuck for stories and has no choice but to write about Harry and the store. Grove (Tom Goodman-Hill) and Crabb  (Ron Cook) figure out how to employ new staff with all the young men signing up and clearly the elderly will not do as they cannot lift heavy packages or crates.  There's fighting talk in at the loading bay as Franco (Sean Teale) gets into a fight with one of the men, with everyone keen to sign up, he's called a coward.  Gordon (Greg Austin) is disappointed since he's under 16 and can't enlist.

Agnes doesn't want George going and hopes Victor (Trystan Gravelle) could talk to him and talk him out of it but Victor has plans of his own in wanting to go.  Yet he's also got Uncle Gio (Vincenzo Nicoli) to think about and running the restaurant.  Agnes doesn't want Victor going either and says she'll have no choice but to worry about him even if she can't declare she has feelings for him which is what Victor wants.  It's clear Victor does for her as Gabriella (Crystal Leaity) tells him after Uncle Gio dies and Victor promises he will stay and look after the family and the restaurant.  Agnes pays him a call and is sorry for his loss.  Victor loves Agnes as we've known since series 1.  Gabriella saving Victor, well preventing him enlisting in the nick as she comes with news of Uncle Gio.  Victor tells Agnes he's not a coward.

Elsewhere Lady Mae enlists Pimble's (Amanda Lawrence) help in spying on Loxley (Aidan McArdle) whilst she's at the store and he's going through the list of boot manufacturers and finding out which one is dishonest so he can share in the profits and make money for himself.  Lady Mae tells Rose not to worry about her as she'll be fine when she tells her with Loxley back things haven't been so good.  Rose is so in awe of Delphine and wishes she had her confidence, she's very good at taking what she wants.  Adds Lady Mae "as long as it's something you don't want to hold on to," possibly referring to Harry.  Still have a sneaky suspicion Delphine wants to get her claws int Harry as Rose tells her things are better between them.

Which they seem to be as Harry and Rose share a passionate moment and kiss with Rose telling him he's "incorrigible."  He declares his love for her, how long will that last.  He discusses the war with Frank who tells him the press are being censored by Churchill and Kitchener into not revealing the true horrors of the war.  Harry agrees with them as the men need a good leader to look up to and if they hear anything different they'll lose morale.  So instead they were herded off into bloody battle without knowing the true horrors.

Grove comes up with the idea of allowing women to take the jobs of the men and advertizes the positions for both men and women to apply, if his wife's friends can do such jobs, then they can hire women to do the same.  So cam about the changes due to inevitability on the most part, for women to drive trucks, load crates and deliver goods.  Still no one had any idea of the horrors of war as it is glorified, leading men to sign up in their droves.

Seems like Victor own't be going anywhere as he has a promise to keep but I think he and Agnes should get together. Henri may have been exciting for her back then but he's changed since he's been away and isn't quite the same innocent Henri she sees him as being.  Even if he does help her make her choices and do her job.  Victor has stood by her and been there for her from the beginning before she had her head turned by Henri and besides he did leave her to go pursue his romance in America.  It wasn't as if their so called romance was going anywhere.

Oh and we did get lift scenes with Agnes and Henri and with Harry and Crabb when Harry decides on his idea which will surprise everyone.

Mr Selfridge Series 2 Episode 3 Review

                                         
Agnes (Aisling Loftus) roams the store in desperation, setting up displays for Empire Week, but doesn't seem to be getting very far.  She sets up a safari display in Fashion, complete with stuffed tiger but next day when she shows Harry (Jeremy Piven) around, the display has gone.  She wanted to set up the Raj display there.  Apparently Thackeray (Cal MacAninch) has moved it even when she told him about it, claiming he didn't know.  Can't wait for him to be put in his place very soon.  Harry arrives home to find Rose (Frances O'Connor) is out but Henri (Gregory Fitoussi) is there.  He came to apologize to Rose for being so rude to her but Harry tries to get him back to the store.  He apologizes for his behaviour, he could have handled his leaving much better and Henri would like to see him beg, he jokes.  Well he got an apology from him.  He won't come back to the store but Harry tells him how Agnes is struggling as creative director, he sent her to train under Lafayette and Henri returns, but only to help her.  Harry admitting he needs Henri, perhaps more than Henri needs him.

Everyone's surprised to see Henri back, not least of which is Agnes and she sets about looking for him. Agnes tries to set up the safari display in the Plam Court, on Harry's suggestion, but Victor (Trystan Gravelle) doesn't want the guns there and the tiger would also scare his customers.  Franco (Sean Teale) tells him he was abrupt with Agnes and should apologize, he's taking his anger out on her.  There is outrage against the Italians as war looms even closer. Even Kitty (Amy Beth Hayes) has a go at him about not caring about the Exhibition cos he's Italian and it's daubed over the restaurant door when he returns home too.  His uncle Gio (Vincenzo Nicoli) fears for the restaurant and Victor tells him he and Franco were born here and they've lived here for 30 years.  Gabriella (Crystal Leaity) also worries and needs reassurance from him. They kiss and he promises he won't desert her.  He won't really have a choice even if he doesn't enlist, he will be called up most likely.  Think he made a mistake there since he still has feelings for Agnes.

Agnes finds Henri and they have tea together.  She asks him about America but things didn't work out, though he did enjoy working at the advertizing firm, or did he?  He helps her come up with ideas for the display and where certain things should be set up.  Ms Mardle (Amanda Abbington) has also returned from Geneva and Harry offers her his sympathy for her brother.  She needs a display idea too which Agnes hasn't come up with since Accessories are important and as Henri says are the hub of the store.  Kitty gets a display of oriental fans and parasols which keeps her happy.  Also Frank (Samuel West) asks her out on the Bank Holiday. He likes to hang around with Harry since he's good copy and he tells her he started out with a broom in hand at his first newspaper job.

 Lady Mae's (Katherine Kelly) maid asks Loxley (Aidan McArdle) about the war but he doesn't reply to her instead he prefers to torment her since it's more fun.  Lady Mse leaves and goes straight for the bank where she deposits some jewellery in her box out of Loxley's reach and sweet talks Jeremy (Jack Fox) into telling her about Loxley's finances.  He's bankrupt and thus needs all the help he can muster, especially from Harry.  Whom he cons into giving him a list of leather suppliers for the war committee, in exchange for Winston Churchill opening the Exhibition.  The tagline of which is "The Sun Never Sets on the British Empire."  Had a feeling Churchill wasn't coming at all (as we know from real events) and Loxley knew this but found a way to get the list from Harry, if only he had waited until later to hand it over.  Oh come on, let's put him in his place too.  Lady Mae tells Harry to trust Loxley since she's going to use that to her advantage too as she asks Harry for a locksmith.  She has the lock fitted to her bedroom door and threatens to declare to everyone that Loxley is bankrupt if he ever touches her again!   Though she should have been more honest with Harry even if it's understandable why she wasn't.

Gordon (Greg Austin) collects postcards of scantily clad women and keeps them in his pocket which fall out with Rose around.  He wants her to make an effort with Harry if she still loves him but it's not so easy for her since he's hurt her in the past.  This does get her thinking cos Harry wants her to leave for America if war is declared and she doesn't want to if he thinks she's such a coward.  She wants to stand by him cos his store will need him as will his staff and he only wants her to stay if it's not out of duty.  He promises to make an effort to be more of a husband to her.  We'll have to wait and see.  Think Delphine (Polly Walker) may get in the way there.  Especially since she tells him she doesn't want Rose's money and Harry wants them to start over as friends.

Crabb (Ron Cook) orders some manuals from America for Grove (Tom Goodman-Hill) as this will help him be more efficient in his work.  Harry threatens to fire him if he doesn't pick up his game.  Ms Mardle asks him for advice as she's inherited a big, old house and contents from her brother and also an income.  Grove referring to her as an independent woman now.  Wonder if he regrets leaving her now, seeing as she doesn't have to work anymore.  He did look peeved and suggests she rent out the rooms and should live there too. Maybe she'll rent to Henri, ha.

Agnes finishes the displays with Henri's help, setting up a statue of Britannia at the Accessories department since it's the hub as said and it should be the heart of Britain.  Harry's impressed with all this.  Thackeray isn't too pleased either since she's pulled it off, even with some help.  He refers to Henri as "shabby" as Victor tells him who he is.  Looks like he's got his job back here.  But Henri tells him it was only to help Agnes. Harry couldn't handle his problems, which must be big if he doesn't want to get him involved or tell anyone about them.  Victor sees the two of them hug.  Agnes buys him a gift, a new shirt and he can't accept it but she reminds him how he brought her presents and now it's her turn.

As said, Churchill doesn't show up and they get news of Germany declaring war on France and invading Belgium.  Loxley looked really smug, killing two birds with one stone.  Not only did he get the list but will now use it to further make a name for himself on the Procurement Committee.  Lady Mae having told Harry not to approach the Committee in person since they're all about the establishment and sticking together. Later they get news of Britain being at war and seem to be jubilant about it, not realizing just what this means for everyone involved.  Particulary those who will have to fight.  As Grove tells Harry using his new system, he's worked out 80% of the male staff are eligible to go to war.  Leaving problems for Harry about who will do their jobs.  Obviously the women.

The look on Loxley's face of smugness, oh Lady Mae should have slapped him there and then, but for obvious reasons couldn't.  Well wish someone would have done it, as he thinks he's pulled off quite a coup and got one over on Harry too. Wonder how long Lady Mae will keep Loxley at bay.  Oh we get a scene in the lift, or rather Harry and Agnes coming out of it.  An ep isn't complete without Harry exiting from the lift!

At least will stand by him and lots of character development too in the ep as Crabb and Grove's friendship continues to grow, Grove being stunned Crabb would send away for the manuals just for him.  Kitty and Frank's romance slowly simmering and we're still intrigued as to what Delphine has got planned up her puffy sleeves!  As we get to see how Selfridge's copes with the war years.

QVC Beauty Bash 2014

The beauty event of the year, at least one where so many millions would like to flock to, but alas tickets are few and far between.  This year the QVC Beauty Bash took place from 22nd January - 24 January at Old Billingsgate.  A location that is definitely in the heart of London and close to the River Thames.

Most every brand featured on QVC was here and a few new ones who will be making their debut very soon on the channel.  Including Lalique perfumes.  A name that has been synonymous with fragrance but from the outset Rene Lalique was a French glass designer who created amongst other works of art, glass perfume bottles. In 1907 he partnered with the perfumer Francois Coty to produce elegant and creative bottles, becoming collector's items.

Attending on the Thursday it was great meeting up with QVC presenters Debbie Flint, Julia Roberts again and also seeing Will Gowing again too.  As well as getting to meet QVC's own resident beauty expert, Alison Young, complete with her heels! And not forgetting Miceal Murphy.  New presenter Marverine Cole was there too but didn't get a chance to meet her.

Of course all the old faves were there too, from Leighton Denny, OPI, Nails Inc, to Decleor,  Gatineau, Elemis, Mally, Laura Geller, Stila, Bare Minerals and the list goes on.  Places filled up quickly for the make overs and nail manicures, treatments but I was there for more of a gander, meeting the faces we see on screen, finding out about products both old and new.  As Andrew Bagley of Gatineau put it, these events are a way of meeting customers in person so they can see our skin and give appropriate advice.  There was a bit of a queue to see Andrew!!  Though I doubt anyone needed Debbie's playful steering in his direction, ha.

Got to meet Nina: so lovely and friendly as she led me to the upcoming Leighton Denny TSV containing my fave colour purple! A must have.

An enjoyable few hours well spent in the company of some exceptional people and brands!

Revenge 3.4 "Mercy" Review

                                             
As Emily (Emily VanCamp) arrives at the hospital and she finds Father Paul (James LeGros) critical and he eventually dies.  Conrad (Henry Czerny) however survives like a cockroach, ha, and she suspects he may have had something to do with his death.  She vows to bring him down and prove he was driving even if Daniel (Josh Bowman) wants to do everything he can to ensure he isn't blamed for the car crash.  Emily says she didn't give him the full dosage of the drug and Nolan (Gabriel Mann) tells her again he warned her about doing this.  Victoria (Madeleine Stowe) turns up at the hospital if not just to gloat and tells Daniel how Conrad was going to confess about the past and David.  Emily finds Patrick (Justin Hartley) outside and he returns home after he's not allowed to enter the hospital room.  Emily telling him that's how the Grayson's do things.

Charlotte (Christa B Allen) doesn't pick up Victoria's call and she's doing her bridesmaid duties by sending out wedding invitations and encourages Jack (Nick Wechsler) to come.  He's not going though.  Victoria gets a job at the gallery as she's trying to make a clean break from Conrad, easier said than done and her so called friend, Sheila (Kathleen York) has heard about her financial troubles and uses it as an excuse to bring in the punters.  Seems Victoria is getting the short end of the stick this season as everyone's deserting her, especially her children. Not that they didn't before but seems like she only has Patrick left for emotional support and he doesn't look like he's going anywhere.  Although we still don't know anything about him, seems he is there for his mother as he shows by putting the spanner in the works for Sheila at the gallery.  He offers her a painting to sell and she declares she can't without the paperwork, then blackmails her into buying it since he knows she's done that in the past.

Emily decides she has to gloat too at Victoria's misfortune of having to join the dregs of ordinary workers but it's not as though her job isn't glamorous enough for her.  Charlotte also turns up to lend support to her since she's doing something to get away from Conrad.  Aiden (Barry Sloane) is invited to stay in the pool house by Victoria since he can give her the lowdown on Emily and get between her and Daniel.  Conrad not being too happy about this since he is the one who took their fortune.  Emily also gives Aiden Conrad's pills to change. Took his time about doing that, but he does find out where the wreck of the car is for her.

Emily can't stay away from Jack and tells him about Conrad and how she knows he was driving.  She wants him to not get involved so why bother him to begin with.  Obviously he can't stay out of it cos he hasn't got his revenge on Conrad for Amanda and Declan.  Emily wonders why the police haven't questioned her since she was first at the scene and stops by at the magazine to discover Daniel's already talked to the police on her behalf and given her statement to them, er thought this couldn't be done.  Whilst also writing out a cheque for their charity.  Bribes hey.  Emily gets her revenge on him when she tells the magazine about his DUI. He's staying at the Southfork Inn when Emily finds him at the beach house, they have an argument over the article and how he's defending Conrad, she tells him to turn the alarm on before he leaves.

Nolan is intent on finding the dirt on Patrick and he steals his wallet from the club, really Nolan it was just to see Patrick shirtless! and going back to using his hacking skills, finds he has an ex wife in Miami so he flies down there, flashes some money around, which really isn't his and gets the dirt on him.  Well it wasn't really dirt since we discover Patrick really is not into the opposite sex.  Cue passionate kiss between the two of them for those who anticipated this, of course it was obvious these two had a thing for each other as soon as they met.

Victoria tells Sheila she found out about her painting being sold from her friend Jordan and blackmails her into giving her the gallery.  So guess can't fell sorry for her anymore, as she and Patrick were in on the scam from the outset.  Of course they were and look she got a gallery for nothing.  Emily took her sweet time getting down to the scrapyard since Jack has beaten her to the punch.  He's taken photos of the wreck and the airbag is missing from the driver's side so this means Conrad was driving as his injuries prove this.  The car is taken away to be wrecked.

Conrad realizes he's not suffering from Huntington's after all and he's celebrating.  Emily tells Daniel he must be relived but he's still not going to come back to her.  Conrad also thanks Daniel for covering for him but he admits he did it for himself.  He's got his own reputation to think about and wants to make his own name. Charlotte didn't even come to see Conrad, ha.  Emily also tells Aiden about Jack and how she revealed who she was to him to stop him from shooting Conrad and see the temperature rise there as Aiden sees red.  He's so envious of him that he tells Victoria he knows who sabotaged the car: Jack! Argh, that's his agenda revealed, he wants shot of Jack now.  Jack shows Emily the video of the engine which shows the car was infact sabotaged so Conrad wasn't responsible for killing Father Paul after all.

This ep didn't have a closing or opening narration from Emily.  Daniel actually having his own motives for clearing Conrad was a bit of a revelation, usually he doesn't have that much to do character wise, aside from being used by Emily to further her revenge plans and worm her way into the Grayson clan even further. Daniel listening to Conrad when he says he shouldn't go running back to Emily since it shows weakness and Daniel actually rejecting her even when she wants him to come home.

Victoria sat on her chair again, that chair, need to get my hands on it! Ha.  It's been missing of late and surprisingly it showed up this ep when Victoria was being fiendish with the help of Patrick.  Funny scene when she told Conrad to go away, she's working. Aiden thinking he can shoot two birds with one stone since he can get Jack out of the way and away from Emily whilst still being able to stay on at the pool house. I don't know, seems like whoever stays there, or visits, comes to a bit of a grizzly end.

As for the brakeline cutting fiasco could it be Patrick, of course we know he was a round when Victoria told Conrad not to drive and he could have heard their argument afterwards too, but presumably the brakelines had already been cut by then.  He did show some of his true colours when he helped Victoria with the gallery, does his shortcomings include murder.  If so was he behind Emily's shooting.  Okay getting my thoughts down now, ha.  Irrespective of all this, it does appear Nolan appears to be heading for another fall as far his love interests are concerned.

Mr Selfridge Series 2 Episode 2 Review

                                            
War looms on the horizon as does the Trade Union movement and in actual fact it's all out war between Lady Mae (Katherine Kelly) and Loxley (Aidan McArdle) as well as Harry (Jeremy Piven) and Rose (Frances O'Connor) well it doesn't help to have Delphine (Polly Walker) hanging around like a bad smell, considering she's the one who is behind it all as far as Harry and Rose not getting along is concerned.  The Selfridge's staff feel Harry will desert them at the time of war and go back to America, as Mr Crabb (Ron Cook) tries to put them right, also warning Harry to possible dissention in the ranks, which is Groves's (Tom Goodman-Hill) job.  Harry thinks he needs something to boost morale and pep up his workers and so asks for suggestions from his staff at the Head of Departments meeting.

Agnes (Aisling Loftus) arrives late as she's really overwhelmed with the workload and Thackeray (Cal MacAninch) isn't making things any easier for her.  Don't know what his problem is, he comes across as sexist and doesn't want Agnes to be in charge or he just plain hates the fact that he should be doing such a job when Agnes has all the say.  Agnes drops her pencil and can't think of anything when Harry asks her but Kitty (Amy Beth Hayes) comes up with an idea to throw a party for the staff and they can have a Tango demo since Mr Gomerez (Amir Giles) is in town and is at Delphine's.  Harry thinks it's a good idea and comes up with the theme of the Empire Exhibition, shown in all its glory.  Thackeray seeing how Agnes isn't coping adds a spanner to the works by calling a meeting with her and Harry to say they should extend it to all the departments and to have it go on for a week.

Frank (Samuel West) comes in the store to apologize to Kitty for taking advantage of her or trying to and wonders what he could buy her by way of apology.  He's recommended the new Guerlain fragrance but Kitty interferes and suggests the Yardley collection for this woman he wants to impress and is difficult to shop for.  It's also more expensive.

Rose asks Delphine about Henri (Gregory Fitoussi) and she gives her his address.  Delphine also wanting Rose to ensure Harry throws his party at the club, that way she gets to make money which she later admits to Harry is her sole intention since she's "skint."  Wouldn't think she'd have admitted that at all, not good business practice is it.  She also realizes Harry has been here before but he doesn't really tell her when.  She tries to give him advice concerning Rose but he doesn't want to hear it and is short with her, which he should be.  "I know my wife better than you."  When Delphine tells him he should "trust her."  Rose pays a call on Henri and finds he's living in the dumps, so to speak.  Things didn't work out in New York but he doesn't want to see Harry or talk with him, even after Rose suggests he should, since Harry is in need of a friend.

Harry in an attempt to save his marriage and win Rose back cancels Miss Spender's (Gina Bramhill) account, well she had an appropriate name, ha, and sends her packing, as well as cancelling all the other accounts too belonging to his lady friends.  He misses Rose but she doesn't want to go there again with him in their marriage cos she loses a little of herself everytime she does.  Enjoying putting Harry through the wringer and tormenting him some more.

The warehouse men want to be able to join the Trade Union and go to Grove to ask him about it but he refuses since they still have a Staff Council to air their troubles.  The men however aren't happy with this and decide to have their own meeting at seven in the loading bay when Harry et all will be at the party.  Gordon (Greg Austin) listens in to their conversation and warns Harry but he tells him there'll be good and bad days when he's behind that desk so he has to deal with them.

Lady Mae packs up to leave for the country in the hopes of escaping from Loxley but he wants her to introduce him to Harry since he's got a business proposition for him.  She doesn't want to but in the ultimate humiliation, he rubs runny egg on her lips after she asks him if he's going to blackmail her too like he did his friend.  The sooner he's gone, the better, he really is a piece of work and is in there to spice things up.  As later at the club he insinuates himself into ensuring he uses the invitation that was only intended for Lady Mae and tags along, and wants to talk about her account and also business.  Harry puts his foot down and tells him this isn't the time or the place.  Loxley insists and thinks Lady Mae will put in a good word for him, but she says the same as Harry which really riles Loxley.  Harry telling him to stay and have a few drinks as "they're also on the house."  Harry getting his own back on him for the humiliation last episode and that was in front of his staff.  Notice Frank casually listening into their conversation.  When they mentioned Loxley last series it was implied he was more kind of absent minded and aloof, but here in person he's completely different to how we would have imagined him.

Mr Crabb covers for Grove who has been arriving in late for work and also turns up at his home to pick him up, just to show us the stress he's under at home and for us to see Doris (Lauren Crace) and the children. Grove thinks he's got it bad, how does he think Doris manages being with the children alone all day. There's another baby on the way and he's just overwhelmed.  He's also concerned about the war and how it will affect his daughters.  Mr Crabb adding that they will learn to adapt.  Grove places his hand on his and tells him he's  good friend and a gentleman.  Shocking Crabb who tells him to "steady on."

Kitty is about to accept the present from Frank when she's pulled away to dance the Tango, well she wore appropriate attire for this, her green dress with the slits and red tights!  Agnes tells Victor (Trystan Gravelle) that there is no 'us' as he tries to see what's troubling her.  He didn't want to hear her problems before but he does now.  That's cos he doesn't know how to treat her and she goes home as she's tired.  She needs Henri around not only to help her at work, but also to pick up her spirits, which will make Thackeray all the more jealous, can't wait to see that.  As well as more heartache for Victor.  But then he had his girlfriend, what happened to her?

At the meeting the men tell the union man that they've already got what he's offering at the store and he quite forcefully tries to make trouble by telling them Harry will be off and leave them at the first sign of war. Gordon objects to that and fights for his father, getting punched in the process, but one of the men tells him he's okay and stood up for his father.  The men realizing they have it good at the store, but not for long as there's talk of war and we see Victor, Franco (Sean Teale) and other men enjoying themselves dancing, cos that's probably their last moment of laughter and joy as most of them will be fighting and not coming back.

Loxley is angry at Lady Mae's treatment of him and won't take her lip (I can say that can't I considering he did put egg on it, so no pun intended) and he slaps her to the floor.  That'll have her running to Harry for help and comfort and right now, Harry is in need of both too, well more comfort than help.  Delphine takes Rose for a surprise and asks Harry to join them.  The surprise being jellied eels, yuk!  He doesn't like them and she lets slip on purpose, that much was obvious, asking about Rose and her mysterious Frenchman.  Rose tells him about Henri and Harry leaves.  There Delphine causing problems between them more so cos Harry told her he didn't want Rose investing in her club and that his good name means a lot to him, as does Rose.

Harry returns home and Gordon arrives later with his bruise, but Harry tells him he's his own man now and can do what it likes,  here he was sticking up for Harry but perhaps Harry's worried at losing his son's loyalties to the loading bay men.

So the ep began with talk of war and ended with violence on the homefront between Loxley and Lady Mae, highlighting again how the men ruled most everything including treating their wives however they wanted. Wonder if she'll leave him, well he no longer has any money and Loxley makes it harder for her even to get away from him as he's leased their country house to a Dutchman, as he throws this bombshell on her in an  attempt to make her stay and come round in helping him with Harry.  Maybe Loxley should get together with Delphine as they're cut from the same cloth.  Wasn't Loxley not meant to have been seen at the infamous club?

Lots more to come as the events of this second episode will have repercussions for the next and most likely the entire series.  Especially since Agnes will get a most welcomed ally in the form of Henri and his return, notch one up to her against Thackeray.  As well as showing how the women will keep commerce running whilst the men go off to war, a time of change for all concerned, least more for the staff.  But rest assured they'll have Harry on their side to give them lots of pep talks as he did here by telling them "it might be my name on the door but behind that door you are the ones that matter."  Alas no lift scenes this episode! Ha.