Who doesn’t love a period drama? ITV have hit the nail on the head with this one - it’s a fabulous insight into Britain in 1909. It follows Mr Selfridge, the captivating American who opens a new store in London, and aimed to revolutionise the shopping experience in the process. The first episode was good, but wasn’t as good as the most recent one. This one was oozing sexual tension and the bitchy women came out to play - a bit meatier, which I guess benefits from the character development that comes with a second episode. The acting is sometimes a little forced, especially George, the anxious brother of Aggie. But, the best thing about it for me has to be the way the joviality is matched with a sense of unease, which I think comes in part from Harry Selfridge (Jeremy Piven), who conveys a slight forced charisma. This is matched perfectly by the supporting cast, who all seem to have their issues.
This episode pretty much gave a full lesson in the art of seduction and was brilliantly sexual without any explicit scenes, which is obviously in keeping with the 1900s. One of the things that struck me immediately was the incredible set - ‘the back end of Oxford street’, old style tube stations and Selfridges itself, in all it’s marble glory, and the beautiful products adorning the counters. I’m a bit of a fan of 20th century fashion, and the costumes do not disappoint. Hats galore! I would also really like to know how the women pile all that hair on their heads... it completely defies gravity... HOW?!
 |
| See what I mean about the hair?? |
As for the rest of the series... who knows. I feel the story is probably slightly predictable (likeable character to start with, potential fall into disrepute, struggle to maintain reputation/fortune/wife etc) but if it continues to entertain me along the way, I don't really care!
No comments:
Post a Comment