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'Mr. Selfridge' takes audiences into world of British department store

(Photo courtesy of ITV Studios)
(Photo courtesy of ITV Studios)

(Photo courtesy of ITV Studios) (Photo courtesy of ITV Studios)

With season four of "Downton Abbey" still in the works, PBS needed something to keep its historical ratings up. It did so with a historical drama about the charismatic businessman behind the London department store Selfridges and Co. Masterpiece Classic on PBS strikes again.

"Mr. Selfridge" follows the self-made American businessman Henry Gordon Selfridge as he begins to shake up the formalities in the 20th-century English retail world by opening the glamorous Selfridges and Co. at the not-so-fashionable end of Oxford Street. Mr. Selfridge is played by actor Jeremy Piven, who gives us a character who is bold and exuberant along with many successes and flaws.

The first episode begins with Mr. Selfridge losing his business partner and financial support, then frantically securing the help of a powerful woman in London. Selfridge continues to push through the financial and personal problems before opening his revolutionary department store.

There seems to be two different worlds of Henry Selfridge which somewhat parallels the window displays of his department store. On the outside looking in at the display, we see Henry Selfridge's happy family life when his family moves from the U.S. and into a luxurious British townhouse. However, when we look behind the joyful display of exquisite items in the window, we see a different man. A man who will do anything for success, making deals out of desperation with people whose true intentions are unknown.

As the numerous plot lines begin to thicken and characters begin to develop on "Mr. Selfridge," so does the hype about the show. The happenings in the first episode of "Mr. Selfridge" may not having the sinking of the Titanic and the loss of an heir to automatically hook the audience as with "Downton," but the end of episode one left a sense of quiet before the storm. It's hard not to compare "Downton Abbey" with "Mr. Selfridge," because they are both produced by the British ITV, but all in all, they are separate entities. "Mr. Selfridge" seems to be very promising, and PBS has us in for another thrilling treat.

Catch "Mr. Selfridge" on PBS Sunday nights at 8 p.m. from now until May 19.

Reach the reporter at hdiiullo@asu.edu or follow on Twitter @HaleighD_SP


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