20th Century, Mr Selfridge, Recap, Roaring 20's, Series

Mr Selfridge: On a Break

Previously on Mr Selfridge: Doris got killed in an accident that Grove blamed on Mardle after he found out that Ernest isn’t really his kid. He dumped said child on Mardle. Also dumped: Violette, because Victor’s too busy dealing with Michael’s gambling and drug dealing at the club to also deal with her bratty bullshit. Rosalie’s pregnant, Serge’s finally starting to fall in line, Loxsley’s joining the board, and Nancy’s starting to feel a teensy bit guilty about taking Harry for a ride.

Edwards greets Harry at the door of the store first thing in the morning. Everyone’s super happy because apparently the Treaty of Versailles has finally been signed and they have peace at last. Hurrah! Harry wants to do something to capture the jubilant spirit of the nation and asks Frank, his new head of print and public relations (wow, that job offer came out of nowhere, didn’t it? And so long after Frank came looking for a job in the first place.) Frank reminds Harry that this is the first proper public holiday in years. Britain at Play it is. They steam into Harry’s office and Harry tells Edwards to spend whatever he needs to get all eyes on Selfridge’s.

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EditorBeeMarch 17, 2015February 28, 20164 Comments

20th Century, Edwardian History, Mr Selfridge, Recap, Roaring 20's, Series

Mr Selfridge: Something Happened in Paris

Previously on Mr Selfridge: Doris got run over, not long after confessing her affair to Mardle; Harry sold shares in the store so he could fund the Selfridge Estate, unaware that Nancy is conning him.

Mardle is hosting Doris’s wake. Grove sits looking sadly at a photograph of his wife. Mardle is looking really awful. Like she’s aged at least a decade. Outside, Harry climbs out of his car and approaches the house. George, Victor, Kitty, and Edwards all talk about how sad this is. Mardle answers the door and is surprised to see Harry there, since she wasn’t expecting him to come. You weren’t? The deceased is a former store employee married to one of his top men. This seems like exactly the sort of event Harry would show up for. She directs him to Grove, and as he comes inside, she sees Doris’s lover, Billy, approach. Mardle firmly tells him to leave, because this is not the time. He asks where Doris is buried and she directs him to the spot. Grove watches their interaction through the window.

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EditorBeeMarch 11, 2015Leave a comment

20th Century, Edwardian History, Mr Selfridge, Recap, Roaring 20's, Series

Mr Selfridge: Prove Yourself

Previously on Mr Selfridge: Gordon was promoted to deputy head of the store, Kitty got attacked and then smeared in the press, Loxsley continued his crusade to ruin Harry, and Nancy turned out to be a con artist.

Victor and Violette, in their separate homes, are lost in thought. Harry is called away from the breakfast table for a phone call from Purkiss. Violette goes out into the hall just as her dad is hanging up the phone, ready for her punishment. Harry slams down the phone and informs her the police aren’t pursuing a prosecution. This time. He forbids her from leaving the house or speaking on the phone and tells her he’s glad her mother’s not there to see her shame. Ouch, Harry.

The musicians pack up and leave Victor’s place. Elsa asks if they’re reopening and Victor says he just needs some time.

At the store, prior to opening, Gordon dorkily practices introducing himself as deputy manager.

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EditorBeeMarch 4, 2015Leave a comment

20th Century, Edwardian History, Mr Selfridge, Recap, Roaring 20's, Series

Mr Selfridge: Public Relations

Previously on Mr Selfridge: Agnes took Henri back to France to help him get over the PTSD he acquired in France, Harry started dating Nancy, Kitty got attacked, and Victor decided it was time to start going straight.

Harry gets dressed and leaves Nancy’s place first thing in the morning. After some cute talk and kissing, he manages to get out the door and off to work. At the door to Selfridge’s, he’s greeted by a reporter asking about the attack in Kitty. Harry dismisses him and hurries inside. The reporter sees Kitty and Connie approaching.

Harry gathers Crabb, Grove, Kitty, Mardle, Grace, and Gordon in his office to announce that he wants to fill Henri’s position of store deputy from amongst the current employees. Why is he only announcing that to this bunch? There are way more heads of department than just this. I know it’s probably because the show doesn’t want to go introducing a bunch of new characters who’ll have no purpose to the story, but this is kind of what extras are for, right? This just seems silly and like blatant favouritism.

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EditorBeeFebruary 25, 2015Leave a comment

20th Century, Edwardian History, Mr Selfridge, Recap, Series

Mr Selfridge: Professionalism

Previously on Mr Selfridge: Henri had a total breakdown, freaking out Agnes; some drunken, frustrated vets nearly raped Kitty; Harry paid way too much for a field; and Violette started coming on to Victor.

Harry and Nancy take Kitty to the hospital, where she’s taken upstairs by some doctors. Frank is summoned and absolutely hauls ass up to the emergency department, clearly freaked out of his mind. Harry tells him that Kitty’s got a cut on her face and is pretty traumatized, but otherwise all right. Frank is allowed into Kitty’s room, where he immediately wraps his arms around her and tenderly comforts her. Awww. You know, if you’d told me way back in season one that I’d be totally rooting for a Kitty/Edwards pairing I would have thought you were crazy, but I actually really like these two together.

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EditorBeeFebruary 19, 20151 Comment

20th Century, Edwardian History, Mr Selfridge, Recap, Series

Mr Selfridge: The Breaking Point

Previously on Mr Selfridge: Harry decided to bankroll a charitable housing project, no matter what the cost. Henri slid further into PTSD territory, Violette whined for a job, and Mardle became head of fashion.

Harry and Kitty launch a major beauty event in front of the press. For some reason, Agnes is hanging around in the background of all the photos. After the launch, Kitty explains to the girls down in cosmetics that she’s going to be giving demonstrations of all the new products. Gordon comes over and congratulates Grace, the young woman who used to work in the tea department with him, who is now head of accessories following Mardle’s move to fashion. Grace is sweetly modest; Kitty is a bit bitchy about it. Once a catty bitch, always a catty bitch. Gordon suggests he and Grace go out and celebrate sometime.

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EditorBeeFebruary 15, 20151 Comment

Edwardian History, Mr Selfridge, Recap, Series

Mr Selfridge: No Man’s Land

Previously on Mr Selfridge: Rosalie married a total golddigger, who comes with an equally greedy mother. Agnes and Henri finally made it official, though Henri’s struggling to hide his lingering PTSD from the war. Victor’s got a nightclub to run, which is made difficult by a crooked copper and George, who decides what Victor really needs is him on the payroll.

Lanvin has sent some exclusive designs to the store, which Thackeray unwraps reverently, refusing to let anyone else touch them. Lanvin’s creative director is coming by the next day to see how the dresses are to be displayed. Thack’s plan is apparently to do as little with them as possible, to ‘let them speak for themselves.’ Let’s just see how well that goes. Crabb comes swirling in looking for Harry. He’s nowhere to be found.

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