This series is based on a fascinating book - it's the real-life story of American entrepreneur Harold Selfridge and the American-style department store he created in the middle of London a century ago. There are plenty of real-life stories to pull from for the series but they happened over a broad period of time. So far this series seems to be stuck in the first year, at least that's how it appears because most characters wear the exact same outfit in every scene. Even more distracting than that are the constant contemporary slip-ups, from Jeremy Piven's fluorescent white teeth and faceless mannequins, to women freely entering men's clubs, public kissing, and the use of words that weren't even in the English language yet like 'lipstick'. Why bother setting something in the past when its clear that the writers and director have no interest in recreating history other than for picture postcard purposes. Although based on fact, this series seems even more fake than Downton Abbey.
Review of Mr Selfridge
Mr Selfridge
(2013–2016)
A story from history destroyed by a modern perspective and not enough money
23 April 2013