Mr. Selfridge: The Department Store is Born

PBS's latest foray into British television is Mr. Selfridge. The show begins in 1909 London, as American Harry Gordon Selfridge (played by a delightful Jeremy Piven), embarks on a quest to establish his department store on Oxford Street. In 2013, Selfridges is a world-renowned department store, but in 1909, it was a highly unusual enterprise, run by a highly unusual man.

Harry Gordon Selfridge is loud, friendly, and bursting with ideas about transforming the basic shopping experience. His confident American ways are in constant conflict with the cautious pessimism of his British colleagues, but he happily steamrolls their protests and goes ahead with his risky business plan. Selfridge's main aim is to make shopping fun, not a chore, and he comes up with such innovations as leaving the merchandise out on counters so customers can freely browse the products without being committed to buy them. He also has a boundless curiosity and organizes many in-store exhibits about new and exciting events and inventions that are changing the world.

This period of English history also includes changing roles for women, with suffragettes campaigning on the streets to get the vote and women becoming increasingly independent. Selfridge recognizes the changing tide and fully embraces the women's movement. To all outward appearances, he was a cheerful and committed family man, but modern television doesn't allow us to have flawless protagonists. Instead, Mr. Selfridge gives us an in-depth look at Selfridge's family life, and the numerous affairs and vices that Harry dabbled in. His wife Rose (the charming Frances O'Connor), puts up with these dalliances, but her patience can't endure for much longer. Meanwhile, his youngest daughter, Violette, is turning into a mini-suffragette, while his eldest daughter, Rosalie, is preparing to make her debut in society, despite being hampered with a "shopkeeper" for a father.

The store itself is populated by a fascinating mix of characters, including the talented window-dresser Henri Leclair (Gregory Fitoussi) who is responsible for the famous Selfridges windows that are an integral part of the store's identity, and Agnes Towler (Aisling Loftus) who is a senior assistant in Accesories but has plenty of ambition and ability to move up the ranks. Like all great period dramas, there are plenty of intrigues and jealousies among the staff, multiple love affairs, aristocratic maneuverings, and sordid matters of commerce. The home lives of the staff members constantly bleed into their professional lives, and Harry's compassion and understanding when dealing with his loyal staff is always engaging.

Mr. Selfridge is an excellent series about an intriguing character in the midst of an interesting period of English history. PBS has aired three hours of the drama already (all of which can be viewed online here), so get caught up and tune in on Sunday nights (after the wonderful Call the Midwife!) to catch the latest installment. The next time you walk into a department store, you'll notice Harry Gordon Selfridge's ideas and innovations all around you.