The famous department store opens its doors again as Mr Selfridge returns to ITV for its third season, bringing with it a fantastic mix of drama, despair and romance.
Jumping ahead five years to 1919, the war is over but there are worse tragedies to come for the Selfridge family.
Everything feels deliberately bigger with the expansion of Selfridges and the grandness of the lavish family wedding. It soon becomes apparent that these grand gestures and bolshy business decisions are coping mechanisms in the wake of Rose’s death nine months earlier, though this causes friction for both Harry’s employees and children.
“It’s important that we find a way to remember her, but…the store really needs you. The family does too,” Gordon Selfridge tells his father, highlighting the recklessness of Harry’s decisions and his emotional vulnerability.
The episode honours Rose’s death and stays true to the events of the family’s history. The funereal opening sequence somberly acknowledges the loss and gives Jeremy Piven some emotional meat to work with. “I miss Ma,” a broken Rosalie tells Harry.”I don’t know what to do without her.” Seeing Harry struggling to cope with his business and family struggles is captivating stuff.
The jump to 1919 allows the writers to highlight character changes too. Kitty (Amy Beth Hayes) and Frank Edwards (Samuel West) are now married, while Florian has died during the War leaving Miss Mardle (Amanda Abbington) in mourning. Lady Mae, now divorced from Lord Loxley, is living abroad. The biggest development though, is the integration of Harry Selfridge’s daughters, Rosalie and Violette, (played by real life sisters Kara and Hannah Tointon) in particular with Rosalie, whose marriage to Sergei Di Bolotoff (Leon Ockenden) will no doubt cause problems.
Sergei is an odious creation, clearly using the Selfridge name to gain funds for his aerodrome and marrying Rosalie to ensure it. However, Harry makes it very clear that he will not tolerate his twisted behaviour. “Don’t use my daughter as leverage, do you understand me?” Harry warns Sergei. “You behave with her or I’ll give you hell.”
As with any season opener we also get revelations that will no doubt pay off throughout the remaining nine episodes: Victor is now running a nightclub and has been forced into a protection racket, though he still clearly holds a torch for Agnes. Sergei’s pushing Harry on the aerodrome issue adds further bad blood between them. However, the most interesting development is Henri’s hallucinations and anxiety, possibly leading to a PTSD storyline that is both believable and engaging.
We also get new characters to propel different stories. The Tointon sisters add a wonderful sibling dynamic, while My Family’s Zoe Wanamaker is effortlessly fabulous in her role as Princess Marie, even if her accent does come with a touch of the Zsa Zsa’s!
Loxley’s return is my only gripe with this season. Without Katherine Kelly here, his reappearance feels forced and it’s a shame that he’s been drafted in on this revenge storyline.
Mr Selfridge has returned with a strong opener that ties up some stories, sets new ones up and propels us into the next stages of the characters’ lives. Selfridges is officially back open for business.
Aired at 9pm on Sunday 25 January 2015 on ITV.
> Order Season 3 on DVD on Amazon.
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