Mr. Selfridge's

When a book is titled Shopping, Seduction and Mr. Selfridge's it had me at 'Hello'.

When the book is turned into a television drama, I'm hooked for sure.

Mr. Selfridge's is starting in Australia next Monday and it will be a crowd pleaser for sure. It stars Jeremy Piven as Mr. Selfridge, as you would expect of Piven he plays an ambitious, obnoxious and adulterous American bringing sexing shopping to London in 1909. If you know Piven from Entourage you probably already have a love hate with his Ari Gold character and Selfridge is not so far removed.

His wife is played by the amazing Frances O'Connor who has had such varied roles over her career. She was the goddess of grunge cool in Melbourne back in the 90s when she appeared in Love and Other Catastrophes as a student at Melbourne University living the bohemian Brunswick ideal. In a far more conservative role she is equally interesting and able to instantly pull the viewers sympathy for her regarding her husbands infidelity.
As the book title suggests, this program is about shopping and seduction in pretty equal measures. It is best described as a saucy Downton Abbey as it explores gender, class, domestic violence, social norms, entrapment, sex and retail. What's not to love?
Enjoy.