After last week’s superb episode, Mr Selfridge continues to set the bar for quality drama as we delve further into the lives of those behind Selfridges’ doors.
Kitty’s attack is still having repercussions for all concerned. An ill-advised newspaper article given by Kitty’s sister Connie, causes frictions for the sisters and for Harry as Selfridge’s figurehead. “I just wanted to come back and do my job,” Kitty snaps at Connie. “It’s like having their hands all over me again.”
It also causes frictions for Frank, who escapes jail time for influencing the men with alcohol, but loses his book deal for the association. “It’s only a book,” Kitty responds coldly, still clearly reeling from her ordeal. The episode also allows some wonderful moments between Amy Beth Hayes and Sacha Parkinson, who plays Connie. Parkinson is really starting to find her feet after being secondary in the initial episodes of the season.
Colleano’s becomes more a focal point in this episode too as Victor and Violette grow closer and the corrupt police zoom in on Victor as retribution for not continuing with their pay offs. Victor’s attempts to play it straight are honourable, but the episode has a looming sense of dread that builds that is rewarded in the episode’s last few moments.
I do like the Victor and Violette pairing. Trystan Travelle and Hannah Tointon have wonderful chemistry and it’s lovely to see someone light a spark in him after losing Agnes to Henri. Tointon is also impressive in defending herself against her character’s brother, Gordon.
“I’m sure it’s exciting, but you’ve got a reputation to think of and not just yours,” Gordon laments. Coolly, Violette replies: “I’d rather be shameful than spineless.” Quite how that will work out for her in the wake of the Colleano’s raid and Gordon recent promotion by his father, is anybody’s guess.
Miss Mardle is given much more to do and it’s wonderful to see. Amanda Abbington is beautifully charming as Mardle, exploring both the comic (her interactions with Mr Grove over the Store Deputy position) and the dramatic (Doris Grove’s confession that the youngest Grove baby isn’t her husband’s), and it’s great to see her in the thick of the stories once again.
Romance is again a complicated matter as Lois and Marie (Kika Markham and Zoe Wanamaker) settle their differences and set about to fix Rosalie and Sergei’s fractured relationship. Miss Calthorpe and Gordon Selfridge finally get together: a moment many have been waiting for since their friendship blossomed last season. However, it is Nancy Webb and Harry’s relationship and her deception within it that is most intriguing. Webb’s betrayal of Harry for his money is shocking, but not surprising and it’s heartbreaking to think what it will do to Harry if he discovers the truth.
Up against a strong Sunday night drama line-up including BBC One’s The Casual Vacancy and Channel 4’s Indian Summers, Mr Selfridge remains must-see TV as the characters’ lives continue to build, with complication after dramatic complication. The loss of Henri and Agnes last week has not hurt the ensemble cast and the current storylines are all suitably compelling.
Aired at 9pm on Sunday 22 February 2015 on ITV.
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