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6 Degrees Entertainment

'Mr. Selfridge: The Complete Series'
(Jeremy Piven, Frances O' Connor, Amanda Abbington, Tom Goodwin-Hill, et al / 12-DVD / NR / 2016 / PBS)

Overview: Enjoy all four seasons of the thrilling MASTERPIECE series hailed as addicting by the Wall Street Journal. Created by Emmy Award-winning writer Andrew Davies, 'Mr. Selfridge' brings to life the story of American entrepreneur Harry Gordon Selfridge, the colorful and visionary founder of London's most lavish department store, and features a brilliant ensemble cast led by three-time Emmy Award-winning actor Jeremy Piven.

DVD Verdict: In truth, this is really a fascinating show about a self-made entrepreneur, an American in England, who opened one of the worlds first and most successful department stores. The intrigue with the owner and his family, the stores employees and customers and the general changing world the story is set in, is well done and keeps you wanting more. I really love the clothes and sets, but that's just me.

If you didn't know, all of the storyline takes place for the most part at Selfridge's department store which is based on true facts. I particularly enjoyed watching as I have traveled a great deal and spent two weeks in England. It was simply a week off from all my London sightseeing!

Anyway, Mr. Selfridge was quite a bounder (even though he was American) and as depicted in the show had quite a few dalliances with showgirls - whilst maintaining a lovely, patient wife and four children. He even allowed his son to follow in his footsteps and become a part of the store at a young age when the boy expressed a strong desire to do so.

Thus, and as the opening storyline depicts, Harry Gordon Selfridge comes to London to establish a department store that understands what women want; which is to shop! After a brief moment in the standard London store Selfridge is put off by the stringent rules and regulations of just how people can purchase items in a store atmosphere (as opposed to scheduled meetings with personal tailors and dressmakers in private).

Jeremy Piven sparkles in the role of the flamboyant optimist who doesn't seem to know the meaning of defeat and manages to pull off the opening of his glorious new store a year after he arrives. He loses, backing, finds backing form a wealthy Lady Mae and her husband, makes changes in the way employees are hired and treated, and falls in fancy with a chorus girl Miss Love (Zoë Tapper). He befriends a salesgirl Agnes (Aisling Loftus) who lost her job when Selfridge visited her previous employer, greets his wife (Frances O'Connor) and family when they arrive from America to join him, and is privy to all manner of subplots that are always necessary for the series to have been so successful.

Much like the department store it depicts, 'Mr. Selfridge' presents a sumptuous display of gorgeous clothing, magnificent hairstyles, and enviable period decor. Jeremy Piven (Entourage) stars as bluff, driven Harry Selfridge, who arrives in London at the start of the 20th century determined to launch a modern retail empire, promoting the notion of shopping as a pleasure unto itself.

The series explores the cultural shifts of the time - the rise of advertising, women's emancipation, and more - while following a sudsy series of affairs and scandals among the store's staff, as well as the marital turmoil of Selfridge himself.

As they play out over the four incredible, colorful season, each episode brings new business challenges that pits Harry against old English tradition, the need for profits and cash, and even people who want to swindle him. Harry inspires leadership and followers. He is always confident and smiling. When action is needed he doubles advertising and cuts prices, brings in sexy fashion models, and actresses.

Running through the narrative are the multiple loves and dalliances and marriages and friendships between the store's staff. Those are led by Mr Grove and Mr Crabb, buttoned down traditional men, who head up the administration and the adorable Kitty whose red hair and come hither smile the men will like. And there is Monsier Leuclerc who is the artistic leader for the shop window displays. In closing, there's a great story here behind 'Mr. Selfridge' and Piven and company bring it to life like, I truly believe, nobody else ever could have Bravo! This is a Widescreen Presentation (1.78:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs and comes with over two (2) hours of Bonus Material:

Behind The Scenes of Each Season of Mr. Selfridge
Interviews with Cast and Crew
Deleted Scenes

www.PBS.org





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