Anybody else watching this? It’s a decent fix for those of us craving British period pieces, and (having worked in retail alot) fascinating to see how an Edwardian department store worked. Little stuff like how delicately they had to tread selling cosmetic products.
Saw last night’s ep after missing the first 2 (on DVR). Somewhat entertaining - better than much else on TV, but it didn’t really grab me. Probably not fair to say based on my imited viewing, but none of the characters really grabbed me. Many seemed quite stock. And, as much as I like Jeremy Piven, I think I prefer him in a supportng role. Got tired of that rapid flash of teeth pretty quickly.
But the costumes were fabulous and - yes - it was fascinating to see hw different retail was then. I wonder how much of social change is being conflated to fit into this one story. Struck me as possibly a bit much when they brought in sufferage. But heck, I never heard of the guy before. Maybe he was all that!
Interestingly, Selfridge was known to be an active supporter of the Suffragettes, so that bit, at least, is somewhat true.
I’ve seen it twice, and I find it interesting. (I’m in tv love with Selfridge’s wife, and the dancing girl. Okay, while I’m being confessional, the counter clerk girl who got the job by going to Selfridge’s house, too.)
However, I’ve never seen Jeremy Piven in any previous role…He’s okay, I guess, but is the overacting part of the role? Or is that how he does it?
I’ll keep watching, and see how it goes.
I watched the first one, and stopped. Jeremy Piven IMO is horribly miscast in the role - he seems pretty far out of his element, which isn’t helped by every actor around him feeling perfectly at home. Something about his voice and mannerisms just seem way too contemporary. I will admit that this could just be me seeing too much Ari and not giving him a chance, but I couldn’t get past it.
I’m loving it, and I think Piven is doing a wonderful job. What Dinsdale said about the “flashing teeth” I see as Selfridge trying to hold it together, to keep from falling/jumping over the edge. He’s almost manic. It works for me. Guy’s got a lot on his plate.
In this last episode I really liked how LeClaire defeated the actress. It might be a temporary defeat, but she definitely lost that round.
Her little attempt at upstaging Mme Pavlova sure cost her dearly. That was delightfully painfull to watch. It sucks for Miss Bunting, but she brought that on herself. But Agnes, poor Agnes; that’s another story. Did she really loose her job over her father’s stunt? I know that would happen in any other store, but firing her that doesn’t seem very in keeping with Mr Selfridge’s character. Especially considering the way he hired her.
Agnes hasn’t lost her job, yet. It might not even be clear to Selfridge that the drunk was someone she knew – that all happened so fast and Selfridge was distracted by Pavlova and Miss Love.
I’m wondering why the waiter didn’t just come right out and tell Jimmy that he was helping his boss steal from the store.
Miss Love’s breakdown was satisfying but painful to watch. I don’t think we’ve seen the last of her.
What’s this about ready-made clothing for women being something new? Is that true? I loved Mr. Crab not being able to say “shapes and sizes”. How did people so uptight ever manage to procreate?
It’s not that he couldn’t say “shapes and sizes” because he did say it. 
But my impression is that it was his polite way of paraphrasing what he really meant and considered un-sayable, which was “but women go up and down in size, and a woman will need a new outfit if we’re not tailoring them” which fits with Selfridge’s response to the effect that (my anachronistic paraphrasing) that’s a feature and not a bug. 
Was the real Harry Selfridge that involved with his employees? It’s not surprising if people start to think Agnes slept with him. He’s right about the clean break; Mr Towler is beyond pathetic. I wonder how much if this show is fiction and how much is real?
Wiki gives Selfridge credit for these business practices, so it seems that what we’re seeing reflects his business personality.
Wiki makes no mention of Selfridge being a philanderer, and says he courted chorus girls after Rose died.
The series is based on a straight biography of Selfridge, Shopping, Seduction & Mr. Selfridge, by Lindy Woodhead.
The scriptwriters have turned it into a sort of “Downton Abbey” of retailing, with A LOT of soap in its DNA. Only Selfridge and his family, and the occasional period celebrity such Louis Bleriot or Anna Pavlova, survive from real life. The family narrative matches up poorly with actual events, and the store history is reduced to a minor role.
I didn’t think that the casting was the best, either – Jeremy Piven doesn’t even sound American, let alone like a guy who was spectacularly successful in both business and adultery.
Selfridge was proud of his innovations in retailing (he was one of the principals in Marshall Field’s), not to mention that he would probably turn in his grave if he knew that all of his fabulous mistresses had been morphed into one somewhat dull fictional character. I started rolling my eyes when they showed him having trouble getting financing – he was one of the best-known and most successful department store kings of his era.
You can enjoy the show just as melodrama. If you want to know what Selfridge did and how he did it – read the book, which is terrific.
This is exactly that I am doing. I’m enjoying the show for the drama and all that, but I plan to read the book.
I just rented the first ep. I hope Piven gets better in future eps, as his emoting is getting on my nerves. I loved his character in The Larry Sanders Show, but perhaps he should stick with comedy and supporting roles.
Born in NYC, raised in Evanston, IL in a theatrical family, college in Iowa where he was a Pike. About as Dorky-American as you can get.
Haven’t watched it (I’ve seen lots of ads), but based on his career to date, he won’t. I wasn’t even watching the first ad; I just heard his voice and said, “Is that Jeremy Piven? I thought they used GOOD actors on the BBC.”
The show looks gorgeous and if it were only about running the store I’d be all over it. The insistence that there be a plot, and apparently a semifictional one, loses me. And what gives with Masterpiece Classic claptrap? They are mostly just pretty soaps, and this seems like an upmarket Are You Being Served without the gay and pussy jokes. Might as well make a series about Sam Walton while skipping the logistics that made his chain work.
This isn’t a BBC production. Regarding Piven’s performance; I think is character is supposed to be that manic. We’ve seen bits of depressive too.
Yup. It’s from ITV & Series 2 is in production. I caught part of the first episode; Piven got on my last nerve.
Currently, my Sunday TV includes 2 on PBS: The excellent *Call the Midwife *(BBC) and the promising *Bletchley Circle *(ITV). I’d consider either worthy of Masterpiece, but we Americans must be fed the Edwardian stuff. I might try again for the production values–but Sunday also includes Mad Men & Game of Thrones. Later…
Oh. What is the rule of thumb: 90% of the stuff on ITV is crap and the other ten percent isn’t all that bad?
That one has potential, but they’ll ruin it with more soap and less code.
What, watching codebreakers and protoprogrammers work is duller than watching paint dry and people want more sex and talking in their TV? Nobody in MY house thinks liked that.
It isn’t the manic nature of the character; it’s Piven acting like he’s on a Broadway stage: HAHAHA, MY DEAR! I’M OFF TO WORK!
ACTING!
He seems slightly toned since the accident, but not by much & it won’t last. It was sad seeing Miss Bunting, but I’d be very surprised if he allows her a reference.