Settled in after last week’s opening episode, Selfridges is back to business as usual.
This week, the launch of the Lanvin fashion range is the store’s key priority, yet what is happening elsewhere with the stores staff is much more dramatic.
Whereas last week focused on Rosalie Selfridge (Kara Tointon), with her wedding, marital troubles and grief over Rose, this episode focuses more on Violette.
Hannah Tointon does a lovely job here, playing Violette as mischievous, outspoken and headstrong while trying to assert herself a place in the Selfridge legacy and maintain what’s left of her mother’s memory. The benefit here of having actual siblings play the Selfridge sisters is that the interactions feel real and compelling.
Kitty and her sister Connie (Sacha Parkinson) are also expanded upon after last week’s fleeting introduction.
“You have to look your best tomorrow, Connie. This Lanvin event is an opportunity for you to shine,” Kitty tells Connie, later describing them as “The sisters of Selfridges.” Connie is reminiscent of a young Kitty and it feels like a natural step for someone as ambitious as Kitty to mentor her sibling down the same path.
The Loxley and Sergei storyline continues to be distracting. The actors involved are strong and their interactions work better between themselves, away from the main drama, but the whole subplot feels unnecessary. The store drama and the family frictions are more than enough drama in this episode.
Loxley’s involvement does create a great scene for Jeremy Piven’s Harry, however, as he warns Sergei from dealing with him: “Stay away from him. That man is dangerous. Cut off all contact with him immediately.”
This is an episode of high drama. In another brilliantly tense scene, Mr Thackeray (Cal Macaninch) has a face-off with Harry that is both dramatically captivating yet required to highlight Harry’s passive behaviour towards Selfridges.
“You haven’t been the same since Mrs Selfridge died,” Thackeray declares. It may have needed to be said, but it is done in the worst possible way. Nevertheless, Piven is also excellent here, displaying the strain of a man barely holding it together.
The housing storyline stays true to the roots of the Selfridge legacy and provides many dramatic elements: the continued expansion of the Selfridge name, further development of Nancy Webb and the feelings of loss and mourning for Rose, still very much present. Harry’s determination to bid for the field and turn it into the housing project leads to one of the episode’s best moments.
Despite Harry’s confidence that the board will loan him the money for the housing project, Mr Crabb (Ron Cook) throws a spanner in the works by explaining that he believes it is the wrong decision, much to Harry’s annoyance.
Ron Cook puts in a lovely performance here, struggling with a decision that is drip fed to him throughout the episode as he determines his place at Selfridges and internally fights to do the right thing for the store. In a lovely little moment, Harry rejects Crabb’s resignation before Crabb explains: “It’s my job to protect the company. Even if that means from you.”
By the episode’s end, Harry is a broken man; feeling betrayed by his family and colleagues, unable to help Miss Webb and unable to cope without Rose. If Mr Selfridge can maintain this level of drama then the show is in for yet another winning season.
Aired at 9pm on Sunday 1 February 2015 on ITV.
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